Schizophrenia Mythbusting for Caregivers and Loved Ones

When a loved one is given a diagnosis of schizophrenia, it's understandable that we may have frightening notions about what lies ahead. Most of us have absorbed bias and misinformation from media, film, and books, not to mention pervasive societal stigma against those with serious mental illness.

The myths and stigma around schizophrenia

Also, because our understanding of this complex condition is constantly evolving, even some doctors and clinicians have outdated information and beliefs about schizophrenia’s course and treatment.

As a person whose loved one has schizophrenia, I've found that the more I know, the easier it is for me to stay curious instead of giving in to blame, fear, catastrophizing, or arguing. In that spirit, let's put some outdated and flat-out wrong notions to rest.

Understanding myth vs. fact as caregivers

1. Psychosis vs. rationality

Let's start with the big one: that someone in psychosis is irrational, lacking the ability to reason and respond to others. This isn't true – but it's a little complicated. Your loved one's reality is every bit as real to them as yours is to you, and within the context of their delusions, their behavior likely makes sense. Shouting and running is rational, for instance, if you believe you're being chased by malevolent forces.

2. Memory during psychosis

It's also a myth that people in psychosis won't remember what's happening. It's possible that they will remember everything you say and do. That's why it’s important not to lie or make promises you don’t intend to keep.

3. "Split personality" myth

Schizophrenia is not "split personality," a term that is no longer used by the mental health community. (There is a condition called dissociative identity disorder (DID) which is characterized by the presence of 2 or more distinct identities in one person, but this is unrelated to schizophrenia.) Symptoms like changes in affect, irritability, and withdrawal are common symptoms, but they don’t mean that your loved one's personality has fundamentally changed.

4. Stereotypes about violence

Schizophrenia doesn't turn people into violent criminals or creative geniuses, no matter how many movies and books perpetuate these stereotypes. Research shows that violent acts by those in psychosis are no more common than in the rest of the population. And while some artists and creative people have schizophrenia, people with schizophrenia come from every walk of life and have diverse talents, skills, and interests just like everyone else.

5. Parenting and schizophrenia

Let's dispel the cruel myth that poor parenting causes schizophrenia. Mothers especially have historically been blamed, the idea being that distant, cold, or neglecting behavior causes the disorder. But the parents I've met are driven by love to do whatever they can to support their children. And research has proved that like so many other mental health conditions, one thing we can say definitively about the complex combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and neurodevelopmental factor that we believe causes schizophrenia is that it's not parents' fault.

6. Schizophrenia statistics

Schizophrenia is not a rare disease. Around 1 percent of the population, or 20 million people worldwide, are affected. That's about the same number as people with "outie" bellybuttons or red hair.

7. Hopeless outlook

Finally, let's confront the misconception that schizophrenia is a "hopeless disease," incurable and leaving people unable to lead a meaningful life. People living with schizophrenia need to manage their disorder throughout life, and some will require varying levels of support. But lots of them will have periods of remission and stability, some lasting for many years.

There are plenty of people with schizophrenia who work and live independently, enjoy friendships and significant relationships, provide valuable insight and support to peers and clinicians, and make important and lasting contributions to society.

Debunking myths for schizophrenia caregivers

If it were possible to eliminate bias and stigma and provide accessible, recovery-oriented treatment to everyone who needs and wants it, I believe we would all be amazed by what schizophrenia recovery could look like in our society. Eliminating unhelpful beliefs is a great place to start.