1. Schizophrenia By Stephanie Hirt, Trevan Hassell and Misty Silva

2. What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that effects the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, lives in reality, and relates to others. Schizophrenia is the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses, people often have problems functioning in society, at work, at school, and in relationships. A person with schizophrenia is often left frightened and withdrawn. It is a life-long disease that cannot be cured, but usually can be controlled with proper treatment.

3. ~Types of schizophrenia~ Paranoid schizophrenia: People with this type are preoccupied with delusions about being persecuted or being punished by someone. Their thinking, speech and emotions, however, remain fairly normal.

4. ~Types~ Disorganized schizophrenia: People with this type often are confused and incoherent, and have jumbled speech. Their outward behavior may be emotionless or flat or inappropriate, even silly or childlike. Often they have disorganized behavior that may disrupt their ability to perform normal daily activities such as showering or preparing meals.

5. ~Types~ Catatonic schizophrenia: The symptoms of this type are physical. People with catatonic schizophrenia are generally immobile and unresponsive to the world around them. They often become very rigid and stiff, and unwilling to move. Occasionally, these people have peculiar movements like grimacing or assume bizarre postures. Or, they might repeat a word or phrase just spoken by another person. People with catatonic schizophrenia are at increased risk of malnutrition, exhaustion, or self-inflicted injury.

6. ~Types~ Undifferentiated schizophrenia: This type is diagnosed when the person's symptoms do not clearly represent one of the other three subtypes.

7. ~Types~ Residual Schizophrenia: In this type of schizophrenia, the severity of schizophrenia symptoms has decreased. Hallucinations, delusions, or other symptoms may still be present but are considerably less than when the schizophrenia was originally diagnosed.

8. ~Symptoms~ Usually with schizophrenia, the person's inner world and behavior change in a major way. Behavior changes might include the following: Social withdrawal Intense anxiety and a feeling of being unreal. Loss of appetite Loss of hygiene Delusions Hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren't there) The sense of being controlled by outside forces

9. ~Different Treatments~ Individual psychotherapy: Talking with a therapist each week. Rehabilitation: Working on your everyday life. Family education: Getting your family to understand schizophrenia and help understand that person better.

10. ~Causes~ There are no specific causes for schizophrenia. It is however genetic and can be triggered by certain events in ones life. Example: Exposure to viruses or malnutrition before birth, complications during birth, and other not yet known psychosocial factors.