Negative signs include the inability to express emotion and the inability to set goals and meet them. Schizophrenia usually starts in the late teens or in the mid-thirties. A few people have been diagnosed in childhood and some after age 40. Several million people in the United States are affected. It occurs slightly more often in men than in women.
Schizophrenia typically runs in families, but can occur in a family with no history of it.
There are several different types of schizophrenia. In general, the treatment and outlook is similar for most types. People diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia may have a better chance of being able to work and live independently. Unfortunately, they may also be the most likely to become violent. Treatment for schizophrenics includes medicines, psychotherapy, training to get along better with others, and education about their illness.