Schizophrenia Schizophrenia defines a group of disorders that cause distorted thought and perception. Thoughts seem scrambled or suddenly jump from one subject to an unrelated subject. Perception can be distorted beyond reality, causing sufferers to hear or see things that are not there. People with schizophrenia commonly feel heightened self-awareness or paranoia. Often they suffer low self-esteem and even withdraw into seclusion.
Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating of all mental illnesses.
It afflicts people of all ages, race and gender, and it affects each individual in different ways and degrees. Mental illnesses are caused by disorders of brain chemistry and function that affect how a person thinks, perceives and gets along in the world. Anyone, regardless of age, race or gender, can develop a mental illness. The risk to develop a mental illness can be inherited, just as a risk for diabetes or heart disease is passed down in families. However, other factors such as problems in development prior to birth, imbalances in brain chemistry, traumatic personal experiences and other physical problems have been presumed to be contributors as well.