I often see strangers on the train, sidewalk, and other public places rambling to themselves, throwing their hands around, or screaming about alien abduction. As I pass them by I think to myself, "What is wrong with him, is that man ill?" After I took this class I realized, yes, many of these people have mental abnormalities, and often this abnormality is schizophrenia. After reading information and studying this mental deficiency I realize why some of these strangers ended up on the street, homeless. The information sparked me to recall other instances of contact and information about this mental mutation; A Beautiful Mind, Identity, Fight Club, are all movies that deal with forms of schizophrenia. I thought to myself, "What if I was to wake up one day, hearing voices, after searching through house unable to find its source, these voices would endlessly torture me, comment on my lifestyle, unable to grasp the imaginary would sink into world of "my mind."
             According to Encarta Encyclopedia, Schizophrenia is a;
             "Severe mental illness characterized by a variety of symptoms, including loss of contact with reality, bizarre behavior, disorganized thinking and speech, decreased emotion expressiveness, and social withdrawal. Usually only some of these symptoms occur in any one person. The term schizophrenia comes from Greek words meaning "split mind." However, contrary to the belief, schizophrenia does not refer to a person with a split personality or multiple personality."
             Encarta also states that, Schizophrenia develops in approximately one percent of humans, and experts estimate that 1.8 million Americans have it. This illness can affect a person regardless of sex, race or culture. It is more severe in men, while woman seem to have weaker symptoms. Usually it develops between the ages of fifteen and thirty but may occur at later times. There are approximately six symptoms that prevail is schizophreni...