In this section we attempt to explain some of the frequently asked questions about schizophrenia. Tell us your views, have your say on the message boards, or mail us the questions YOU want answering. Useful sources of information Please email us with other questions you would like to see featured. Schizophrenia is one of the most chronic and disabling of the mental illnesses. Contrary to common misconceptions, having schizophrenia does not lead to a 'split personality, nor is the illness caused by bad upbringing, personal weakness, or laziness.
Schizophrenia is a disease with a physical cause, like cancer or heart disease.
The term probably describes a collection of several diseases, rather than one single condition. The signs, symptoms and severity of schizophrenia vary widely from patient to patient, and so no single definition of schizophrenia holds true for all patients. In general during an acute schizophrenic episode, a patient is unable to separate real from unreal experiences. In paranoid schizophrenia , patients experience hallucinations and delusions. Patients with disorganised schizophrenia , on the other hand, are difficult to understand - their speech can become incomprehensible and their behaviour is often inappropriate or bizarre.