schizophrenia

There is a lot of fear and confusion surrounding schizophrenia, yet it affects 1 in 100 people in the UK, often young adult males. Schizophrenia is a psychotic illness. Psychosis is a general term used to describe a mental health problem in which a person experiences changes in thinking, perception, mood and behaviour. A person with schizophrenia may become withdrawn, lose interest in everything and possibly have angry outbursts. They may also be unable to distinguish between their own thoughts and reality. A common symptom is hearing voices, which can be extremely distressing and confusing.

More than 80% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis will recover, although without appropriate care a high proportion will experience further relapses. The most important thing is for someone to seek help as soon as they experience symptoms. Seeking treatment early on will make recovery a lot quicker and easier.

Download a factsheet for more information on Schizophrenia.

Dowload Pete's Story to hear how a young person dealt with his experience of psychosis.

Help & Support...

• Brent Mind Hearing Voices Group on 020 7604 5190 - a local need for a service for voice hearers. Research has shown that such groups are effective in helping people cope with and manage their voice hearing.
• Hearing Voices on 0845 122 8642 - An international community for voice hearers and supporters