[ Browse by Service Category : Mental Illness/Emotional Disabilities : Sub-Topics of Psychotic Disorders (3) ]
Schizophrenia
Any of a group of disorders that are characterized by onset before age 45, deterioration from a previous level of functioning in areas such as work, social relations or self-care, and at least one of the following during a phase of the illness: bizarre delusions such as delusions of being controlled, thought broadcasting, thought insertion or thought withdrawal; somatic, grandiose, religious or nihilistic delusions; delusions with jealous or persecutory content accompanied by hallucinations of any type; auditory hallucinations; or incoherence associated with a blunted, flat or inappropriate affect, delusions or hallucinations, or catatonic or other grossly disorganized behaviour.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.