Volume 4 Issue 9 Sept 2014
❌Schizophrenia is hopeless; people who have it never recover.
✅While there is no cure for schizophrenia, there are effective treatments. Medications, psychosocial treatments & rehabilitation practices are increasingly helping people with schizophrenia to lead productive, successful and independent lives.
❌Hallucinations and paranoia are the only symptoms of schizophrenia.
✅Schizophrenia is brain-based disease, so in addition to hallucinations, it affects multiple brain functions, such as the ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others.
❌People with schizophrenia are dangerous.
✅Studies indicate that people receiving treatment for schizophrenia are no more dangerous than the rest of the population. More typically, individuals with schizophrenia are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone.
❌People with schizophrenia have split or multiple personalities.
✅Schizophrenia is not a split personality disorder. The myth of people with schizophrenia may have come about because the word schizophrenia comes from Greek words that mean “split mind.” The split is referring to a split from reality – not a split or multiple personality.
❌Schizophrenia patients improve with marriage .and it is not important to inform the partner about the illness.
✅Marriage itself is stressfull event which can additionaly makes the patient vulnerable and can increase relapse rates. Also it is always advisable to inform the other party before the marriage as spouse accepting the illness and helping patient to continue the treatment forms a good suppoet system and aids in recovery of patients.
By Dr Anisha Landage, Resident, Dept of Psychiatry, MGM Medical College & Hospital, Navi Mumbai
