Research from the National Institute of Mental Health describes schizophrenia as a mental disorder that disrupts healthy thought, perception, social interactions, and emotional response in almost 3.2 million American patients. While schizophrenia may be considered far less prevalent compared to many other mental disorders, it’s symptoms are often very severe and dangerous when left untreated. The prime symptoms of schizophrenia often include both social, emotional, motor, and cognitive impairment, and may include delusions, abnormal and unhealthy thoughts, hallucinations, paranoia, apathy, and detachment.

Schizophrenia exists in several subtypes, including:

1. Paranoid schizophrenia
The most common form of schizophrenia is paranoid schizophrenia, which is characterized by often persistent and delusionsional thinking, hallucinations, and even hearing voices that don’t exist and that may be abusive or hostile in nature. Paranoia often overcomes this subtype, so much that they may be a danger to themselves or others if not treated.

2. Disorganized schizophrenia
Also medically referred to as hebephrenic schizophrenia, this subtype is often known for displaying very disorganized thoughts and behavior as far as performing typically routine daily tasks (i.e., shopping, directions, etc.) and speech patterns. This can often cause much anger and frustration in untreated patients.

3. Schizoaffective disorder
Schizoaffective patients are stricken by a combination of mood and psychotic schizophrenic symptoms⁠—including mania, hallucinations, deluded thinking, and depression at the same time.

4. Catatonic schizophrenia
This subtype of schizophrenia patient is prone to catatonia, or bouts of catatonic stupor where they display complete and utter inactivity and social withdrawal with low speech, matched by periods of upswing, or extreme catatonic excitement, in which emotion, activity and speech are extremely energetic in nature.

5. Childhood schizophrenia
This very rare form of schizophrenia affects patients under 10-years of age with symptoms such as withdrawal, strange behavior, lack of motivation, hallucinations, mood swings, and sleeping issues.