Schizophrenia comes with symptoms just like any other disease but they differ from person to person. Some people might have just one episode of schizophrenia in their entire life, but in others schizophrenia might manifest more frequent and for a long period of time.

The first who notice there is something wrong with a person are the family members. They see that the person is not like it used to be any more and go for a check up at the doctor's.

Because schizophrenia gives perceptual difficulties the ill person might refuse contact with strangers and will isolate himself from others.

They will become less interested in their usual activities including work and personal hygiene and this will alert their family members that something is wrong.

Schizophrenia gives changes in personality at first only minor changes but after some time quite obvious changes. The inability of showing emotions like crying or laughing will install after a while and if they manage to laugh they make it in a strange way that makes it inappropriate. They become indifferent to others and to social activities and they end up isolating themselves.

A disorder in thoughts will install in most of the cases and the ill persons will not be able to concentrate as they used to and will forget a lot of things. They generally develop a problem with talking, they use odd language structures. They always seem confused and jump from a topic to another. Some might become hyperactive and will develop intense preoccupations with religion believing that they have a special mission, will write non stop meaningless phrases, and might use drugs and alcohol. Some develop extreme reactions to criticism and will even try to run away from home.

Due to the perceptual changes in their brain, the ill person might see, feel and smell things that are not there, that are not real. All these manifestations are hallucinations. In the worse cases they might attempt to suicide or to auto-mutilate because they seem to hear voices telling them to do that. All their senses are turned upside down and sometimes even a telephone ring might be confused for a fire alarm and provoke agitation among them.

The schizophrenic people realize that they have problems with their senses but they try to hide all the symptoms away, they will keep it a secret. They will deny all these facts and will avoid any situation that puts them face in face with the fact that they are different.

These ill persons are even more afraid that they will be abandoned by the loved ones and that is why family must always stand beside them and support them. All they need is love, patience and a lot of understanding.