The Truths About Schizophrenia Everyone Should Know
Schizophrenia is among one of the most misunderstood mental health disorders. It’s hard to imagine being dismissed from a job for an illness such as diabetes but the sad truth is even though schizophrenia is treatable and can be kept under control, sufferers are often stigmatized and discriminated against.
Often schizophrenia is a subject no one feels comfortable discussing. After all, the word ‘schizophrenia’ is often used in a derogatory manner within our everyday conversations, feeding into societal stigma and discrimination. Educating ourselves on mental illness is essential in both life and in the workplace because people living with schizophrenia, or another mental health condition, should not have to deal with our ignorance on top of everything else.
Due to misleading media portrayals, those living with schizophrenia are often perceived as untreatable, violent threats to society. A survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness found 64% believe that schizophrenia is the same as having split personalities.
In honour of World Schizophrenia Day, we want to bust some myths and share the truths about schizophrenia. Take note, absorb the facts, but more importantly, gain a greater understanding and confidence in how to support the people you encounter in your life, who may have schizophrenia.
Myth: Having schizophrenia means you have split personalities.
Truth: Schizophrenia is one of the world’s top 10 causes of disability. This serious mental illness affects 300,000 Canadians and approximately 1.5 million people worldwide will be diagnosed this year.
Untreated schizophrenia impairs a person’s ability to function by interfering with their ability to think clearly, make decisions, manage emotions, and relate to others.
Based on The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a healthcare professional will look for two or more of these symptoms to occur persistently in a person before diagnosing someone with schizophrenia.
- Delusions and hallucinations such as hearing voices, paranoid delusions and exaggerated or distorted perceptions, beliefs and behaviours.
- Disorganized speech, also sometimes called “word salads”, are disjointed or rambling monologues in which a person seems to talk to themselves, imagined people or voices. This can also cause difficulty with logical thinking and sometimes bizarre behaviour or abnormal movements.
- Disorganized or catatonic behaviour is characterized by stupor/inactivity, mania, and either rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs.
- Negative symptoms are a loss or a decrease in the ability to initiate plans, speak, express emotion or find pleasure.
As with any illness, the duration and frequency of symptoms can vary individually. The severity of psychotic symptoms often decreases during the person’s lifetime. Not taking prescribed medication, use of alcohol or illicit drugs, and stressful situations can increase symptoms.
The Schizophrenia Society of Canada state “If identified and treated early on, schizophrenia can be managed fairly well and the chances of subsequent psychotic episodes are greatly reduced.’
Myth: Schizophrenia makes people dangerous.
Truth: The vast majority of people diagnosed with schizophrenia are non-violent. In fact, of past violent offenders, research suggests only 23% of their crimes were related to their symptoms and condition.
Sadly, the notion that individuals with schizophrenia are dangerous people drastically contributes to the stigma surrounding the disorder.
People with schizophrenia often experience greater stress, lower self-esteem and have reduced housing and employment opportunities. These all diminish their quality of life.
Myth: People with schizophrenia are unable to lead a typical personal or professional life.
Truth: Treatment can help many people with schizophrenia lead productive and rewarding lives. Like other chronic illnesses, some patients do extremely well while others continue to be symptomatic and need additional support and assistance.
After schizophrenic symptoms are controlled with medication, various types of therapy can continue to help people manage their illness and improve their lives. Therapy and the right supports can help people learn social skills, cope with stress, identify early warning signs of relapse and prolong periods of remission.
How can you support someone with schizophrenia?
We must not forget that individuals with schizophrenia, or another mental illness, are real people. It could be the guy on reception, the woman in the grocery store line-up standing before you, or perhaps your neighbour’s son. Don’t underestimate the value of just being kind in your everyday encounters.
Open up the conversation about schizophrenia and with the people who live with the illness. A lack of knowledge and understanding isolates those who are so much more than their diagnosis. Stigma does not define and should not encompass anyone, particularly from all that they are and what they can become.
It’s crucial we give people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses a sense of belonging, a renewed hope that people will not judge from a place of fear, but show capabilities of love, compassion, and a tolerance for difference.
“I have schizophrenia. I am not schizophrenia. I am not my mental illness. My illness is a part of me.”
– Jonathan Harnisch, (Novelist, artist, filmmaker and author of Jonathan Harnisch: An Alibiography)
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