| Schizophrenia Menu |
In the United States, more than 2 million people have schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia costs the United States $32.5 billion annually.
Worldwide, rates of schizophrenia are about 1% of the population, very
similar from country to country. People with schizophrenia are far more
likely to be victims of violence and crime than to commit violent acts
themselves. People with schizophrenia have an increased risk of violent
behavior only when untreated or when engaging in substance abuse. Many
years of family studies indicate that vulnerability to schizophrenia is
inherited. However, among individuals with schizophrenia who have an
identical twin, and thus share the exact genetic makeup, there is only a
50 percent chance that both twins will be affected with the disease.
Scientists conclude that some environmental influence, perhaps occurring
during fetal development, accounts for the difference. Advances in
neuroimaging technology have shown that some people with schizophrenia
have abnormalities in brain structure consisting of enlarged ventricles,
fluid-filled cavities deep within the brain. Research indicates that
schizophrenia may be a developmental disorder resulting from impaired
migration of neurons in the brain during fetal development.
Schizophrenia Is Not "Split Personality"
There is a common notion that schizophrenia is the same as "split
personality", a Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde switch in character. This is not
correct.
Are People With Schizophrenia Likely To Be Violent?
News and entertainment media tend to link mental illness and
criminal violence; however, studies indicate that except for those persons
with a record of criminal violence before becoming ill, and those with
substance abuse or alcohol problems, people with schizophrenia are not
especially prone to violence. Most individuals with schizophrenia are not
violent; more typically, they are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone.
Most violent crimes are not committed by persons with schizophrenia,
and most persons with schizophrenia do not commit violent crimes.
Substance abuse significantly raises the rate of violence in people
with schizophrenia but also in people who do not have any mental illness.
People with paranoid and psychotic symptoms, which can become worse if
medications are discontinued, may also be at higher risk for violent
behavior. When violence does occur, it is most frequently targeted at
family members and friends, and more often takes place at home.
What About Suicide?
Suicide is a serious danger in people who have schizophrenia. If an
individual tries to commit suicide or threatens to do so, professional
help should be sought immediately. People with schizophrenia have a
higher rate of suicide than the general population. Approximately
10 percent of people with schizophrenia (especially younger adult males)
commit suicide. Unfortunately, the prediction of suicide in people with
schizophrenia can be especially difficult.
When Someone Has Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a devastating mental illness-the most chronic and
disabling of the severe mental disorders. The first signs of
schizophrenia, which typically emerge in young people in their
teens or twenties, are confusing and often shocking to families and
friends. Hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, unusual speech
or behavior and social withdrawal impair the ability to interact with
others. Most people with schizophrenia suffer chronically or episodically
throughout their lives, losing opportunities for careers and relationships.
They are stigmatized by lack of public understanding about the disease.
While newer treatments with fewer side effects have improved the lives of
many people with schizophrenia, only one in five recovers.
One in 10 commits suicide.