Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is among the most complex and devastating of all mental illnesses. Its origin is believed to be a combination of genetic and nongenetic factors. There is no cure for schizophrenia, and even with treatment, full recovery is unusual; only approximately 15% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia return to previous functioning level. Schizophrenia manifests itself in many ways including a wide combination of psychotic symptoms, deficits in behavioral organization, motivation and affective expression, and cognitive functioning. These symptoms often result in severe deficits in the person’s day-to-day social and occupational functioning. Although the first psychotic episode often occurs during late teen or 20s, there is a large body of evidence to support a lifelong progression of illness. Specifically, subtle behavioral, social, and cognitive deviation from ...