What Do People With Schizophrenia See

What Positive Schizophrenia Symptoms Are Like

These simply mean experiences that someone with schizophrenia has, such as hallucinations, delusions, unusual physical movements, and illogical thoughts. âThese are as real to the person with schizophrenia as it would be if someone came in the room and started talking to you,â Weinstein says.

Collins describes her hallucinations before she started treatment. âThe room would turn dark and people would distort and start looking demonic,â she recalls. âIf I looked in the mirror, my face would look demonic — I thought I was the ugliest person in the world.â Her vision and hearing started to change, making it extremely hard to make sense of the world. âIt was like an Alice in Wonderland,â Collins says. âEverything was getting bigger, smaller, louder, quieter my ability to process information coming in through my senses started breaking down.â

Dickson says he never saw any visions but he sensed so much âstaticâ in his brain that he couldnât focus or concentrate. âItâs like watching a movie where itâs a war zone, and bombs are going off, and itâs utter chaos.â

Both Collins and Dickson describe living with constant noise in their head. âI heard a lot of clicks and bangs. I took it for granted that this was the world was like, and everyone else knew how to function in it, but I couldnât,â Collins says. She also recalls seeing a âshadow man,â a common hallucination.

How Do I Take Care Of Myself

People with schizophrenia should do the following to help care for themselves and manage their condition:

• Take medications as prescribed. One of the most critical things a person with schizophrenia can do to help themselves is to take their medications. If you have schizophrenia, you should not stop your medication without talking to your healthcare provider. Sudden stopping of medication often speeds up the return of psychosis symptoms. Side effects are common with antipsychotics. However, there are many antipsychotic medications, so its often possible to work with your healthcare provider to find one that both works well for you and has minimal or no side effects.
• See your healthcare provider as recommended. Your healthcare provider will set up a schedule for you to see them. These visits are especially important to help with managing your condition.
• Dont ignore or avoid symptoms. Schizophrenia is more likely to respond and have a good outcome with early diagnosis and treatment.
• Avoid alcohol and recreational drug use. Alcohol and drug use can make schizophrenia symptoms worse and can lead to other issues. This includes using prescription medications in a way other than prescribed.
• Consider seeking support. Organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness can offer resources and information that can help.

How Common Is This Condition

Here are some statistics about how common schizophrenia is worldwide:

• New cases: There are about 2.77 million new schizophrenia diagnoses every year worldwide.
• Average number of worldwide cases: There are about 22.1 million cases globally at any time .
• Odds of developing it at some point in your lifetime: About 0.85% of the global population will experience schizophrenia at some point in their life.

Recommended Reading: Can Delusional Disorder Turn Into Schizophrenia

Things People Living With Schizophrenia Want You To Know

Despite increased awareness, we still have a lot of trouble talking about mental health problems in our country. Fortunately, we’ve made big strides in normalizing conditions like anxiety and depression, and helping those suffering from these things know they’re not alone. Schizophrenia, on the other hand, is still widely misunderstood and surrounded by myths and misconceptions.

I’ve seen evidence of this firsthand: My brother has schizophrenia and I’ve seen him struggle with stigma and misapprehension.

Schizophrenia is a serious and often devastating illness. It impacts how a person thinks, feels, and acts. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, agitated body movements, reduced feelings, and trouble focusing or paying attention. While many people with schizophrenia are able to lead full, independent lives, for others it can be completely disabling. The symptoms of the disorder can be perplexing and unsettling for friends and even family members, which can leave patients feeling isolated and alone.

I spoke with my brother and with a psychiatrist who works with schizophrenic patients to clear up some of things that people most often get wrong.

1. We werent always this way.

2. When we see hallucinations, we truly believe theyre real.

3. We need you to at least try and understand our illness.

4. We just want to be treated as equals.

5. We want friends, but its not easy to keep them.

VogueSouthern LivingTown & CountryCondé Nast Traveler

Treatment For Schizophrenia Hallucinations

Hallucinations are a common symptom of schizophrenia and can be extremely distressing for the person experiencing them. There are a number of treatments available for hallucinations, including medication and therapy.

With the right treatment, most people with schizophrenia can learn to live with their hallucinations. Treatment usually involves a combination of medication and therapy. Medication can help to control the symptoms of schizophrenia, while therapy can help the person to understand and cope with their hallucinations.

Don’t Miss: Which Organization Sets The Standards For Diagnosing Eating Disorders

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.

What Is The Difference Between Schizophrenia And Psychosis

Schizophrenia and psychosis are two strongly connected terms, but they also have significant differences.

• Psychosis: This is a grouping of symptoms that involve a disconnection from reality and the world around you . Psychosis can happen with other medical conditions and mental health disorders, such as bipolar disorder.
• Schizophrenia: This is a spectrum of conditions that involve psychotic symptoms.

You May Like: Can A Panic Attack Last All Day

Schizophrenia Literally Means Split Mind

The name schizophreniacomes from the Greek wordsskhizein and phren . Swiss psychiatrist Paul Eugen Bleuler came up with the word in 1910 for the dissociation of various mental functions he saw in his patients. Before the term schizophrenia was coined, patients who exhibited symptoms of the condition were thought to have something called dementia praecox or âdementia of early life.â When Bleuler observed that the disease didnât necessarily lead to mental deteriorationâand patients were even capable of improvingâhe realized dementia wasnât the problem.

How Can The Etiology Of Visual Hallucinations Be Determined

Given the broad variety of potential etiologies of visual hallucinations outlined previously, it is clear that an accurate diagnosis is required before effective treatment can be initiated. A thorough history and clinical examination are the most vital elements of a workup for visual hallucinations. Associated symptoms and characteristics of the visual hallucinations themselves may help direct diagnosis . The elicitation of signs or symptoms of psychosis, inattention, parkinsonism, impaired vision, or headache will narrow the diagnosis and prompt further diagnostic studies. An EEG is potentially the most revealing diagnostic study, since it can not only highlight seizure activity, but also detect delirium , delirium tremens , and CJD .54,55 An MRI of the brain can uncover tumors or infarcts that may be responsible for Anton’s syndrome or peduncular hallucinosis, and may also show the characteristic pulvinar sign associated with CJD.

Don’t Miss: What Are The Consequences Of Eating Disorders

What Conditions Fall Under The Schizophrenia Spectrum

According to the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition , the disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum are:

• Schizophrenia.
• Schizoaffective disorder.
• Catatonia is a syndrome that can include a lack of movement, unusual movements, unusual repetitive behaviors, not speaking and social withdrawal. It can also complicate schizophrenia, as well as other psychiatric and medical conditions.
• Other schizophrenia spectrum disorders . This diagnosis allows healthcare providers to diagnose unusual variations of schizophrenia.

Reviewing The Facts About Schizophrenia

To dispel myths about schizophrenia, it is critical to understand the frequency and seriousness of this mental health condition.

Close to 3.5 million people in the United States live with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, making it one of the top 15 leading causes of disability.

Most people who have schizophrenia do not receive the care they require. They are less likely to seek the medical care they need compared to people with other mental health issues.

People with schizophrenia often also have physical illnesses, making the life expectancy of a person with schizophrenia about 20% lower than the general population.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are not uncommon. Schizophrenia is also commonly associated with the metabolic syndrome that can cause type 2 diabetes and insulin insensitivity.

In addition, close to half of all people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia also struggle with a secondary mental health issue.

Mental illness can lead to significant financial problems. However, people diagnosed with schizophrenia face an even higher financial burden.

Between one-third and one-half of all adults who are homeless in the U.S. have been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

People with schizophrenia are also at greater risk of being involved in the criminal justice system and are more likely to be unable to work, or to struggle with other social problems.

Recommended Reading: What Is Eating Disorder Rehab Like

Does My Child Have Schizophrenia

Early signs of schizophrenia can be hard to detect because they often overlap with common adolescent behavior. Moreover, these symptoms in people of any age group do not necessarily mean that a person will develop schizophrenia.

These symptoms can be disruptive though, and they may indicate something worrisome is going on, even if it isn’t schizophrenia. If you or your child are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with a healthcare provider.

How Do People With Schizophrenia Experience The World

Psychreg on Clinical Psychology

Its difficult to express how an entire world could crumble at a flick of a switch or what it feels like to live in a sensorial nightmare. Schizophrenia, perhaps one of the most documented mental conditions is, among other things, fleeting the unseen, dealing with the inexorable, and living with the idea that there are no distinguishable boundaries between illusion and reality.

Recommended Reading: What Are The Symptoms Of Bipolar 1

What Is The Outlook

• In most cases there are recurring episodes of symptoms . Most people in this group live relatively independently with varying amounts of support. The frequency and duration of each relapse can vary. Some people recover completely between relapses. Some people improve between relapses but never quite fully recover. Treatment often prevents relapses, or limits their number and severity.
• In some cases, there is only one episode of symptoms that lasts a few weeks or so. This is followed by a complete recovery, or substantial improvement without any further relapses. It is difficult to give an exact figure as to how often this occurs. Perhaps 2 in 10 cases or fewer.
• Up to 2 in 10 people with schizophrenia are not helped much by treatment and need long-term dependent care. For some, this is in secure accommodation.
• Depression is a common complication of schizophrenia.
• It is thought that up to a third of people with schizophrenia misuse alcohol and/or illegal drugs. Helping or treating such people can be difficult.
• About 1 in 10 people with schizophrenia end their own life.

The outlook is thought to be better if:

Newer medicines and better psychological treatments give hope that the outlook is improving.

How To Help Someone Else Experiencing Symptoms Of Psychosis:

• Often, family and friends help identify someone who is struggling with psychosis, and suffering from their symptoms, so theyre important to getting them in touch with professionals who can help.

• Stressful life events, such as going off to college or breaking up with a significant other, can trigger psychosis. Further research is needed into why this is, but a low underlying stress tolerance level is often seen.

• Its all right to mention to someone that youre worried about them, and open the door to discussing it at that point or later. You can find out if theres an early-psychosis clinic like U-Ms near you, and provide information or offer to contact them.

• If you notice signs that theyre harming themselves, thats the time to seek immediate help, often by starting with contacting suicide hotline or nearby psychiatric emergency room for advice. People with psychosis have 10 to 15 times the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors than others.

SEE ALSO: Getting Through a Pandemic When You Have a Mental Health Condition

Recommended Reading: Is Stress The Same As Anxiety

When Should I See My Doctor

Some people with schizophrenia do not realise they have a problem or avoid health professionals if they have paranoid thoughts. Its important to get professional help to manage schizophrenia. If you or someone you know seems to be experiencing signs of schizophrenia, see your doctor as soon as possible.

It can be hard to recognise signs of schizophrenia at first, but over time the changes in someones thinking and behaviour may get worse.

See a doctor if you or someone you know:

• gets very preoccupied with something
• starts talking or writing very fast, or is talking much less than normal
• seems muddled, irrational or is hard to understand
• withdraws from normal activities
• is hyperactive or starts behaving recklessly
• laughs or cries inappropriately, or cannot laugh or cry or express happiness
• doesnt look after their personal hygiene
• develops depression or anxiety

Although the majority of people with schizophrenia are not violent, severe symptoms can cause some people to have thoughts of suicide or harming others. If you think someone may be at risk of suicide or violence, call triple zero .

How Is The Diagnosis Made

Some of the symptoms that occur in schizophrenia also occur in other mental health conditions such as depression, mania, and dissociative identity disorder, or after taking some street drugs. Therefore, the diagnosis may not be clear at first. As a rule, the symptoms need to be present for several weeks before a doctor will make a firm diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Not all symptoms are present in all cases. Different forms of schizophrenia occur depending upon the main symptoms that develop. For example, people with paranoid schizophrenia mainly have positive symptoms which include delusions that people are trying to harm them. In contrast, some people mainly have negative symptoms and this is classed as simple schizophrenia. In many cases there is a mix of positive and negative symptoms.

Sometimes symptoms develop quickly over a few weeks or so. Family and friends may recognise that the person has a mental health problem. Sometimes symptoms develop slowly over months and the person may gradually become withdrawn, lose friends, jobs, etc, before the condition is recognised.

Read Also: How To Control Your Eating Disorder

Encourage Them To Seek Professional Help

It is important that the person suffering from schizophrenia seeks help immediately before their situation worsens. Hallucinations can be treated with counseling and medication. They must go for treatment of some kind as soon as possible.

A person can recover from schizophrenia and lead a fulfilling life. If they get the right treatment, the hallucinations will stop and they will be able to live a normal life once again.

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that causes people to see or hear things that do not exist, speak illogically, or form false beliefs.

Who Does It Affect

Schizophrenia typically starts at different ages, depending on sex. It usually starts between ages 15 and 25 for men and between 25 and 35 for women. It also tends to affect men and women in equal numbers.

Schizophrenia in children, especially before age 18, is possible but rare. However, these cases are usually very severe. Earlier onset tends to lead to a more severe, harder-to-treat condition.

About 20% of new schizophrenia cases occur in people over age 45. These cases tend to happen more in women. Delusion symptoms are stronger in these cases, with less-severe negative symptoms and effects on the ability to think and focus.

Read Also: Do Anti Depression Meds Work

What Cognitive Schizophrenia Symptoms Are Like

Someone with these symptoms may have trouble concentrating, focusing, taking in new information, and using that information. Their brain processes information more slowly, their memory declines, and they often have trouble reading and understanding social cues, Weinstein says. Though these symptoms can be made even worse by the brain âtrafficâ from positive symptoms, cognitive decline is a symptom all on its own, Margolis says.

âEven getting dressed was a very complicated process for me,â Collins says. âItâs like a traffic jam of information going in and out of your brain, so itâs like everything is always new, you donât remember the process.â

Dickson describes feeling like his brain was under constant assault. âMy analogy is if youâre playing a game of tackle football with some friends and the ball is coming to you, can you really do algebra in your head at that moment? I was a fairly smart guy, but when youâre sick with what I had, you really canât do a lot of deep intellectual thinking.â