Schizophrenia
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness which affects about one person in 100 in Australia. It affects the way people think, feel and behave.
Like most illnesses, there is a wide range of severity. Some people will experience only one or 2 brief episodes during their life, while for others it is a lifelong problem.
Schizophrenia usually first appears in the teens and early adult years.
Symptoms of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia affects people in a number of different ways, but some features are present in almost all cases. People with schizophrenia generally experience symptoms of psychosis — broadly speaking, a loss of contact with reality — although many other conditions can also lead to psychosis.
Here are some of the symptoms of psychosis.
- Delusions (holding beliefs that are odd or not true): These often take the form of persecution — believing others are plotting against, or trying to harm, the affected person. There may be delusions of grandeur — thinking oneself as having special powers or importance.
- Hallucinations (false sensations): Usually these take the form of hearing voices which don't exist. Sometimes the affected person may believe they have seen, tasted, smelt or felt things that don't exist.
- Confused thinking, speech and behaviour: Having trouble organising thoughts and speaking can result in speech which is difficult to follow, suddenly changing the subject for no obvious reason and a generally ‘jumbled’ way of communicating.
Other common features of schizophrenia include becoming socially withdrawn, appearing to lack emotion, having a loss of interest in usual activities and a loss of motivation. People with schizophrenia may also feel depressed, anxious or irritable, have difficulty making decisions and find it hard to relate to other people. They may have difficulty paying attention or have problems with memory.
Symptoms may appear to develop suddenly, over a few days or weeks, but people often display more subtle changes from their previous thinking and behaviour years before the onset of clear symptoms of schizophrenia. These more subtle symptoms include changes from normal behaviour (such as a worsening of school or work performance), social withdrawal or emerging unusual beliefs.
Schizophrenia symptoms may come and go in cycles of relapse and remission.
Misconceptions
There is much stigma and misinformation associated with schizophrenia. Many people think of those with schizophrenia as having ‘dual’, ‘multiple’ or ‘split’ personalities. This is not correct and has probably resulted from the way unaffected people interpret the disordered thoughts and delusions of those with the illness.
What causes schizophrenia?
No one knows what causes schizophrenia. Both genetic and environmental influences are important. It is more common in people who have a family history of schizophrenia, and it is believed that there may be an inherited tendency towards certain changes in brain chemistry which occur in those affected. Problems during pregnancy and at birth, high levels of environmental stress and cannabis use have also been associated with an increased risk.
Treatment of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic (ongoing) condition that usually requires lifelong treatment, even when symptoms are controlled.
Modern treatment, involving medicines as well as lifestyle, psychological, social work and other interventions have dramatically improved the outlook for people with schizophrenia.
Treatment with medicines is an essential component of treatment for most people with schizophrenia. Antipsychotic medicines can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of schizophrenia, and reduce the risk of relapse once symptoms are controlled. The newer types of antipsychotics have a lower risk of troublesome side effects.
The vast majority of people with schizophrenia now live in the general community and enjoy socially and occupationally productive lives. Early intervention has been shown to be particularly important in schizophrenia, so if you are concerned that you or a young person you know may be showing signs of schizophrenia, contact your doctor or a mental health professional without delay.
Last Reviewed: 26 January 2010
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2. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists [website]. Schizophrenia. Australian treatment guide for consumers and carers (updated Aug 2009). Available at: http://www.ranzcp.org/images/stories/ranzcp-attachments/Resources/Publications/CPG/Australian_Versions/AUS_Schizophrenia.pdf (accessed 2010, Apr 13)
3. SANE Australia [website]. Schizophrenia (updated 2010). Available from: http://www.sane.org/factsheets/schizophrenia.html (accessed 2010, Apr 13)
4. Mayo Clinic [website]. Schizophrenia (updated 2010, Jan 30). Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/schizophrenia/DS00196 (accessed 2010, Apr 13)
