5 things you didn’t know about schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that people are willing to talk about these days.

Individuals with schizophrenia often experience delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and negative symptoms such as feeling detached from oneself, general discontentment, anger, anxiety, and more.

Most people recognize schizophrenia as a disorder that causes delusions and hallucinations, but there is much more that many don’t know.

If you or someone you know has schizophrenia, read our list of 5 things you may not have known before!

1. People with schizophrenia are more likely to be harmful to themselves than others. Many television shows and movies portray those with schizophrenia as violent, and this is an inaccurate portrayal. People with schizophrenia are more likely to commit suicide than to hurt others, with studies estimating that approximately 10-15% of those with schizophrenia succeed in taking their life.

2. You are more likely to develop schizophrenia if you have another family member who has it. There are many factors that contribute to whether a child is born with schizophrenia, but having a family member such as a brother, sister, or parent increases the chances. For example, Psych Central notes that if both parents have schizophrenia, their child has a 40% chance of developing it as well.

3, Schizophrenia is a spectrum disorder, meaning that not everyone experiences the same symptoms and to the same level of severity. There are several diverse types of schizophrenia, and while there may be some common symptoms, each person experiences schizophrenia differently and what may be true for one person may not be true for another.

4. Support from family and the community are one of the best treatment for people with schizophrenia. Many people with schizophrenia work best when they receive the same love and support that they had from their friends and family before. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health notes that many people with schizophrenia can easily feel bombarded by their thoughts, so hearing from a family member in a calm and clear way can be greatly helpful.

5. There is still not enough research conducted yet on schizophrenia. Researchers still do not know the exact causes of schizophrenia, but our understanding is that it is a combination of genes, environmental factors, brain changes, and other factors. Some medications help alleviate some symptoms, but there are still some symptoms of schizophrenia that cannot be reduced with medication.