Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that impairs the person's "perception of reality" (Klag 1254). Schizophrenia is not a split-personality disorder as psychiatrists once thought, but the split occurs between the mind and reality (Siegfried 2). There is no one known cause of this disorder, but there are many different opinions about the possible causes. Early theories suggested it was caused by stress, but more recently it is thought to be due to a biochemical abnormality (Deth 1).

Furthermore, some researchers have explored fetal growth for the cause of schizophrenia. It is thought that schizophrenia appears

On the other hand, there is another theory about the cause of schizophrenia, known as the "Dopamine Hypothesis." In Scientific America, Richard C. Deth talks about the "Dopamine Hypothesis" and states, "Because dopamine blockers are so often effective, it has been proposed that an over activity of dopamine neurotransmission in cortical and limbic areas of the brain may cause schizophrenia" (1).

Thus, schizophrenia affects approximately 2.2 million Americans, which is about 1% of the population (Fact Sheet 1). It usually affects men between the ages of 16 and 25, women 25 and 30, and in rare cases, even children as young as the age of 5 can develop schizophrenia (Tsai 2). Schizophrenia tends to run in families, and if someone's parents have the disease, then they have about a 10% chance of actually developing schizophrenia (Patlak 1).

The schizophrenic experience can be a terrifying journey through a world of madness no one can understand, particularly the person traveling through it. It is a journey through a world that is deranged, empty, and devoid of anchors to reality. You feel very much alone. You find it easier to withdraw than cope with a reality that is incongruent with your fantasy world. You feel tormented by distorted perceptions. You cannot distinguish what is real from what is unreal. Schizophrenia affects all aspects of your life. Your thoughts race and you feel fragmented and so very alone with your "craziness..." (Long 8).

In conclusion, schizophrenia is a treatable, but not curable mental disorder that makes people disconnect from the real world and live in a fantasy world. It is a disease that affects people all over the world, and it is a surprisingly common mental disorder in the United States, affecting 1% of the population. Even though schizophrenia is incurable, when patients receive the right treatment, oversight and medication, the chances are good t

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