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    Schizophrenia

    精神分裂症

    Clinical diagnosis
    Also called
    positive symptoms, negative symptoms, psychotic symptoms, first-episode psychosis

    What is schizophrenia?

    Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that disrupts thinking, perception, emotion, motivation and behavior. Persistent delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking are typical, along with negative symptoms such as flat emotion and lost drive, making it hard to tell what is real. ICD-11 requires symptoms for at least a month.[1][2]

    Four groups of symptoms

    Common misconceptions

    Treatment and course

    Schematic, not a self-test.

    Select a card or the timeline for details.
    Schematic: at the top, four symptom groups as the American Psychiatric Association describes them, with ICD-11’s core symptoms marked. In the middle, a timeline drawn to scale in months shows the duration thresholds: at least 1 month in ICD-11 and at least 6 months for the American Psychiatric Association. At the bottom, two common misconceptions, then treatment and course. Select a part for details. Select a part for details
    Schematic: at the top, four symptom groups as the American Psychiatric Association describes them, with ICD-11’s core symptoms marked. In the middle, a timeline drawn to scale in months shows the duration thresholds: at least 1 month in ICD-11 and at least 6 months for the American Psychiatric Association. At the bottom, two common misconceptions, then treatment and course. Select a part for details. Save as image (PNG)

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    Key points

    • Symptoms fall into three groups: positive (hallucinations, delusions), negative (flat emotion, little speech, lost drive) and disorganized thinking and speech. Attention and memory often suffer too.[2]
    • ICD-11 requires two or more characteristic symptoms for most of a month or longer;[1] the American Psychiatric Association’s criteria require symptoms lasting at least six months.[2]
    • WHO estimates that about 1 in 300 people worldwide have schizophrenia, 0.49% of adults over 20. On average they die nine years early, often of cardiovascular, metabolic or infectious disease.[3]
    • For a first episode NICE recommends oral antipsychotic medication with family intervention and individual CBT, through early intervention services, plus supported employment for those who want work.[4]

    An example

    In his third year at university, Jay stops going to class and stays in his room. He says he hears people outside the door talking about him and wraps his phone in foil. His roommate Lin doesn’t laugh it off but helps him contact campus counseling, which refers him to a psychiatrist for assessment.

    Misreadings and limits

    It is not a “split” or multiple personality, and most people with schizophrenia are no more dangerous than anyone else; they are more likely to be victims of crime.[2] Symptom lists cannot diagnose it: medication, drugs and brain conditions can cause similar symptoms, so a full psychiatric assessment is needed.[1][2] Persistent voices, fears of persecution or marked changes in behavior call for prompt help.[4]

    If you need help now

    If you’re struggling to cope or having thoughts of harming yourself:

    If you’re in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

    Psyfield is not a crisis service. Numbers checked October 2026.

    Sources

    1. 1 World Health Organization (2025). 6A20 Schizophrenia. ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics (2025-01 release). View source
    2. 2 American Psychiatric Association (2024). What is schizophrenia?. Psychiatry.org (physician review March 2024). View source
    3. 3 World Health Organization (2026). Schizophrenia. WHO fact sheet (September 11, 2026). View source
    4. 4 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014). Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults: Prevention and management (CG178). NICE clinical guideline (published February 12, 2014; last updated September 4, 2026). View source

    Last checked against sources: October 28, 2026