What exactly is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder which affects ONE in 100 persons. This means that 300,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with this illness at one point in their lives. Symptoms include disorganized thinking, delusions, hallucinations, changes in emotions and changes in behaviour. It is a disease which generally strikes people in their late teens or early 20's. One out of 10 persons with Schizophrenia will commit suicide. Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness. Some may return to a fairly normal way of life, while many others may require life long support.
IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW
Schizophrenia is a biochemical brain disorder and the symptoms of the illness includes disorganized thinking, delusions, hallucinations, and changes in emotions and behaviour.
Schizophrenia will affect one percent of the population. It is estimated that 300,000 people in Canada will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lives.
One of the biggest obstacles to understanding is that many people think they know what schizophrenia is. Two of the most common misconceptions people hold are that schizophrenia indicates a "split" or "multiple" personality and that people with schizophrenia are prone to violence. In fact, they are far more likely to withdraw from society and to inflict harm upon themselves.
Schizophrenia is not a split personality, caused by childhood trauma, poverty or by domineering mothers and/or passive fathers, nor is it caused by the guilt, acts or failures of the sufferer.
Persons with schizophrenia occupy more hospital beds than those with any other illness, except cardiovascular disease. In fact, one in every 12 hospital beds in Canada is used by someone suffering from Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia costs Canadians more than $2.3 billion in direct health care costs and an additional $2 billion in indirect costs.
Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling disease for young people. It typically strikes individuals in their late teens or early twenties and it is usually a lifelong illness. It is commonly referred to as Youth's Greatest Disabler.
Schizophrenia has no known cure. Treatment for Schizophrenia is multi-faceted and long-term. It includes identifying the right medication for the individual, as well as appropriate community support and regular medical follow-up. The available medications are only partially effective as they do not completely eliminate the symptoms and, in many cases, have debilitating side effects including stiff muscles, restlessness, dry mouth and blurred vision. As the disease disorders their thinking, many people with Schizophrenia, who are seriously ill, do not recognize their illness and will not consent to receiving treatment.
Schizophrenia drastically affects individuals' quality of life. Many people with schizophrenia are in prison and it is estimated that about one-third of the homeless have the disease or another of seven mental disorders. Four out of every 10 persons with schizophrenia will attempt suicide; moreover, one out of every 10 will complete the act.
Schizophrenia causes great strain on family members. Families often break up as a result of the stress and frustration of coping with a family member with schizophrenia research.
Persons with schizophrenia and their families suffer because of too little care, too little research and too little understanding.
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/info.html#strikes
