MYTH AND FACTS ABOUT SCHIZOPHRENIA

May 24th is celebrated as schizophrenia day to spread awareness about this illness and eradicate myth and superstition around mental illnesses in general. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder in which distortion of thought and perception lead to lack of touch with reality, poor insight and judgement. According to recent NMH survey, prevalence of schizophrenia in Indian population is 0.5% for current and 1.4% for lifetime experience.
Schozophrenia is one of the most misunderstood and misinformed mental condition. Media and TV shows are also responsible to spread myths and misinformation about the illness which promote stigma and hurdle for effective treatment. Here are some common myths and truth about illness.

MYTH 1: Schizophrenic persons have multiple personalities

FACT: Person having schizophrenia don’t have split personalities. Schizophrenia comes from Greek word “ split mind” which create confusion with dissociative identity disorder i.e multiple personality. However, schizophrenia is about being split from reality not split personality. They can’t differentiate between reality and hallucination and delusional based thoughts.

MYTH 2: They are violent and aggressive.

FACT: Majority of schizophrenic person are never engage in violent behavior, although they are victim of violence. They live in their own world, remain aloof and poor interaction with others. About 10 to 15% person with schizophrenia vulnerable to aggressive behavior due to suspiciousness and hostility based on delusion and hallucination.

MYTH 3: Schizophrenic person never recover.

FACT: Schizophrenia can be harder to treat but if treatment taken in early phase of illness most cases are fully recover. Treatment can help to reduce the symptoms, prevent from recurrent relapse and reduce its impact on your life

MYTH 4: Its impossible to hold job and live normal life.

FACT: With proper treatment, schizophrenic person can be high functioning and successfully manage their live. They can be effectively manage job and family responsibilities with Few medication and strong support system.

MYTH 5: Poor parenting can cause schizophrenia.

FACT: There are combination of multiple factors that contribute to development of this condition but certainly bad parenting is never the cause. Factors include genetic loading, psychological and environmental factors. Intense stress and emotional events may trigger psychotic episode.

MYTH 6: Schizophrenia require long term hospitalization.

MYTH 7: Schizophrenic parent’s child are always schizophrenic.

FACT: Genes play important role in every disease. But it doesn’t mean that children of mentally ill parents are always destined to get the illness. They are at slightly higher risk but scientist agree that there are many factors like infection, environmental , social etc equally responsible.