Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a disorder that shows its symptoms in the late teens to early 20s. You hear voices, see things that aren't there, believe others are after you, which makes you paranoid. Schizophrenia is a very serious disorder, requiring medications and psychotherapy - which, for many people, can greatly improve quality of life.
Recently Answered
- Q What thought disorders do people with schizophrenia have?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineSome people with schizophrenia experience thought disorders, which causes them to have trouble thinking clearly. Thought disorders are a positive symptom of schizophrenia. Positive symptoms include unusual and psychotic behaviors that people with... Full Answer
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- Q Are people with schizophrenia likely to be depressed?
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Dr. Douglas Severance, Family MedicineDepression and other mood disorders can be a problem for many people with schizophrenia, especially if their illness is not treated. However, schizophrenia doesn't always cause depression. Sometimes people with schizophrenia are thought to be... Full Answer
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- Q Do people with schizophrenia believe their hallucinations are real?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineOne of the identifying symptoms of schizophrenia is that people believe their hallucinations and delusions are real. Some of the hallucinations that appear real include: - seeing and hearing things that others cannot see or hear - believing that... Full Answer
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- Q If people hallucinate, do they have schizophrenia?
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Dr. Douglas Severance, Family MedicineHallucinations are caused by a variety of triggers and do not necessarily indicate that someone has schizophrenia. A hallucination occurs when someone's sense of reality is distorted, and the individual has trouble identifying what is real. The... Full Answer
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- Q What are hallucinations that occur with schizophrenia?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineWhen a person hallucinates, they see, hear, taste, smell or feel things that are not real. This is considered a psychotic symptom of schizophrenia. The most common hallucination that occurs for people with schizophrenia is hearing voices that do... Full Answer
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- Q If my mother had schizophrenia, am I likely to have it too?
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Dr. Douglas Severance, Family MedicineIf one of your parents or a close family member has schizophrenia, you are more likely than most people to have the illness. However, this does not mean that you will definitely have symptoms of schizophrenia. It just means that your chances of... Full Answer
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- Q Why do doctors use laboratory tests to diagnose schizophrenia?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineDoctors use laboratory tests to help diagnose schizophrenia for several reasons. Lab tests help doctors rule out recent drug and alcohol abuse, and some medical conditions which share symptoms with schizophrenia. A doctor can run a variety of... Full Answer
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- Q Do specific genes cause schizophrenia?
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Dr. Douglas Severance, Family MedicineResearchers believe that they may have identified an important gene that causes abnormal brain development in people with schizophrenia. A research group studied the brain chemistry of a family in Scotland. More than half of the extended members... Full Answer
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- Q Can problems during pregnancy or birth cause schizophrenia in the infant?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineCurrently, scientists aren't sure whether problems during pregnancy or at birth cause schizophrenia. However, researchers are trying to understand more about this topic. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library mentions several possible... Full Answer
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- Q How do genetics and environmental factors interact to cause schizophrenia?
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Dr. Mark Morocco, Emergency MedicineCurrently, scientists are not sure if one or more genes cause schizophrenia in humans. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, experts are pretty certain that our genes and environment interact, causing some family members to... Full Answer
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