Black People Are Three To Four Times More Likely To Be Diagnosed With Psychotic Disorders
Race, ethnicity, and religion may not make you vulnerable to the disorder. That said, the data on the prevalence of schizophrenia by race show racial disparities. Those become more evident when it comes to diagnosing mental disorders. Not only are Blacks more commonly diagnosed with psychotic disorders, but theyre also more likely to receive a misdiagnosis. A recent study revealed concerning information. Astoundingly, clinicians tend to factor in racial bias when diagnosing schizophrenia.
Based On Schizophrenia Recovery Rates 99% Of Individuals With Schizophrenia Need Lifelong Treatment
Almost all people diagnosed with the disorder need medication, counseling, and social rehabilitation throughout their lives. Antipsychotics, such as Chlorpromazine or Clozapine, are usually administered. However, depending on the condition and the severity of the symptoms, other medications can also be prescribed.
Schizophrenia Research And Statistics
The exact prevalence of schizophrenia is hard to measures, but the NIMH estimates that schizophrenia affects between 0.25 and 0.64 percent of U.S. adults, while the NAMI has put it closer to 1 percent.
Men typically start to show symptoms of schizophrenia in their late teens or early twenties. Women tend to show symptoms a bit later, usually in their late twenties or early thirties.
Men are about 1.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than women.
Research has found that Black men are up to 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, but more research is needed to determine if their incidence of disease is actually higher or if other factors, such as racial or testing biases, are contributing to the disparity.
Schizophrenia can occur at any age, but its less commonly diagnosed for the first time in a person older than 40 or younger than 12.
You May Like: What Age Group Is Most Affected By Ptsd
Over 69% Of Individuals With Schizophrenia Dont Get The Care They Need
One of the reasons why most people with schizophrenia do not get proper treatment is social stigma. Facts about schizophrenia report that feeling stigmatized makes them less likely to seek medical care. Whats more, 90% of people with untreated schizophrenia live in low- and middle-income countries. That translates to the lack of access to adequate mental health care.
Things You May Not Have Known About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that people are willing to talk about these days. If you or someone you know has schizophrenia, read our list of 10 things you may not have known before!
Though the disease itself is not that common, it can affect people of every gender, race and ethnicity. Slightly more men than women will develop schizophrenia.
It remains hidden during childhood and develops between the ages of 16 and 30. A number of factors, including isolating oneself and withdrawing from others, an increase in unusual thoughts and suspicions, and a family history of psychosis, can predict the onset of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia hits when young adults are starting their life, said Andrew Cutler, MD, of Meridien Research. Imagine the effect it has on them. And its horrible for families to go through.
It is well known among scientists that schizophrenia can run in families. About 10 percent of people who have a first-degree relative, like a parent or sibling, with the disorder will develop it themselves. However, as there are many people with schizophrenia who do not have relatives with the condition, genetics is just one factor that causes schizophrenia.
You May Like: How To Help Someone With Separation Anxiety
What’s It Like Living With Schizophrenia
Watch Miles talk about his experience of living with schizophrenia.
Positive and negative symptoms
Professionals sometimes talk about schizophrenia symptoms as being ‘positive’ and ‘negative’. But this doesn’t mean ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
- Positive symptoms are experiences or behaviours that the condition adds to your life. Like hearing or seeing things that others don’t, or having a belief that something is real or true when it isn’t.
- Negative symptoms are experiences or behaviours that the condition takes away from your life. Like finding things less interesting or enjoyable, moving your body less, or having less motivation.
What Can I Expect If I Have This Condition
Schizophrenia is a condition where the outlook varies greatly from person to person. People who have schizophrenia tend to struggle with work, relationships and self care. However, with treatment, some are able to work, care for themselves and have fulfilling relationships.
This condition also often affects people in cycles. That means many people with this condition go through periods where the condition flares up and their symptoms get much worse, followed by a period where symptoms improve but they still have some ongoing struggles.
Despite how serious this condition is, treatment does make it possible for people with schizophrenia to live with the condition and minimize how it affects their lives.
How long does schizophrenia last?
Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition. While some people will recover from this condition after having only one or two episodes, schizophrenia symptoms can return unpredictably. People with a history of schizophrenia are in remission as long as symptoms dont return.
Whats the outlook for this condition?
Schizophrenia itself isnt a deadly condition. However, its effects on a person can lead to dangerous or harmful behaviors, to both themselves and the people around them.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Treatment For Depression
Around 12% Of Americans Have This Disorder Schizophrenia Statistics For The Us Report
That translates to about 3.2 million American adults who have schizophrenia. That said, its difficult to determine the exact number of individuals living with schizophrenia in America. That is mostly because of its complexity and because it overlaps with other conditions. Namely, it might overlap with substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and multiple personality disorder.
What Can I Do If A Loved One Shows Signs Of Schizophrenia Or A Similar Condition
Because people with schizophrenia often cant recognize their symptoms or condition, they often dont believe they need medical care or treatment. That can be frustrating or frightening for both the person with the symptoms and those who care about them.
If you notice a loved one showing signs of schizophrenia or a related condition, you can try helping them by doing the following:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Schizophrenia can be a frightening condition for the people who have it and their loved ones. Despite stereotypes, this isnt a condition where any thought of recovery or living a happy, fulfilling life is impossible. If you think you have symptoms of schizophrenia, its important to talk to a healthcare provider as soon as you can. Their job is to help you, and healthcare providers especially those who specialize in mental health conditions like schizophrenia have the training to help you not feel judged, ashamed or embarrassed. If you notice a loved one struggling with symptoms of psychosis or schizophrenia, encourage them gently and supportively to get care. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in helping people recover and manage this condition.
Read Also: Can You Get Ssi For Ptsd
What Risks And Complications Can Schizophrenia Cause
Physical health
Research suggests that people with serious mental illness , such as schizophrenia, have a shorter life expectancy. People with mental illness may die 15 to 20 years earlier than the general population. This may because people who live with SMI are at higher risk of having a range of health issues. Such as being overweight, having heart disease, smoking and diabetes.
Because of these issues, NICE recommends that when you start taking antipsychotic medication, your doctor should do a full range of physical health checks. This should include weight, blood pressure and other blood tests. These checks should be repeated regularly.
Mental health professionals are responsible for doing these checks for the first year of treatment. Responsibility may then pass to your GP. Your doctor or mental health team should offer you a programme which combines healthy eating and physical health checks. You should be supported by a healthcare professional to help stop smoking.
Suicide
The risk of suicide is increased for people with schizophrenia. Research indicates that around 513% of people who live with with schizophrenia die by suicide.
Research has found that the increased risk is not usually because of positive symptoms. The risk of suicide is associated more to affective symptoms, such as low mood.
Key risk factors for suicide include:
- previous suicide attempts,
People Living With Schizophrenia Smoke Cigarettes Up To Three Times More
That has led scientists to believe that nicotine is a form of self-medication among schizophrenia patients. Interestingly, nicotine can help normalize specific deficits in the central nervous system. That explains the higher rate of smokers among people with schizophrenia compared to people with other mental conditions.
Don’t Miss: Is There Medication For Ptsd
Treatment And Medical Options For Schizophrenia
Over the past 30 years, along with identifying the more than 125 genes that may increase the risk of schizophrenia, researchers have also begun finding novel pathways and making other discoveries that may help identify new targets for drug therapy.
There is no cure for schizophrenia, and as with many diseases that can be managed but not cured, early detection and treatment are important.
Seek medical treatment if you or someone you know might be experiencing signs of psychosis or schizophrenia. Early treatment can improve a persons chance for a successful recovery. Whats more, proper treatment helps minimize symptoms and improve quality of life. Yet even after symptoms have ceased and schizophrenia is managed, most people with schizophrenia require ongoing drug and nondrug treatment.
Schizophrenia Statistics By State Show That California Has The Most Adults With This Condition
With 335,242 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia, California has the highest incidence. The 2017 Census data also shows that Texas is second with 230,324 cases and Florida comes third with 184,607. On the other hand, Wyoming has the lowest prevalence rate of schizophrenia only 4,871 cases in 2017. Sadly, 1,948 of those cases were untreated.
Also Check: When Did Eating Disorders First Appear
Schizophrenia Statistics In The United States
- The prevalence of schizophrenia among U.S adults is estimated to be 1.5 million people per year.
- Schizophrenia is often diagnosed in young people during their late teens to early 30s with symptoms commonly presenting earlier in males than in females.
- The average life lost for individuals with schizophrenia in the U.S. is 28.5 years.
Family Education And Support
Educational programs for family members, significant others, and friends offer instruction about schizophrenia symptoms and treatments, and strategies for assisting the person with the illness. Increasing key supporters understanding of psychotic symptoms, treatment options, and the course of recovery can lessen their distress, bolster coping and empowerment, and strengthen their capacity to offer effective assistance. Family-based services may be provided on an individual basis or through multi-family workshops and support groups. For more information about family-based services in your area, you can visit the family education and support groups page on the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.
Don’t Miss: Is Zoloft Good For Bipolar Disorder
What Can I Do To Manage Schizophrenia
People deal with their experience in different ways. You might need to try different things before finding something that works.
Support groups
You could join a support group. A support group is where people come together to share information, experiences and give each other support. Hearing about the experiences of others can help you feel understood. This may help you feel less alone and boost your self-confidence.
You might be able to find a local group by searching online. Rethink Mental Illness have support groups in some areas. You can find out what is available in your area, or get help to set up your own support group if you follow this link:
Or you can call our advice service on 0808 801 0525 for more information.
Recovery College
Recovery colleges are part of the NHS. They offer free courses about mental health to help you manage your experiences. They can help you to take control of your life and become an expert in your own wellbeing and recovery. You can usually self-refer to a recovery college. But the college may tell your care team.
Unfortunately, recovery colleges are not available in all areas. To see if there is a recovery college in your area you can use a search engine such as Google. Or you can call our advice service on 0808 801 0525 for more information.
Peer support through the NHS
- recognising and coping with symptoms,
- what to do in a crisis,
- meeting other people who can support you, and recovery.
Self-management techniques
- talk back to them,
What Causes Schizophrenia
Nobody knows exactly what causes schizophrenia, it is likely to be the result of several factors. For example:
- Stress. Some people can develop the illness as a result of a stressful event, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job.
- Genetics. You are more likely to develop schizophrenia if you have a close relation with the illness.
- Brain damage. This is usually damage that has stopped your brain from growing normally when your mother was pregnant. Or during birth.
- Drugs and alcohol. Research has shown that stronger forms of cannabis increase your risk of developing schizophrenia.
- A difficult childhood. If you were deprived, or abused, as a child this can increase your risk of developing a mental illness. Including schizophrenia.
There is research to suggest that may be an association between menopause and schizophrenia. This may be due to the hormonal changes during this stage of life for women.
You can find more information about:
- Does mental illness run in families? by clicking here.
- Drugs, alcohol and mental health by clicking here.
- Cannabis and mental health by clicking here.
Also Check: A Fear Becomes A Phobia When
Is Schizophrenia Genetic
Researchers now believe several genetic changes and other factors can increase the risk of schizophrenia.
Risk factors for schizophrenia may include the following:
Genetics Certain genes have been linked to an increased risk of schizophrenia, but no single gene appears to be responsible for the disease.
Defects in those genes may increase the risk of schizophrenia by causing disturbances in the connections between brain cells.
In 2014, more than 300 scientists from around the world compared the genomes of 37,000 people with schizophrenia with more than 113,000 people without the disease in the biggest-ever genetic schizophrenia study. They found 128 distinct gene variants that were associated with schizophrenia. They reported their findings in the journal Nature.
Schizophrenia tends to run in families, though not everyone who has a parent with schizophrenia will get the disease. People who have a parent or sibling with schizophrenia have about a 6 times higher risk of developing schizophrenia than the general population.
Among people with schizophrenia, most of the risk of developing the disorder seems to be related to genetic factors , according to a study of Danish twins published in the March 2018 issue of Biological Psychiatry. 31905-4/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 5)
The family link is most evident in identical twins. If one twin is diagnosed with schizophrenia, the other has as much as a 46 percent chance of developing the disease, per Stat Pearls.
Is There A Cure
While there is no known cure, it is possible to live a meaningful and happy life with schizophrenia. There are many effective treatments, best provided by a team. These include medication, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and social services, as well as tools to help you stay in school or keep working. Psychiatrists, primary care doctors, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals will help you and your family find the treatments best for you. The earlier you get help, the better your outcome. With treatment, many recover to the point of living functional, rewarding lives in their communities.
Also Check: What Is The Difference Between Ptsd And Cptsd
Skip Spence 1946 1999
Musician and Singer Songwriter
Age of Diagnosis: 23
Individual History: Alexander Lee Skip Spence was a Canadian-born American musician and singer-songwriter. He began his career as a guitarist in an early line-up of Quicksilver Messenger Service, and was the drummer on Jefferson Airplanes debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off. He was one of the co-founders of Moby Grape, and played guitar with the group until 1969. He released one solo album, Oar, and then withdrew from the music industry. His career was plagued by drug addiction and mental health problems. In the late 1960s, Spence became delusional after taking too much acid. He was found marching around his hotel room with an axe, bashing down doors and claiming he was the anti-Christ. At that point he was taken to Bellvue Hospital where he was formally diagnosed as schizophrenic. Spence died in 1999 from lung cancer, two days before his 53rd birthday.
What Affects The Outcome
If you or a loved one has schizophrenia, here are a couple of things that may affect success long-term:
- How well you did in society and at work before your schizophrenia began
- The amount of time from the start of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. The sooner youâre treated for schizophrenia once symptoms begin, the more likely you are to improve and recover. But prodrome â the time between when symptoms begin and full psychosis starts â can be days, weeks, or even years. The average length of time between the start of psychosis and first treatment is 6 to 7 years.
Show Sources
Recommended Reading: What Is An Eating Disorder Relapse
What Are The Types Of Schizophrenia
There are different types of schizophrenia. The International Classification of Diseases manual describes them as below.
Paranoid schizophrenia
- Pranks, giggling and health complaints.
- Usually diagnosed in adolescents or young adults.
Catatonic schizophrenia
- Unusual movements, often switching between being very active and very still.
- You may not talk at all.
Simple schizophrenia
- Negative symptoms are prominent early and get worse quickly.
- Positive symptoms are rare.
Undifferentiated schizophrenia
Your diagnosis may have some signs of paranoid, hebephrenic or catatonic schizophrenia, but doesnt obviously fit into one of these types alone.
Residual schizophrenia
This type of schizophrenia is diagnosed in the later stages of schizophrenia. You may be diagnosed with this if you have a history of schizophrenia but only continue to experience negative symptoms.
Other schizophrenia
There are other types of schizophrenia according to the ICD-10, such as.
- Cenesthopathic schizophrenia. This is where people experience unusual bodily sensations.
- Schizophreniform. Schizophreniform disorder is a type of psychotic illness with symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia. But symptoms last for a short period.
Unspecified schizophrenia
Symptoms meet the general conditions for a diagnosis, but do not fit in to any of the above categories.