
10/07/2025
Mental Illness Awareness Week Day 2: Understanding Schizophrenia
Today for Mental Illness Awareness Week, we're focusing on schizophrenia, a chronic brain disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts.
2.8 million adults in the U.S. are affected by this condition. Schizophrenia causes people to have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is not, making everyday functioning very challenging.
Symptoms are grouped into three categories:
- Positive Symptoms: Disturbances that add to a person's experience, such as Delusions (false ideas) and Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there).
- Negative Symptoms: Capabilities lost, like social withdrawal or extreme apathy.
- Disorganized Symptoms: Affecting thought and behavior, like moving between topics nonsensically or having trouble with routine hygiene.
While there is no cure, with consistent treatment, many people with schizophrenia are able to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Awareness reduces stigma and promotes support.
Learn more about the symptoms and check out our schizophrenia screening to take the first step toward understanding and support.
🔗 mentalhealthmn.org/schizophrenia/