Schizophrenia is classified as a psychosis, which is a severe mental disorder characterized by a loss of contact with reality. Psychotic disorders involve fundamental disturbances in thinking, perception, and behavior that significantly impair a person's ability to function. The hallmark features of psychosis include hallucinations (false sensory perceptions), delusions (false beliefs), disorganized thinking, and abnormal motor behavior. Schizophrenia specifically involves positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech) and negative symptoms (diminished emotional expression, reduced motivation). This differs from anxiety disorders, which primarily involve excessive fear and worry; neuroses, which are less severe and don't involve loss of reality contact; and personality disorders, which are enduring patterns of behavior and inner experience. The psychotic nature of schizophrenia means that individuals experience a fundamental break from reality, making it one of the most serious categories of mental illness requiring comprehensive treatment including antipsychotic medications and psychosocial interventions.

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Zambia

• loveness Phiri – 1084 pts

• Visual Pathway Lesions
• Positive and Negative Symptoms
• Hallucinations and Delusions
• Antipsychotic Medications
• Emergency: Environmental Emergencies