Schizophrenia is often mixed up with Multiple Personality Disorder. Schizophrenia involves delusions and hallucinations NOT many personalities in one individual. This  misconception is often made by people who aren’t mental health professionals.

Here are some interesting facts about Schizophrenia

1 person in every 100 will be diagnosed woth Schizophrenia at some point in their lifetime.

Schizophrenia is 5 times more common than multiple sclerosis and 6 times more common than insulin-dependent diabetes.

Despite various theories having been put forward the cause is still unknown.

People with schizophrenia occupy 25% of all hospital beds in the USA.

15% of people with schizophrenia will successfully commit suicide, up to 50% will attempt suicide.

25-30 is the most common age for a diagnosis of schizophrenia, followed by over 65.

People with Schizophrenia do not have a split personality. The diagnosis is often given to people who experience two groups of symptoms: feeling out of control, hallucinations and delusions; a loss of functioning such as sleep problems, a lack of energy and low motivation.

I once worked with an inpatient with schizophrenia. He believed that the table and chair that were in the room with us were his mother and father and that they had somehow morphed into furniture shapes. It was intriguing to see how he clearly believed this and spoke about it in a matter of fact way.

You are 13 times more likely to be killed by a stranger without mental health problems than by someone who has mental health problems.

People diagnosed with schizophrenia are 100 times more dangerous to themselves than to others.

The term “psychosis” is used when a person’s ability to distinguish between reality and imagination is affected. Psychotic refers to someone who is having such experiences and does not necessarily mean they are violent or have aggressive behaviour.

A “psychopath” is an out of date term for someone with a severe anti-social personality disorder. It has nothing to do with schizophrenia.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Positive symptoms:

• Thought disorder – insertion, withdrawal, broadcast
• Auditory hallucinations
• Delusions of being controlled, grandiose delusions
• Other hallucinations – visual, tactile, grandiose and olfactory.
• Bizarre patterns of behaviour

Negative symptoms:

Apathy

Poor concentration

Blunt emotions, poor speech

Social withdrawal, self isolation

Lack of motivation, lowered social performance

Negative symptoms can be described as “societal responses to positive symptoms”

Schizophrenia can be managed with medication, Psychological therapy and/or Cognitive behavioural therapy.

Mandy X

Author: Mandy Kloppers

Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.