Behavioral Health Conditions
Schizophrenia
Someone with schizophrenia may have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary; may be unresponsive or withdrawn; and may have difficulty expressing normal emotions in social situations. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, is estimated to affect between 0.25 and 0.64 percent of Americans.
- Schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia and the Caregiver
- Schizophrenia: Helping Someone Who Is Paranoid
- Schizophrenia: Encouraging Social Skills
- Schizophrenia: Encouraging Someone to Take the Medicines
- Antipsychotic Medicines
- Taking Medicines as Prescribed
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- Hearing or seeing something that isn’t there
- A constant feeling of being watched
- Peculiar or nonsensical way of speaking or writing
- Strange body positioning
- Feeling indifferent to very important situations
- Deterioration of academic or work performance
- A change in personal hygiene and appearance
- A change in personality
- Increasing withdrawal from social situations
- Irrational, angry or fearful response to loved ones
- Inability to sleep or concentrate
- Inappropriate or bizarre behavior
- Delusions—false ideas—individuals may believe that someone is spying on him or her, or that they are someone famous
- Hallucinations – seeing, feeling, tasting, hearing or smelling something that doesn’t really exist
- Disordered thinking and speech
- Individuals may make up their own words or sounds
- Social withdrawal
- Extreme apathy
- Lack of drive or initiative
- Emotional unresponsiveness