1. A Brain Disorder
Schizophrenia is a disease that has to do with the brain. It affects several brain functions including a person’s ability to manage emotions, think clearly, relate with people and make decisions. People who suffer from this disorder experience hallucinations which has to do with hearings, seeing or experience stuff that is not experienced by others and paranoia. Persons with this order may also experience delusions that involve thoughts of people looking or following them.

2. Treatment of Schizophrenia
Though a cure for Schizophrenia is yet to found, effective treatments of this disorder is available, Recovery focused psychosocial treatments, medications and rehabilitation programs are helping people who have this disorder to live independent, successful productive lives

3. Persons with Schizophrenia are not necessarily Dangerous
Studies show that persons who are under treatment for this disorder are not any more dangerous than ordinary people. Generally, persons with this condition tend to be withdrawn, preferring to be left alone. They are most likely to be violence victims as opposed to perpetrators. However, persons who have this disorder and are exposed to drugs or alcohol as well as those who are not under any form of treatment are likely to commit violent acts.

4. Not a Split Personality Disorder
Most people believe that Schizophrenia is a split personality disorder where patients exhibit multiple or split personalities. This may be informed by the fact that the term Schizophrenia is derived from a Green word whose meaning is “split mind”. However the split that this term refers to is a split from reality and not a multiple or spit personality. Most people with this condition are not always aware that they have it. It is a complex disorder that had nothing to do with a person’s character flaws or weaknesses.

5. Combined treatment approach
People with schizophrenia do not necessarily take plenty of medications to feel better. When patients of this disorder are treated using combined approach that involves psychosocial therapy and anti-psychotic medications, they tend to get better. Psychosocial therapy involves school or work, relationships and family support. This condition does not go away on its own, early diagnosis and treatment is crucial and has an effect on the recovery process.

6. 1% of Americans have Schizophrenia
About 1% Americans have Schizophrenia. This brain disorder affects anyone irrespective of race, culture, economic status, gender and ethnicity. Environmental factors and genetic are determining factors on whether a person develops this condition or not. 50% of persons with this condition are said to have abused drugs or have a chemical dependency diagnosis.

7. Occurrence in Males and Females
In males, schizophrenia tends to occur from late teenage years to early 20s. The condition tends to delay in females and occurs from mid 20s through to early 30s. Out of every 100 people, three will experience at least one psychotic episode in their lifetime.

8. Costly to Treat
Schizophrenia is a disorder that is devastating for many people who have it and is expensive for families and society at large. In 2002, the costs incurred as a result of schizophrenia in the U.S. was approximately $62.7 billion. Out of this, $22.7 billion was direct health care.

9. Schizophrenia Research
One of the advancing research areas about schizophrenia is identification of risk factors that lead to the occurrence of the disorder and its prevention in persons that are predisposed to it. One of the factors that is easy to prevent that is connected to development of the condition is brain altering drugs such as cannabis and marijuana.

10. Rarely occurs in Children
Schizophrenia rarely occurs in persons below the age or ten and those beyond the age of 40. It is a condition that generally begins to develop in early adulthood.