Schizophrenia

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a devastating brain disorder—the most chronic and disabling of the severe mental illnesses. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. more>>

Signs & Symptoms

The first signs of schizophrenia typically emerge in young people in their teens or twenties; in rare cases, schizophrenia can appear in childhood. Symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, unusual speech or behavior, and social withdrawal impair the ability to interact with others. more>>

Treatment

Available treatments can relieve many symptoms, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives. However, new treatment advances, particularly within the last decade, have improved the outlook for many people with schizophrenia. more>>

Getting Help

Locate mental health services in your area, affordable healthcare, NIMH clinical trials, and listings of professionals and organizations. more>>

Related Information

• Occurrence in:
  • Children and adolescents
• Schizophrenia Information from NLM's MedlinePlus, in English and Spanish
• Some mental illnesses also carry an increased risk for suicide.

News

• Stress Impairs Thinking Via Mania-Linked Enzyme
• Schizophrenia Gene Variant Linked to Risk Traits
• Schizophrenia Bulletin Privatized

Publications/Resource Materials

Read, print, or order NIMH booklets, fact sheets, and other publications on schizophrenia such as:

More Publications>>

Schizophrenia Research

• Schizophrenia Research at the National Institute of Mental Health
• Clinical Trials: Current Studies on Schizophrenia and Related Disorders
• Search MEDLINE's PubMed for recent research articles on schizophrenia.
• About the NIMH Schizophrenia Bulletin