RELIGION AND SCHIZOPHRENIA ! 
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by a difficulty in recognizing reality, regulating emotional responses, thinking in a clear and logical manner, and behaving in a socially accepted manner. It is unclear what causes schizophrenia at this time, but it seems that genetics play a heavy r

ole, as individuals with a family history are far more likely to suffer from schizophrenia. The disorder can be triggered and exacerbated by social and environmental factors, with episodes becoming more apparent in periods of high stress. Symptoms usually appear around the onset of early adulthood. It is rare for a child to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, in part because of the difficulty in establishing what erroneous thoughts and beliefs can be attributed to childhood development and which thoughts and believes can be attributed to schizophrenia. With medication (usually anti psychotics) and therapy, schizophrenics can live successful, productive lives.
Religious delusions
One of the most commonly reported varieties of delusions from those with schizophrenia are religious delusions. A delusion is a thought or belief that holds no basis in reality, yet the sufferer staunchly believes it to be true, even in the face of clear evidence to the contrary. A religious delusion has an overtly religious nature to it, often involving hearing the voice of God, feeling commanded by God, being possessed by demons, and other unrealistic phenomenon. These delusions occasionally become violent, ending in the death of the sufferer and/or another individual(s). Though rare, cases of this nature have been reported in the past. It can be difficult to place blame in such instances, especially if the perpetrator has not yet been diagnosed with schizophrenia. These individuals do not have an actual desire to cause harm outside of the disorder, but because of the nature of schizophrenia, they are largely powerless to control it. With proper medication and treatment, however, a schizophrenia patient will quickly return to a socially acceptable level of behavior.
Although religious delusions are a commonplace phenomenon in schizophrenic patients, religious delusions are not unique to schizophrenics alone; rather, it is entirely possible for an otherwise healthy individual to experience such a delusion separate from any mental disorder. Similarly, a schizophrenic can experience a delusion void of religious content whatsoever. For instance, a paranoid schizophrenic may incorrectly believe that a government agency is pursuing them. An example of religious delusion without schizophrenia would be churchgoers speaking in tongues or feeling the "hand of God" upon them. Another example is Jerusalem syndrome, a phenomenon in which visitors to Jerusalem are overcome with religious fervor and psychosis, oftentimes believing that they themselves are the Messiah; however, evidence to support the claim of such a syndrome is limited, and it is not listed in any edition of the DSM.
Schizophrenia and religious delusions

The relationship between religion and schizophrenia is of particular interest to psychologists because of the similarities between religious experiences and schizophrenic episodes; religious experiences often involve auditory and/or visual hallucinations, and schizophrenics commonly report similar hallucinations, along with a variety of delusions and faulty beliefs. A common report from those with schizophrenia is some kind of a religious delusion - that is, they believe they are divine beings, God is talking to them, they are possessed by demons, etc. In a study of schizophrenia patients that had been previously admitted to a hospital, 24% had had religious delusions. Because of the inherent similarities between religious belief and schizophrenia, it has led some researchers to question whether schizophrenia leads an individual to become more religious, or if intense religiosity leads to schizophrenia.