schizophrenia

A serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves, and can make it hard to tell what is real from what is not. It is usually first diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 30, after a first episode of psychosis.

No medical test confirms it. A psychiatrist makes the diagnosis by examining the person and talking with them, often with their family as well; brain scans and blood tests may be used to rule out other conditions that look similar. Because the diagnosis rests on what a person reports and on how others describe them, Invisible Ships never diagnoses anyone and asks people to speak only for themselves.

Related terms: schizoaffective disorder

Sources: Schizophrenia — National Institute of Mental Health (NIH); Schizophrenia — MedlinePlus (NIH)