Schizophrenia: An Overview Schizophrenia is a serious brain
disorder that distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses
emotions, perceives reality, and relates to others. People with
schizophrenia -- the most chronic and disabling of the major
mental illnesses -- often have problems functioning in society,
at work, at school, and in relationships. Schizophrenia can
leave its sufferer frightened and withdrawn. It is a life-long
disease that cannot be cured but usually can be controlled with
proper treatment. Contrary to popular belief, schizophrenia is
not a split personality. Schizophrenia is a psychosis, a type of
mental illness in which a person cannot tell what is real from
what is imagined. At times, people with psychotic disorders lose
touch with reality. The world may seem like a jumble of
confusing thoughts, images, and sounds. The behavior of people
with schizophrenia may be very strange and even shocking. A
sudden change in personality and behavior, which occurs when
schizophrenia sufferers lose