What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is an uncommon but severe, serious and disabling chronic psychiatric disorder where adolescents (before the age of 18 year, rare for children younger than 13 years of age) and young adults (mid to late 20’s) interpret reality abnormally, have strange thinking, (cognitive difficulties) and feelings (psychotic symptoms), and unusual behavior and emotions. These, with delusions and hallucinations, make ordinary daily functioning difficult.

---

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM