Schizophrenia is one of the most challenging mental health disorders to effectively diagnose, live with, and understand. This condition’s chief characteristic is psychosis—no longer being able to discern what’s real and what isn’t. Many patients suffer from auditory and visual hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, and other symptoms, such as delusions and difficulties keeping their train of thought.
The syndrome’s causes remain under investigation, though research has indicated as many as 80% of people with the disease were genetically predisposed to develop it. Traumatic childhood experiences and substance abuse are known to increase schizophrenia risk. The syndrome is treated with antipsychotic medications and therapy, but there is no cure. Some patients find their lives are completely derailed by schizophrenia while others, with consistent treatment, can function well, work, and build fulfilling lives.
One of the scariest things about schizophrenia is that its symptoms can seem to manifest quite suddenly, often when people are in their 20s. No one test confirms a schizophrenia diagnosis, so clinicians diagnose the syndrome largely by ruling out other possible explanations for its symptoms.
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