Schizophrenia is one of the mental disorders that causes the sufferer to experience hallucinations, chaotic thoughts, and behavioral changes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that half of people with schizophrenia receive no treatment.
In fact, schizophrenia is a chronic condition that requires lifelong care. Not many are paying attention to these mental disorders, because they still believe in some myths about schizophrenia as below.
1. Schizophrenia is very rare
In fact, schizophrenia affects about one out of every 100 people. Schizophrenia is more common in adults, but it can affect people at any age. It is not known exactly what causes schizophrenia, but this is thought to occur frequently due to a combination of several factors. There are stress factors such as mourning, social factors, genetics, or chemical processes in the brain.
2. Schizophrenia is just about hearing disorders
Many people associate schizophrenia with hearing problems. In fact, auditory hallucinations are one of the most common symptoms. There are actually eight different types of schizophrenia with different characteristics. Symptoms commonly associated with schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, unorganized thinking - where people can speak at high-speed and what is said may not make sense to others. Some of the lesser known symptoms of schizophrenia include loss of interest for socializing, changes in sleep patterns, or lack of motivation.
3. People with schizophrenia have separate personalities
This is one of the most common misconceptions about schizophrenia. This misunderstanding is partly due to the fact that the word schizophrenia is derived from Greek: split and mind.
In fact, people with schizophrenia may experience symptoms that affect their thinking processes and perceptions of the world around them, such as delusions and hallucinations. Thus, schizophrenics do not have two separate personalities.
4. People with schizophrenia can not recover
Although there is no cure, about one in five people with schizophrenia will experience improved mental disorders. While some others will continue to undergo a lifelong recovery. This shows that the healing rate for each individual is different, can not recover or even improve.
5. People with dangerous schizophrenia
Violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia. Unfortunately, the media have played a major role in perpetuating this misunderstanding. People with schizophrenia are actually far more likely to be victims of violence and crime, not perpetrators.
6. Schizophrenia affects only the mind
In fact, schizophrenia also has an impact on one's physical health. People with schizophrenia have a life expectancy 20 years shorter than normal people in general. Of course, this can be caused by several factors, such as lifestyle, lack of physical health checks (especially people with certain diseases), and side effects of antipsychotic medicines. People with schizophrenia may experience extreme weight gain, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
7. People with schizophrenia need to be monitored at all times
People with schizophrenia may require different forms of support, whether it be treatment, speech therapy, or support facilities. When getting access to the care and support they need, the schizophrenic is very likely to have a good quality of life.
Those are some myths about schizophrenia. Until now, experts have not known for certain about what causes schizophrenia. However, early treatment can help control symptoms before they get worse. Since schizophrenia is one type of mental disorder, the examination should be performed by a psychiatrist.
