“She’s like that all the time… like she’s talking to people even though she’s alone. Sometimes I can’t understand what she’s saying.”
“She has lost interest in everything she used to enjoy. It was like she became a different person.”
Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. It may seem like they have lost touch with reality.
Although schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, it can be disabling.
The causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, so treatments focus mostly on eliminating the symptoms of the disease.
Successful treatment of schizophrenia include addressing the following symptoms: Delusions and Hallucinations
Almost every day she looks outside her window to check for snipers aimed at her room.
Delusions
A patient with schizophrenia may firmly believe in things that are not real or not shared by others.
Example:
Persecutory Delusions
The patient believes that she is going to be harmed or harassed by an individual or group.
Hallucinations
A patient with schizophrenia may hear or see things that are not real.
Example:
The patient reports to hearing voices/s saying negative things about her or people and things around her.
Successful treatment of schizophrenia include reducing its negative symptoms: Anhedonia, Diminished emotional expressions and Loss of volition
It’s like my sister went the opposite way. She has lost interest in everything she used to enjoy doing. Her nature seemed to disappear.
Anhedonia
- One does not feel any pleasure when offered with something that generally makes people happy
- No longer feel any enjoyment when thinking about previously happy thoughts and memories
- Loss of interest in things that patient used to love doing
- Difference in character that makes others unable to recognize
- Health is neglected and passion is lost
He used to be very passionate doing his job. Now he just sits there, drinking coffee, and smokes a lot.
- One does not look others in the eye
- Face shows very little emotions
- When talking, one’s intonation does not change or vary
- Passion and interest in doing any kind of activity is lost
- There are very few movements of the hand, head and face
- Pathological laziness and impossible to understand
Each time I talk to her, she cannot see herself any other way than just namp and deeply low.
- No longer motivated to achieve anything
- Finds no purpose in the things that one does
- Sits for hours and shows little interest in joining any activity
- Interaction with friends and other people is lost
- The patient goes to isolation
- There is numbness and the mood is down
The journey is long and will take a lifetime. I am forever hopeful.
My loved one will receive appropriate treatment.
My loved one enjoys care and support.
My loved one feels accepted, not neglected, never abandoned.
There’s no room for hopelessness and despair.
We will never give up. We are all together in this journey.
I will replace false beliefs with more accurate information about schizophrenia.
P.W.S. (persons with schizophrenia) can analyze situations. Intelligence is maintained although problems in intellect may evolve in the course of time.
What’s thing you wish people understand about schizophrenia
“Not a synonym for stupid.”
“We are human beings as much as anyone else.”
“When unwell, I might not be my usual self and might say, think or do things out of character.”
“It’s something you didn’t do wrong or something your parents did.”
“Yes, I do talk to myself. I do this to help ease the voices or talk over them so I can think straight.”
“That I am not lazy or faking it to get out of work. Do not judge me nor be mean to mean to me when I’m on disability. It hurts a lot.”
Our hope is for PWS to continue performing their chosen roles in the family and the community.
PWS have goals they wish to pursue.
PWS live lives to the fullest.
“I’ve heard them calling my name”
The Rainbow Connection Song from the Muppet Movie
Have you heard voices that are not real while half-asleep? In persons without mental health condition, the voices are gone immediately. We all experience brief episodes of hallucinations. It’s normal.
In schizophrenia, the voices that are unreal won’t go away.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to recognize what is real and what is not real.
No. The false beliefs, hearing unreal voices and disturbed behavior, are positive symptoms of schizophrenia. What is real for the PWS may not be real for us.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to recognize what is real.
No. She is a PWS. She does not like to participate and has no drive to be active. You might think she’s irresponsible. But these are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
We will replace false beliefs with more accurate information about schizophrenia.
The truth is, vast majority of PWS never commit any form of violence.
Violence that is associated with schizophrenia is usually due to the PWS’s response to a lack of appropriate treatment, lack of support, and lack of acceptance.
Overall number of crimes committed by PWS is only a very small percent of the number of crimes committed by those without mental illness.
The risk of violence associated with schizophrenia is minimized by proper treatment and intervention.
Let me carry the torch that banners the truth. Hope will always be in schizophrenia.
PWS can recover from schizophrenia.
That nobody recovers from schizophrenia is not true. It’s a misconception.
PWS can be treated.
That schizophrenia is an untreatable disease is not true. It is a misconception.
There are PWS who had excelled in their chosen fields : arts, sciences, business, sports.
The belief that everything a PWS says is nonsense is not true. It is a misconception.
Schizophrenia is an illness. No need to point fingers or who’s to blame. That it is the perfect fault is not true.
That the PWS deliberately chose to be weak is not true. These are misconceptions.
One should take care of one’s general health. One does not need to go to the gym all the time to be physically active. There are things that can be done every day to be generally healthy.
Consult your doctor for guidance on exercise and physical activities
Remember, we’re in this together.
Here are other ways to help you or a loved one during treatment for anxiety and depression:
It’s going to be a steady journey to progress.
Mood will improve gradually rather than immediately.
