There are several different types of schizophrenia – paranoid schizophrenia been the most common in children and adults. Schizophrenia is a severe type of mental health issue and 1 in every 100 people are diagnosed at some point in their life.
Typical Symptoms of Schizophrenia
- changes of mood and emotions
- Hallucinating – hearing voices
- Overthinking – thinking erratically
Having one of more of these symptoms does not mean that you have Schizophrenia but if you do have any concerns you should discuss these with a professional
Causes of Schizophrenia
A lot of different problems can cause Schizophrenia. However, it is believed that the cause is possibly a mixture of dress, drug and alcohol abuse alongside generic factors.
Stress Factors
- Mental, physical, emotional or verbal abuse/harassment
- Money issues
- Broken Relationships
- Loss of a loved one
- Work related stress
- Health issues
All of these affect people differently and some more severely than others.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Recreational drugs, alcohol and addiction can majorly affect individuals mental health which can lead to further complications such as schizophrenia. If you have already been diagnosed with schizophrenia, using drugs and alcohol can significantly affect your mental health.
Alcohol, drugs and smoking all impact the use of prescribed medication i.e. it will not work to its full potential
Genetic
There are no definite answers as to whether schizophrenia is inherited from family genes. It is more likely that the traits of schizophrenia come from the environments you grow and live in.
For example, rather than children inheriting a specific gene from the parent it is thought that physical traits and episodes are picked up by younger people and mirrored which then leads to the potential diagnosis of schizophrenia.
the stigma behind mental health is slowly been removed and is spoken about more confidently, the stigma behind schizophrenia is still very high which makes it harder for people with the diagnosis or traits to reach out and control or discuss concerns.
There is however a lot of self-care tips and guidance on how to managed any symptoms and triggers.
What treatment is available?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for schizophrenia. However, there are a lot of treatments that may help you to get better and manage your symptoms. This may be medication or therapy.
The awareness days for Schizophrenia aim to breakdown the stigma behind schizophrenia and raise awareness to signs that could indicate that a loved one needs help. It is driven to give people already diagnosed a chance to speak up about their experiences and give them the confidence to discuss it with health professionals and loved ones.
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