Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complicated mental health problem related to psychosis. There's lots of misconceptions about it.

But the reality is that about 1 in every 100 people get this diagnosis at some point in their life.

There is a common misconception that people with schizophrenia have split personalities and are violent and dangerous. This is not accurate.

People with this diagnosis are much more likely to harm themselves than to harm someone else.

Common Experiences of Schizophrenia

  • Hallucinations, hearing, seeing or feeling something that others can’t.
  • Delusions, irrational or unfounded beliefs.
  • Paranoia, generally, experiencing a sense of threat or fear over being harmed.
  • Muddled thinking, finding it hard to concentrate.
  • Feelings of being controlled.
  • A loss of interest in life.

Personal Story

"50 years ago the general consensus of opinion, relating to a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, was that there was no hope.

"My close family were embarrassed, horrified, treated me as though I was some long distant neighbour and excluded me from family occasions.

"Stigma and discrimination prevented my being recognised to be capable."

-  Dianna 

Read Dianna's story here. 

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