Definition: Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality, which can be distressing for them and for others. Common symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking and behavior, and impaired cognitive ability. The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but a combination of genetic, brain chemistry, and environmental factors are thought to contribute to its development.
Etymology and Origin: The term ‘schizophrenia’ originates from the Greek words ‘schizein’, meaning ‘to split’, and ‘phren’, meaning ‘mind’. It was coined by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1908 to describe the separation of function between personality, thinking, memory, and perception observed in patients with the disorder. Bleuler intended the term to convey an ‘internal disconnection’ within mental functions rather than a split personality, which is a common misconception about the disorder.
