Definition

A serious mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, often causing them to lose touch with reality and experience delusions or hallucinations.

Example

People with schizophrenia may hear voices that are not there or believe things that are not true.

Conversation

I was reading about schizophrenia the other day, and it was really eye-opening.

That's a complex topic, for sure. What did you find interesting?

I learned how it affects people's perception of reality and can really change their lives.

Yeah, it's important to understand, especially for supporting those who live with it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Schizophrenia → It is formed from "schizo-" (from Greek "schizein", meaning to split) and "phrenia" (from Greek "phren", meaning mind). The word describes a mental disorder characterized by a splitting of mental functions, such as thought and emotion.

Memory Tip

Think of 'splitting' ('schizo-') of the 'mind' ('phrenia') to remember that schizophrenia refers to a mental condition where thoughts and emotions are divided.

Visually Confused Words