Schizophrenia Is More Common Than The Average Person

Schizophrenia is more common than the average person believes it to be. According to SARDAA (Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America), approximately3.5 billion people in the United States have schizophrenia. Additionally, a great portion of this population is homeless, and about half of everyone diagnosed have never received treatment for it (SARDAA, 2014) . For something that is so popular in our society today, it is important to understand what schizophrenia is and how it is diagnosed. Schizophrenia derives from the Greek words â€Å"split† and â€Å"mind†. Despite its name, it does not mean what it seems. When people hear the two words â€Å"split† and â€Å"mind’ they may automatically think of a multiple personality disorder, but that is different from schizophrenia (Barlow Durand, 2015). Schizophrenia is actually a brain disorder in which reality is not interpreted correctly. Many people with schizophrenia hear voices, believe they are being stalked or watched by others, and do not always make sense when conversing. It has been discovered that those who suffer from schizophrenia, have dysfunctional neurotransmitters within their brain. This affects the message system in their brain (Nordqvist, 2015). Schizophrenia also affects the emotions of a person. Many times people with this disorder may seem withdrawn, or socially inept. It is hard for families, coworkers, and friends to keep a good relationship. There is even evidence showi ng how families’ actions and emotionsShow MoreRelatedSchizophrenia The Challenging Mental Illness Essay961 Words   |  4 PagesSchizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder characterized by the breakdown of the thought processes, of emotional responsiveness and of contact with reality. 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