Schizophrenia

I am confused...

Schizophrenia is an illness that affects the normal functioning of the brain, where your thinking, feelings and behaviours are affected.

Am I having schizophrenia?

Some of the symptoms you may experience include:

Confused thinking and jumbled thoughts that do not link up

• Delusions - fixed false beliefs, theories with no evidence or grounding
• Hallucinations - seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling or tasting something that is not present
• Low motivational levels

If not treated, these symptoms will likely persist or recur.

Why do I develop schizophrenia?

Causes of schizophrenia are not fully understood. However, the development of schizophrenia is often a result of an interaction of factors that include:

Biological

• Persons with relatives who have schizophrenia have an increased risk of developing the illness, as compared to the general population.
• An imbalance in the chemicals naturally occurring in the brain.

Environmental factors and stress

• Environmental factors (e.g. distressing life events) and stress are often considered as contributing factors in triggering the illness.  

How can I detect and treat my condition?

If you display some of the symptoms described above, please see a mental health professional for an assessment. The two-pronged approach to treatment is:

Medication

• There are medications available that reduces and control the symptoms that may be related to schizophrenia.

Psychosocial treatments

• Psycho-education has been found to be very useful to help understand the illness and in managing its symptoms. Family members and caregivers are also given psycho-education to manage their loved one's illness.

How can I help my friend or relative who has schizophrenia?

• Assist them in seeking medical help if you notice a change in their behaviour or if they stop their medication abruptly
• Communicate and allow your loved ones to express their feelings and fears
• Do not try to reason or argue with your loved one if they are experiencing symptoms such as hallucinations and/or delusions
• Be supportive and help your loved ones accept their illness   

Resources

Find out more information from:

Brochures

I Hear Voices

Schizophrenia

Caregiving... the journey starts with you!

You are not alone

Videos

Recovery from Schizophrenia

Useful links

Singapore Association for Mental Health   

1. If I have Schizophrenia, am I having a split personality?

Schizophrenia is commonly misunderstood to mean that affected persons have a split personality, due largely to the misconstrued portrayal in movies and on TV. An example is Jim Carrey's character in "Me, Myself and Irene". However, when you have schizophrenia, you do not change between distinct multiple personalities. Instead, you may hear voices (hallucination) and may think that such voices are distinct personalities. Other possible symptoms include disjointed or bizarre thoughts. As such, schizophrenia is different from having split personality.

2. At what age does schizophrenia appear?

Most of the time, the onset of symptoms of schizophrenia occurs during late adolescence or early adulthood.