In spite of the expansion of knowledge in recent years concerning Schizophrenia, as well as an increase in our ability to treat it, schizophrenia remains a baffling disorder in which numerous environmental, biological, and social causes or triggers may be implicated. While this sounds somewhat uncommon, in fact schizophrenia is more prevalent than Alzheimer's disease.
Schizophrenia is a malady that epitomizes the worst fears of having a mental disorder.
While symptoms are multiple and often unique to the individual, it is a disorder that, at its essence, interferes with the meaningful connections between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Its impact on the individual as well as those around the individual are often dramatic and devastating. The traditional view of the developmental course of schizophrenia has been thought of as consisting of a series of stages. The first is the prodromal phase , consisting of noticeable behavior changes such as social withdrawal, degradation of personal appearance, and peculiar and idiosyncratic actions, coupled with the emergence of the beginnings of classic symptoms. This has been most often identified as occurring in late adolescence or early adulthood, with a somewhat earlier onset for men compared to women.