Your life matters
Schizophrenia and associated conditions can impact everyday life in some big ways. If you feel you have symptoms of schizophrenia, your feelings are valid and you deserve support.
Schizophrenia
Having alterations in perception and cognition that significantly impact ability to engage in social, personal care, or work aspects of life.
What does schizophrenia feel like?
While there are official criteria for diagnosing schizophrenia, some have described it as feeling like:
Seeing, hearing, or feeling things others do not
The things that are seen, heard, and/or felt are usually distressing like voices that say bad things or paranoia. These feel as real as anything else to the person experiencing them and can make it difficult to know what they should pay attention to. Seeing, hearing, or feeling things others do not is not always a bad experience, but it is important to seek help quickly if they cause difficulties in life.
Having periods of worsening symptoms
Many with schizophrenia may not have severe symptoms all the time. Things may progress in "waves" or "episodes" that last weeks or months where symptoms worsen and may require more involved treatment or hospitalization, but then subside to a more manageable state.
Being a human being
People with schizophrenia and associated disorders are human beings with hopes and dreams and feelings. They aren't bad or broken, they just interact with the world in a different way than most people.
Symptoms that started in late adolescence or early 20s
Symptoms of schizophrenia generally onset in the late teens and early 20s. Symptoms are usually kickstarted by a stressful event (like illness, injury, or drug use) during these ages and they generally continue for life.
Having thoughts of paranoia
It is common for paranoia to increase during times of worsening symptoms. The paranoia can take a variety of different forms and can lead to stopping medications which can worsen the symptoms.
Help is available
Schizophrenia is not something to "tough out". It is often caused by factors like genetics and chemical imbalances that are best treated with therapy and/or medications.
What causes schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia has a large hereditary component but there are some factors that increase the likelihood of it developing or worsening such as:
Things that happened when you were young.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are events that happen during childhood that can have an impact on someone their whole life. Examples include being exposed to violence, neglect, drug or alcohol use, and several more. ACEs are associated with higher rates of schizophrenia and other types of mental health diagnoses.
Sometimes it's something you're born with.
Genetics can play a large role in schizophrenia. This does not mean people born with those genetics are destined to get schizophrenia symptoms, but they can be more likely to develop it sometime in their life, especially if they have other risk factors.
Life can be really hard.
Big life changes can be hard on our minds. Things like death, breakups, financial changes, and many other experiences can worsen or cause schizophrenia episodes. Even positive changes can cause stress that might bring about schizophrenic episodes.
Your mind and body are connected.
Physical conditions like autoimmune disorders, head injuries, and illnesses can add stress to the system and kickstart schizophrenia symptoms. Also, having pain or discomfort from an illness or injury chips away at our resilience which can increase our odds of having major mind events.
Things can add up.
There are several mental health conditions that often happen alongside schizophrenia. Anxiety and depression commonly happen with schizophrenia and can complicate symptoms.
Can we improve schizophrenia ourselves?
Genetics play a big role in developing schizophrenia, but steps can be taken to help protect against or improve symptoms like:
Staying active
If there ever was a "wonder drug", activity/exercise would be it. Almost every aspect of life is shown to improve with regular activity and exercise. Click for strategies anyone can use to become more active with small manageable steps.
Giving our body what it needs
What we put into our bodies also affects our minds. Getting the right nutrients and supporting our "brain-gut connection" can be for everyone. Click to learn more about how to make small changes that add up.
Strong sleep habits
Sleep impacts mental health and mental health impacts sleep. There are subtle changes that can be made to our nightly routines that encourage more restful sleep.
Understanding emotions
Sometimes it is important to give yourself a break. Understanding where emotions are coming from can help you identify areas to improve, as well as let you go easier on yourself for things that may not be in your control.
Healthy hobbies
Hobbies can help us become better at handling the challenges of life. Hobbies are often overlooked as a mental health tool. They help us unwind, meet like-minded people, and can improve mood.
What treatments help schizophrenia?
There are medication and non medication based treatments that have been shown to help with schizophrenia symptoms.
Medication
Schizophrenia is usually best managed with medication, so it is important to become established with a psychiatric professional in order to receive the right medication treatment for you (if needed).
Non-Medication
It is also important to consult with a mental health professional about non-medication treatments. Some may still require referral or a prescription. Examples of non-medication treatments include:
- Therapy
- Vitamin modification
- Sunlight/Red light
- Lifestyle changes
- Therapeutic groups
Which treatment is best?
It is important to find a mental health specialist that blends best practices and your personal preferences, to help create a treatment plan that works best for you.