Among all the mental disorders described, schizophrenia is the most severe, persistent, and disabling over time.
Schizophrenia affects close to one percent of all adults in the US and people with this condition often hear voices and may have frequent thoughts of hurting themselves. Individuals with schizophrenia can become paranoid or convinced that others are wanting to harm them, which makes them less open to trusting others and staying in close relationships. It should be noted that of the different mental disorders, schizophrenia is treated with great success using pharmacotherapy and social/family support training.