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Basic facts about schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia is an illness that distorts the senses, making it difficult to differentiate what is real from what is not real
- Usual onset is between age 16 and 25
- Schizophrenia is non-discriminatory – it is found in all races, cultures and social classes, strikes men and women with equal frequency, and affects one in 100 people worldwide
- There is no consensus on what “causes” schizophrenia, but areas of interest include neurochemical imbalances and cerebral blood flow
- Early diagnosis and modern treatments can greatly improve prognosis for the illness