Below are webpages with short descriptions of schizophrenia from
three leading organizations on the subject of mental illness in the
USA. Further below are treatment guidelines for schizophrenia by the
American Psychiatric Association. After that is the diagnostic
criteria for schizophrenia used in the United States. Click
highlighted text to access the information.

* National Institute of Mental Health--description of schizophrenia:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/schizophreniamenu.cfm

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* Mental Health America (formerly the National Mental Health
Association):

--description of schizophrenia:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-
info/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-what-you-need-to-know/schizophrenia-
what-you-need-to-know

--description of schizoaffective disorder:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-
info/schizophrenia/schizoaffective-disorder

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* National Alliance for the Mentally Ill--description of
schizophrenia:

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?
Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/

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* American Psychiatric Association:

--Treatment guidelines for Schizophrenia (requires PDF
capability)

http://www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/Schizophrenia2ePG_05-15-
06.pdf

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* Diagnostic Criteria for Schizophrenia (used in USA):


Characteristic symptoms: Two (or more) of the following, each present
for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if
successfully treated):
delusions
hallucinations
disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)
grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
negative symptoms, i.e., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition
Note: Only one Criterion A symptom is required if delusions are
bizarre or hallucinations consist of a voice keeping up a running
commentary on the person's behavior or thoughts, or two or more
voices conversing with each other.
Social/occupational dysfunction: For a significant portion of the
time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of
functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self-care are
markedly below the level achieved prior to the onset (or when the
onset is in childhood or adolescence, failure to achieve expected
level of interpersonal, academic, or occupational achievement).
C. Duration: Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at
least 6 months. This 6-month period must include at least 1 month of
symptoms (or less if successfully treated) that meet Criterion A
(i.e., active-phase symptoms) and may include periods of prodromal or
residual symptoms. During these prodromal or residual periods, the
signs of the disturbance may be manifested by only negative symptoms
or two or more symptoms listed in Criterion A present in an
attenuated form (e.g., odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experiences).
D. Schizoaffective and Mood Disorder exclusion: Schizoaffective
Disorder and Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features have been ruled
out because either (1) no Major Depressive, Manic, or Mixed Episodes
have occurred concurrently with the active-phase symptoms; or (2) if
mood episodes have occurred during active-phase symptoms, their total
duration has been brief relative to the duration of the active and
residual periods.
E. Substance/general medical condition exclusion: The
disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a
substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical
condition.
F. Relationship to a Pervasive Developmental Disorder: If there
is a history of Autistic Disorder or another Pervasive Developmental
Disorder, the additional diagnosis of Schizophrenia is made only if
prominent delusions or hallucinations are also present for at least a
month (or less if successfully treated).

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Diagnostic Criteria of Schizophrenia Subtypes
Paranoid Type
A type of Schizophrenia in which the following criteria are met:
Preoccupation with one or more delusions or frequent auditory
hallucinations.
None of the following is prominent: disorganized speech, disorganized
or catatonic behavior, or flat or inappropriate affect.
Catatonic Type
A type of Schizophrenia in which the clinical picture is dominated by
at least two of the following:
motoric immobility as evidenced by catalepsy (including waxy
flexibility) or stupor
excessive motor activity (that is apparently purposeless and not
influenced by external stimuli)
extreme negativism (an apparently motiveless resistance to all
instructions or maintenance of a rigid posture against attempts to be
moved) or mutism
peculiarities of voluntary movement as evidenced by posturing
(voluntary assumption of inappropriate or bizarre postures),
stereotyped movements, prominent mannerisms, or prominent grimacing
echolalia or echopraxia
Disorganized Type
A type of Schizophrenia in which the following criteria are met:
All of the following are prominent:
disorganized speech
disorganized behavior
flat or inappropriate affect
The criteria are not met for Catatonic Type.
Undifferentiated Type
A type of Schizophrenia in which symptoms that meet Criterion A are
present, but the criteria are not met for the Paranoid, Disorganized,
or Catatonic Type.
Residual Type
A type of Schizophrenia in which the following criteria are met:
Absence of prominent delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech,
and grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior.
There is continuing evidence of the disturbance, as indicated by the
presence of negative symptoms or two or more symptoms listed in
Criterion A for Schizophrenia, present in an attenuated form (e.g.,
odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experiences).

From the Internet Mental Health website:
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-ps01.html
From source material in the DSM-IV by the American Psychiatric
Association
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For more information on Schizophrenics Anonymous, click:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Pantheon/8320/SA.htm
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For Schizophrenics Anonymous on the Internet Usenet:
http://groups.google.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous?hl=en