Schizophrenia Description: Schizophrenia is not a single disease, but a broad category of mental illnesses involving some form of psychosis (being out of touch with reality). Symptoms: Symptoms include low sociability, cognitive impairment (also called thought disorder), psychotic episodes including hallucinations and delusions. Mental and social functioning decline for a number of years and memory is often impaired. In up to a third of patients, the disease progresses from the first episode onward; in others, it fluctuates between psychotic flare-ups and remissions. Number of Americans diagnosed: Schizophrenia affects more than 2.7 million people in America. Long-term problems/treatments: Schizophrenia often starts out very slowly and progresses to a severely disabling mental illness, generally treated with antipsychotic medications. The consequences for work and relationships are usually severe and difficult to repair, even if symptoms improve. Schizophrenia has a devastating effect on all aspects of human thought, emotion and expression. Directory List Choose an illness from the menu below: Select here Allergies Alzheimer's disease Arthritis Asthma Bipolar disorder Chronic back problems Chronic bronchitis Chronic obstructive        pulmonary disease Cirrhosis Depression Developmental disabilities Diabetes Emphysema Endometriosis Epilepsy Glaucoma Hearing impairment Heart disease Hepatitis C High blood pressure Human Immunodeficiency        Virus (HIV) Kidney disease Lou Gehrig's disease Lupus Lyme disease Migraine Multiple sclerosis Muscular Dystrophy Orthopedic Impairments Osteoporosis Paralysis of the extremities Parkinson's disease Psoriasis Schizophrenia Sinusitis Stroke Thyroid condition         Previous      Next Resources Schizophrenia.com National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Schizophrenia Schizophrenia -- Your Complete Well-Connected Guide Home | Awareness | Patient Files | The Challenge | Your Stories | Outreach | Resources About the Program | About Fred Friendly Seminars | Our Partners | Site Map | Credits © 2001 Fred Friendly Seminars, Inc.