3.1 - Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that affects approximately one percent of the population. The initial onset occurs most commonly in young adults and less commonly in older persons. Schizophrenia may be a life long condition, or, it may in some cases manifest in short episodes from which a person may fully recover.

Contrary to the populist myth, schizophrenia is not characterised by a person exhibiting a ‘split personality'. Rather, it is generally characterised by a significant impairment of the experience of reality.

More specifically, a diagnosis of schizophrenia requires the existence of two or more of the following symptoms being present for a significant proportion of time during a period of one month:

• Delusional thinking (misperceiving events, such as a feeling that one's thoughts or actions are being controlled; unreasonable feelings of persecution or grandiosity);
• Hallucinations (can be visual or auditory such as hearing voices);
• Disorganised or incoherent speech;
• Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour; and
• Negative symptoms such as unresponsive body language, a lack of speech or a lack of motivation to fulfil meaningful desires.

For more information see the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual For
Mental Disorder