Health Centres - Schizophrenia
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a major mental illness that causes changes in perception, thoughts and behaviour.
It is a complex condition that defies simple description, but a distinction can be made between two broad types: acute schizophrenia and chronic schizophrenia.
Acute schizophrenia
This is the form that probably most comes to mind when people think of schizophrenia.
Acute schizophrenia is when a previously healthy person, generally a young adult, shows increasingly odd behaviour over a fairly short period of time of perhaps a few weeks.
- lack of insight
These symptoms are called the positive symptoms of schizophrenia.
Not all patients with acute schizophrenia experience all of these symptoms.
Spotting the signs
- the belief they are under the control of another influence
If a person has delusions of persecution, they may be suspicious of any questions about their mental state.
Chronic schizophrenia
- social withdrawal
These symptoms are often called the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Not all people with chronic schizophrenia experience all of the symptoms.
How common is schizophrenia?
How does schizophrenia develop?
- if a grandparent had the illness, the risk rises to 3 per cent.
Other predisposing factors in the development of schizophrenia include complications during pregnancy or childbirth and difficulties in childhood development.
Factors that may trigger an episode of schizophrenia include stressful life events, and the use of illegal drugs such as cannabis.
What can schizophrenics and their families do to help themselves?
However, one of the features of the disease is sufferers do not understand they are unwell during acute episodes of illness. It is therefore important that family and friends are able to seek help on their behalf.
The first point of call should be the person's family doctor or mental health team worker.
Schizophrenics who are on long-term medication should continue to take this medication, because it has a protective effect against future relapses.
- auditory hallucinations (hearing sounds, voices or music)
- delusions of persecution
- suspiciousness
- flat mood
- thoughts spoken aloud.
Usually a person suffering from schizophrenia will not know they are experiencing symptoms of the illness.
- that thoughts are being put into or taken out of their mind.
- underactivity and slowness
- lack of conversation or interests
- odd ideas or behaviour
- neglect of appearance
- depression.
Worldwide schizophrenia is present in two to four people per 1000 of the population at any one time. One in 100 people will develop schizophrenia in their lifetime.
The cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but it may have a genetic component. There is no 'gene for schizophrenia' but a family history of the illness increases the risk of being affected:
- if one parent was affected, the risk is as high as 10 per cent.
- this rises to 40 per cent if both parents have schizophrenia.
If you think you are experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia, you should seek help from your doctor.
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