Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that is sometimes hard to diagnose due to similarities to other mental disorders. There is no cure, but treatment and proper medications can help to control the symptoms. While the exact cause of this disease is unknown, it is believed to be caused by a combination of factors including chemistry, genetics, and environment. Symptoms of schizophrenia include:

1. Social withdrawal

People who suffer from schizophrenia will often withdraw from society. Due to other symptoms like suspiciousness and hostility, they do not want to be around others. Since the disorder affects behavior and rational thought, they feel that others are ‘out to get them’ or are ‘mocking them’, when in fact the others haven’t even noticed them.

Schizophrenics will avoid going to gatherings, parties, or even their jobs because they don’t feel safe or wanted. They will often look for reasons to avoid family and friends, preferring the safety they feel from solitude.

2. Hostility or suspiciousness

Medications and therapy may help people who suffer from schizophrenia to control the suspiciousness and hostility that often accompanies this disorder. However, a lot of schizophrenics stop taking their medications because they are suspicious of the doctors who prescribe it or the caretaker who gives it to them. The irrational suspiciousness of the disorder may cause them to believe the doctor is trying to kill them.

Hostility is another symptom that causes more problems for a schizophrenic. They may cause fights with people at the workplace or become violent with spouses due to the hostility. The hostility may be a direct result of the perceived slight from someone. It makes having a happy home or a fulfilling job very hard for those suffering this disorder.

3. Lack of emotion or inappropriate emotions

Those suffering from this mental issue may also suffer from an emotional detachment. When a loved one dies, they may not be able to cry or even feel sorrow. At other times they may totally break down, sobbing over something as simple as having no coffee creamer. The feelings and lack of feeling are very real to the sufferer, even though they are totally irrational to others around them.

A schizophrenic person may have an emotional outburst when angry, throwing items or even harming others around them. At other times they may be reclusive and fearful. Family and friends should realize that although the actions and reactions are not normal behavior, they are perceived as reality by the schizophrenia sufferer. Lack of emotion or inappropriate emotional outbursts are just part of the disease. That is why it is so important to stick to the treatment plan and medications. This will help to control the ‘alternate reality’ that is suffered by schizophrenics.