When you first seek professional help for your mental health problem, your doctor will want to diagnose the problem in order to decide on the best treatment. It is impossible here to fully describe the range of symptoms that may lead a professional to make a certain diagnosis. A diagnosis isn't easy to make, and some people find their diagnosis is later changed. This chapter will give you some information about the most common mental illnesses. Always ask a mental health professional about any term you don't understand.
Schizophrenia usually strikes in the late teen years or the twenties.
Others have many episodes throughout their lives but manage to live relatively normally between episodes of psychosis. However, some people are more or less continuously disabled by schizophrenia. The main treatment for schizophrenia is anti-psychotic medication. People with schizophrenia are also often referred to programs in hospitals or community agencies, where they receive counselling and learn to manage their symptoms. The highs get out of hand, and the manic person can behave in a reckless manner, sometimes to the point of financial ruin or getting in trouble with the law.