What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder—an illness that primarily impacts the brain, like epilepsy, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's. People with schizophrenia don't have split personalities, and we don't have sub-normal intelligence. The prefix “schizo” refers to a split from reality. My brain has trouble sorting out sensory input and often thinks thoughts that have no basis in reality. Some people with schizophrenia hear voices that aren't there. That's not me. My most troublesome symptom is paranoia—thinking people are out to get me, trying to hurt me.

What causes schizophrenia?
Scientists haven’t yet discovered what causes schizophrenia. But they’ve learned a lot about what doesn’t cause it. Schizophrenia is not the result of terrible parenting, a horrible childhood or being a lazy, bad person. Some researchers think it might be caused by a virus or a problem that occurs during pregnancy. They also think genetics may play a role because schizophrenia tends to run in families.

Until brain imaging technology was invented, the medical world was pretty clueless about the illness because the organ it affects the most (the brain) is locked inside our skulls. Now that it's easier to study the brain, scientists have found many differences between brains of people with the disease and those without. These discoveries have helped doctors know more about the nature and course of the illness and how treatable it actually is. And, thanks to this research, radically new drugs were released in the mid-1990s that are much better at treating the symptoms.

There is hope!
Schizophrenia might not be curable yet—but it is treatable. I rely on medication, therapy and the support of my family to help get me through. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. The more our families and friends learn about the disease, the more helpful they can be in supporting our journey towards recovery.