'In my senior year of high school, I began to experience personality changes. I
did not realize the significance of the changes at the time, and I think others denied
them, but looking back I can see that they were the earliest signs of illness. I became
increasingly withdrawn and sullen. I felt alienated and lonely and hated everyone. I felt
as if there were a huge gap between me and the rest of the world; everybody seemed so
distant from me.' This excerpt describes part of Esse Leete 20-year battle with
schizophrenia. She committed herself to leading the fullest life her disease will allow and
to educating others about mental illness. Schizophrenia is a very serious disease, but
through defining schizophrenia and getting the patient help and treatment a
schizophrenic can lead a full life like any other person.
Schizophrenia is defined as any of a group of psychotic reactions characterized by
withdrawal from reality with highly variable affective, behavioral and intellectual
English: A schizophrenic patient at the Glore Psyc...
House decorated with bizarre writings. The inhabit...
English: A schizophrenic patient at the Glore Psyc...disturbances by the American Heritage Dictionary. No definition of schizophrenia can
adequately describe all people with this illness. Schizophrenia is an extremely complex
mental illness. It is clear that schizophrenia is a disease which makes it difficult for the
person with the illness to decide what is real and what is not (Swados 5). It is also clear
that this brain disease affects normal, intelligent people in all walks of life. There are six
concrete phrases that describe schizophrenia: it is a real disease, has concrete and
specific symptoms, is different from other mental illnesses, is the result of flaws brain
biochemistry, may be treated by specific antipsychotic drugs, and is almost always
treatable.
Scientist are unsure of the causes of schizophrenia, although research is
progressing rapidly. Scientist are almost certain that schizophrenia has more...