Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder that affects a person’s perception, thought processes, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions. People with schizophrenia appear to lose touch with reality, which can be distressing for individuals with this mental health and their families or friends.
Schizophrenia causes severe and persistent symptoms that are disabling when left untreated. Most people are diagnosed with schizophrenia between their late teens and early 30s. Rarely, schizophrenia can also occur in younger children. Researchers theorize that this mental health condition may develop from a combination of genetics, environment, and brain chemistry.