n.
Any of a group of severe mental disorders that have in common symptoms such as hallucination s, delusions, blunted emotions, disorganized thinking, and withdrawal from reality.
Four main types are recognized: the paranoid, characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur combined with unrealistic, illogical thinking and frequent auditory hallucinations; the disorganized (hebephrenic), characterized by disordered speech and behaviour and shallow or inappropriate emotional responses; the catatonic, characterized by motor inflexibility, stupor, or stereotyped movements along with mutism, echolalia, or other speech abnormalities; and the undifferentiated, a nonspecific type. Schizophrenia seems to occur in 0.51% of the general population. There is strong evidence that genetic inheritance plays a role, but no single cause has been identified. Stressful life experiences may help trigger its onset. Treatment consists of drug therapy and counseling. About one-third of all patients make a full recovery, one-third have recurring episodes, and one-third deteriorate into a chronic condition.