Schizophrenia is known to be a detrimental and disabling mental illness. According to the American Psychiatric Association, schizophrenia is characterized as “ a disorder with active symptoms for at least one month, consisting of delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized/bizarre behavior, and/or lack of organized speech, activity, or emotions (DSM-IV)” (DeLisi, 4). Along with these many symptoms may come catatonia, a condition in which violent outbursts may occur. Symptoms of schizophrenia most often affect men stronger than females. Patients almost always hear negative voices. For …show more content…
According to E. Fuller Torrey, “it is also widely accepted that genes probably produce susceptibility to schizophrenia in combination with other factors” (139). It should also be known that certain street drugs can mimic the feeling of schizophrenia. Stress can also play an important factor in the development of schizophrenia. The cost of schizophrenia comes in many forms. According to many economists, “schizophrenia costs the U.S. at least $60 billion a year, and probably a good deal more. We pay for the many forms of assistance that people with the condition require, and we pay for what happens when they don’t get the help they need” (Cohn, There’s Now A Miraculous…). Many people in the United States suffer from a form of mental illness but do not have the sufficient funds to find help. The mental health department of funding is known to be one of the least funded for