Living with Schizophrenia

A Tale of A Survivor

Before we concern ourselves with breaking stereotypes and the stigma surrounding schizophrenia. I feel it’s best you hear a story of someone who has gone into the darkest abyss of psychosis and psychological torture. My personal story.

At different stages of my life–childhood to adulthood–i have had to deal with a lot of toxicity, abuse, and psychological torture. All these had an effect on my mental health, and drove me towards psychosis. These horrible experiences weren’t just exclusive to me, as my mother and pets dealt with the same ordeal. My home wasn’t a safe place, as I faced physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from a cruel and violent abuser, who was meant to be my protector. I had to watch the same treatment meted out to my mom and my pets, and these events eventually led to my mom suffering a fractured leg, a stomach injury, a head injury and an episode where she nearly got her neck cut and another episode where she almost took her own life.

The traumatic events that drove me to depression, anxiety, and panic attacks weren’t just from the hands of this abuser. At the young age of 9, thieves broke into our home. They chopped us, broke my arm and wrist, battered my mother and tried to kill me by trying to cut my neck, by God’s grace we were able to survive that ordeal. I was badly shaken up from that event, and it scarred me, psychologically.

I also survived physical torture meted out to me by a friend of my ‘dad’. On one occasion, a female friend of my dad tried to drown me. I was faced with a near death experience as she tried to make sure I would die, but I somehow found the strength to fight her off and live to fight another day. I had to deal with a lot in my developmental years as a person, and it didn’t get easier with false friends, too.

A so called ‘friend’ of mine, who I had thought to be decent at that point but she turned out to be false, and her sister found extreme delight in torturing me verbally, emotionally, and psychologically.

My pet rabbit wasn’t safe, either. A gang of vicious and envious people severely slandered my rabbit and I at any opportunity they got. It was almost like I couldn’t catch a break with the constant abuse from those around me.

This abuse wasn’t just from face-to-face interactions, I had to also deal with abuse from a female relative who bullied me online for years. Every opportunity she and her slanderous gang had, they took it to spread more lies about me and my innocent rabbit, and this took a further toil on my mental health. I also suffered unwanted sexual advances from several depraved people and was also sexually assaulted (groped) by one of my so called ‘uncles’, a husband of one of the malicious slanderers.

At a period of my life, I suffered extreme verbal, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of a false and toxic female so called ‘friend’. I was sexually assaulted, sexually abused (groped) and mercilessly bullied by her during the period she was a part of my life. To cap it all off, she maliciously threatened me several times and stole significant sums of money from my wallet twice, and conned me out of over $7000 with carefully constructed lies. She also viciously slandered me and my rabbit’s name to cover her tracks.

I was sexually assaulted and nearly raped by two males, but I found the strength to break out of those situations with God’s help. I was nearly kidnapped twice by two males, and survived, thanks to God.

The most harrowing experience was that I wasn’t even safe with medical personnel as I was abused by a sinus doctor in my teenage years, who applied bandages to my nasal passages after my nasal surgery, and ripped it off with my flesh everyday. His actions caused me immense pain, but he didn’t seem to care but rather seemed to enjoy his actions.

I also suffered devastating loss of my pets who were my support system, especially my baby Neo. These losses coupled with my countless unsavoury experiences in the hands of evil, cruel, abusive, narcissistic psychopathic individuals had left me in a bad place, mentally. I suffered extreme torment and psychosis in 2015 several years after my Neo died because of our sufferings at the hands of cruel people, and I struggled to come to terms that she wasn’t part of my life, anymore.I also suffered because of the horrific cruelty animals are suffering at the hands of evil and cruel people. I had a repeat of these extreme psychological torment and psychosis in 2018 after I lost my mother to stomach cancer.

I have had people who have been abusive to me try to downplay my struggles with complex PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and schizophrenia, and simply term me “mad”. However, I strongly believe I am not the person they are painting me out to be. I am of a strong mind, and working forwards being a better person everyday, and no matter how much they try to distract me, nothing is going to sway me from my goals.

I believe my story can help you understand the effect of abusive actions on mental health, the way they trigger schizophrenia, and the stigma faced by people living with schizophrenia. Reflect on the story, and then begin your journey to understanding how to cope with schizophrenia.

Introduction

Around 0.33%. of the entire world population have a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. This is a horrifying mental disorder characterized by disruptions in thought process, perceptive abilities, emotional responses, and social interactions. This disease can vary among individuals, but the outcomes are usually the same, devastating and life-altering.

Over the years, a lot of misconceptions and myth has arisen around the concept of schizophrenia, and the individuals who are inflicted by the disorder. For example, a good number of people mistake dissociative identity disorder (DID), which means that a person suffering from schizophrenia manifest two or more personalities. Also, people tend to believe that individuals who suffer from schizophrenia can’t be smart, but the reverse is the case, as many smart people throughout history have suffered from this disease of the brain, and there are several researches going on to investigate the link between psychosis and creativity.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder which rise from a number of reasons, which could range from severe trauma or genes, and just like every other medical condition needs proper care and attention. However, a huge stigma surrounds the idea of a person living with this terrible disease. People tend to misunderstand what it’s like suffering from schizophrenia. In most cases, they view schizophrenic individuals as stupid or violent, and someone that should be avoided by all means. These stigmas have been proven to be unfounded and harmful to the chances of recovery of people with schizophrenia.

Being a person who had undergone treatment for schizophrenia, and had experienced firsthand, the stigma directed towards people suffering from this disease, I can sympathize with the need for more enlightenment on the topic. A lot of people act like psychosis is a lifelong stain, and once a person is said to be psychotic, they lose the ability to ever function normally, again. This is one of the more rampant erroneous beliefs about schizophrenia that this article seeks to address.

Notable efforts have been made to correct these stigmas and discourage stigmatisation of people living with schizophrenia, but the progress has been at a snail-like speed, and the damages dealt are still present. This article aims to contribute to those efforts by explaining what Schizophrenia really is, and what is like living with this disease that causes immense suffering. This article deconstructs existing harmful beliefs about schizophrenia and what is like living with it, and then throws light on ways a person can cope better with schizophrenia and its symptoms.

Definition of Schizophrenia

A quick Google search and multiple definitions of schizophrenia will pop out. While some will be self-explanatory, others might be a little bit complex, but in all, they all seek to achieve one common goal; inform you on what schizophrenia is defined as.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, “Schizophrenia is mental disorder characterized by disruptions in thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions.” Another defines schizophrenia as “a long-term mental health condition that causes various psychological symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, and changes in behavior.”.

Another simpler definition views schizophrenia as “a serious mental health condition that affects how people think, feel and behave.” From the three definitions highlighted, a common theme can be spotted; schizophrenia being a mental disorder that mainly alters the thought processes and behavioural patterns of the individual. The various ways which schizophrenia can bring about such changes will be explored later on in this article.

It’s important as you read on, to note that schizophrenia doesn’t entirely render a person functionless, and the symptoms can be managed and controlled with access to proper medical care and psychological care. Now, we have gotten through the first stage, it’s time for the second.

Prevalence of Schizophrenia

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), schizophrenia affects about 24 million people or 0.3% (1 in 300) of the entire world population. From this number, the prevalent cases are found in adults, with schizophrenia affecting 1 in 222 (0.45%) adults in the world. This is because, despite psychosis being an uncommon mental disorder, its onset is typically during late adolescence and early adulthood. It also has an earlier onset in men than in women.

An explanation can be offered as to why onset of psychosis occurs during such years. Schizophrenia is frequently associated with significant and prolonged distress, increased pressure and impairment in social, personal, family, work, and educational environments. As individuals are most stressed during these years, they are most likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia or experience symptoms associated with psychosis.

The stats show that are sizeable portion of the world population are living with schizophrenia. Hence, they are also victims of the stigma, discrimination, and violation of human rights faced by people living with this disease. These unsavoury actions carried out by individuals towards psychotic individuals are often as a result of myths surrounding psychosis or poor knowledge of the condition.

The primary factor you should consider with dealing with psychosis is to properly understand what people with the condition are going through, and realize it’s not a life long sentence of disability that renders you or whomever that lives with the disorder, incapable of day-to-day functioning.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Like every medical condition, schizophrenia have certain signs and symptoms that mark it out as what it is. These symptoms are usually those found in association with an individual’s thought processes and behavioural patterns, but that isn’t to say there aren’t symptoms that affect secondary regions aside from the traditionally affected areas.

Symptoms are also assessed when diagnosis are carried out so as to act as a reference before drawing a conclusive diagnosis. Away from further explanation, we will delve into what symptoms of schizophrenia are.

• Persistent Delusions: Delusion is a false belief in things that aren’t true or real. These beliefs are usually firm and no matter how much you try to convince the individual that their beliefs are wrong or fake, they remain unshaken. In schizophrenia, a person may have single or multiple delusions which might involve delusion of persecution (a false belief that people are out to hurt them or treat them badly), delusion of paranoia (an inexplicable fear of things of a thing or people fuelled by a belief that the object will bring harm to them), or delusion of grandeur (greatly overestimating their own importance or value). This is a key symptom of schizophrenia.
• Reoccurring Hallucinations: Hallucinations often involve the sense organs; auditory hallucinations (ear), tactile hallucination (skin), olfactory hallucination (nose), gustatory hallucination (tongue), and visual hallucination (eye). Hallucination is sensing things that others can’t sense or observe. For people hallucinating, these things seem real. The most common form of hallucination in schizophrenia are auditory hallucinations, which involves the individual hearing voices that aren’t real.
• Disorganized Speech and Thought: Disorganized speech and thought also known as “Formal Thought Disorder” is a key marker for schizophrenia. A person with a disorganised find it hard to communicate properly with others and also think well. Disorganized speech often manifests in the individual’s inability to follow a defined thought process and may present answers completely different from the context of a question, or trailing off a line of thought or speech in the middle. It could also manifest in forms of a phenomenon called “word salad” where individual put together words that don’t have any meaning to them.
• Extremely Disorganized Motor Activity: Another symptom usually found in psychotic individuals is the presence of exaggerated and meaningless behaviour. There is no particular pattern to these movements and they can be exhibited in multiple ways. For example, psychotic individuals can assume a particular position (Standing, squatting, standing with hands raised, or more), and remains in that position for an extended period of time (could run into several hours). This is called catatonia and usually found in catatonic schizophrenia. They might also take on childlike mannerisms or move and act in ways that aren’t in accordance with the social settings. Their responses are also irrelevant to the settings they find themselves, or might choose not to respond at all.
• Negative Symptoms: Negative symptoms often arise when people start suffering from schizophrenia. Negative symptoms are usually when people are unable to continue doing things they were able to do before the illness. For example, a person that loves cycling might suddenly be unable to cycle, or they might be able to carry out their normal day activities such as bathing, brushing, or cleaning. They also have a hard time focusing on things, socializing, and planning ahead for things.

Other symptoms may also be present in teenagers who suffering from psychosis. These signs are usually early signs of schizophrenia, and are most commonly seen in teenagers than adults. These symptoms include but are not limited to;

• Social withdrawal from family and friends
• Poor performance in educational activities
• Having trouble sleeping
• Lack of motivation
• Depression and irritable

It’s important that the use of drugs like marijuana, cannabis, and other hallucinogenic can produce the same symptoms. Also, symptoms are more pronounced in adults than in teenagers. Hallucinations are the most visible in teenagers as opposed to other conditions. Most schizophrenic patients don’t realize they might need medical attention, and it’s up to family and friends to identify these symptoms and seek prompt medical attention.

Causes of Schizophrenia

No researcher can lay claim to knowing the exact cause of schizophrenia. Instead, what we have is the knowledge that suggests that several physical, environmental, genetic, and psychological factors combine to bring about the condition in an individual. Also, some people are prone to the condition, and a simple trigger such as stress or traumatic event can kickstart an episode. Personally, I underwent many traumatic and stressful events. Traumatic events such as facing a near death experience at the age of 9 after robbers broke into my house and tried to kill my mom and I, or being bullied by a group of malicious individuals over an extended period, all combined to make me psychotic over a period of time.

Some people are prone to schizophrenia, while others aren’t. A stressful can make it bubble to the surface for those who are prone, but the reason why some individuals remain asymptomatic while others develop the symptoms are unknown. The likely causes, risk factors, and triggers of/for schizophrenia include;

1. Genetics: Schizophrenia has shown to follow a familial pattern. That is, it tends to repeat in a family. However, no particular gene has been found to be responsible for this occurrence. Despite this, researchers believe that a combination of genes could be responsible for a person developing psychosis. However, no gene or genes could be said to be the main culprit. The strongest evidence that schizophrenia can be inherited stems from a study of twins. The first set of research involved identical twins as the shared the same genetic make-up. The studies found that if a twin suffered from this brain disease, there was a 1 in 2 chance that the other will develop the condition. It also found that the results remained the same even if the twin were raised separately. Researches involving fraternal twins, who shared different genetic make-up, it showed that a twin has a 1 in 8 chance of developing schizophrenia if the other suffers the condition. This is significantly higher than those found in the general population which is at a ratio of 1:100. It highlights while genes can’t be said to be the sole cause of schizophrenia, they play an important role in its causation.
2. Neurotransmitters: Studies have led researchers to believe that people that suffer from schizophrenia have higher or lower amounts of neurotransmitters (chemicals that help rely information between cells, especially brain cells) than normal in their bodies. During treatment, drugs used in regulating the levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine are used as part of the treatment regimen, and this suggests a possible role of neurotransmitters in causing schizophrenia.
3. Alteration in Brain Development: Subtle differences have been seen in patients suffering from schizophrenia when they are examined. Their brain structure differs slightly from the norm, and while this can also be seen in individuals who aren’t psychotic, and is not always present in people with schizophrenia, the number of people with such differences and psychotic partly suggest that it can also be a reason for schizophrenia.
4. Pregnancy and Complications: Another interesting take from research is that people who experience birth complications (before and during) can also develop schizophrenia. It also shows that people with schizophrenia often than not have birth complications, too. Individuals born with either; a low birth weight, premature birth, asphyxia (lack of oxygen) during birth, can have alterations in their brain structure, and are mire likely to suffer from schizophrenia.
5. Stress: Excessive stress has proven to be a trigger for multiple mental disorders. Schizophrenia is one of those conditions which are triggered by a person being under immense stress. Traumatic events can cause stress, and if the individual lacks good coping skills, they re likely to crumble. Stressful life events that could lead to schizophrenia include; loss of job or home, divorce, a break up, bereavement, and sexual or physical abuse. In my case, I was always under immense stress that made me anxious, depressed, and psychotic. On several occasions, I saw my mom and pets get abused, these abuses caused my mother to break her leg and almost killed herself. Another stressful event I faced was the very real possibility of getting raped, and while I managed to escape, I was scarred from the event. Although, stressful events aren’t the true cause of psychosis, they can be triggers for anyone who is vulnerable to schizophrenia. So, it’s advisable to avoid being under stress for extended periods of time.
6. Drug abuse: Use of drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and LSD have all shown to significantly elevate the risk of schizophrenia and other similar mental health illnesses. Research has shown that the indiscriminate use of this substance places an individual in a position where their susceptibility to schizophrenia is increased massively. Currently, researchers aren’t certain if the use of drugs is directly responsible for the onset of schizophrenia. However, what they are certain of is that the use of drugs can increase the risk of psychosis, trigger s relapse in a recovering patient, or prevent symptoms from getting better. Research has shown that teenagers who experiment with drugs such as cannabis are more likely to develop schizophrenia in late adulthood than those who don’t. The risk increases even more when stronger forms of these drugs are used.

Knowing the triggers and likely causes of schizophrenia can help you manage your life better. It’s important to avoid situations where your mental health could be jeopardised and left vulnerable. Try to recognize early signs of stress and drug abuse, and deal with them as early as possible. Also, you should seek medical care if you are pregnant or have a drug problem. This action can save you a lot in the future and significantly improves your quality of life at your later age

Types of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is classified by the thought process and behavioural patterns of the individual affected. These thought-and behaviour-, related symptoms determine what type of schizophrenia s person could have. Most common symptom in this disease is psychosis (a loss of connection with reality).

The classification of schizophrenia has changed severally over the years, with last change occurring in 2013. This change was reflected in the most commonly used manual by health practitioners for the diagnosis of mental health conditions. This manual is called Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The previous iteration of this manual, DSM-4, classified schizophrenia under the following;

• Paranoid schizophrenia
• Catatonic schizophrenia
• Undifferentiated schizophrenia
• Disorganized schizophrenia, and
• Residual schizophrenia

While the features of these types still remain–paranoia, disorganized speech and thought, and catatonia–still remain an integral part of schizophrenia, they are no longer considered distinct sub-types by experts in the updated DSM-5. This is as a result of overlapping subtype symptoms and low diagnostic precision when it comes to matching the subtypes, and these were among the reasons for the update of the DSM classification of schizophrenia.

In 2022, another update was carried out on the DSM, called DSM-5-TR, but this update did not significantly change the classification of schizophrenia in any way. The method of diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR id based on the medical practice of noting key symptoms described in the manual. Under the DSM-5-TR classification, an individual has to display two or more of these symptoms over a lengthy period of 1 month or more before receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia. These symptoms include;

• Delusions
• Hallucinations
• Disorganized speech
• Disorganized or catatonic behaviour
• Negative symptoms

Also, one of the symptoms must be hallucinations, delusion, or disorganized speech. The symptoms must also have a significant impact on the individual’s personal life, occupation, social life, and relationships, and must persist for 6 months, having lasted for 1 month at a stretch at any point in this timeframe. The extent of a person’s schizophrenia is dependent on the severity and frequency of these symptoms

Schizophrenia is the most commonly known condition of its type, but there are other range of conditions that involve psychosis and bear similar symptoms with schizophrenia. They include;

1. Psychotic disorder due to another medical condition.
2. Schizoaffective disorder
3. Schizophreniform disorder
4. Schizotypal disorder
5. Brief psychotic disorder
6. Delusional disorder
7. Substance-or medication induced psychotic disorder

It’s also important to note that the symptoms of schizophrenia can overlap with those of bipolar disorder, which is a mental condition that affects mood, energy, and activity of a person.

It’s also likely that people with schizophrenia might have another mental health disorder, or comorbidity. Research has shown that people with schizophrenia had comorbidities that includes;

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Substance use disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The average prevalence of comorbidity in people with schizophrenia is 23%. Other medical conditions like respiratory problems and cardiovascular issues might be present in people with schizophrenia as there’s a reduction in engagement of health-promoting activities.

Treatment of Schizophrenia

Just like the cause, there is no cure for schizophrenia. However, it isn’t all gloom and doom, as treatments are targeted at the symptoms, and a full recovery s possible if managed properly. Treatment is aimed at managing symptoms and helping individuals carry out their day-to-day activities. These treatments include;

1. Antipsychotic Medication: These medications are given to a person with schizophrenia to help with their psychotic episodes. It could be pill, liquid, or tablet form. It could also be as an injection, which will require administration once or twice a month. These medications include; Geodon, risperidone, quetiapine, haloperidol, olanzapine, and aripiprazole. Benzodiazepines are also used to help relieve anxiety problems and behavioural disturbances. These include; diazepam, lorazepam, and clonazepam.
2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a form of therapy that is goal driven and involves helping the individual identify unhelpful behaviours and thoughts. After identification, this type of therapy helps a person identify ways in which they can combat and correct these harmful behaviours and thoughts. They are especially helpful when it comes to treating negative symptoms, and also help in preventing relapse.
3. Clozapine: Clozapine is used as a last resort drug. It’s a type of antipsychotic drug that may be prescribed when an individual is resistant to other antipsychotic medicines. It is used when a person fails to respond well to two previous antipsychotic medicines administered to them. However, the use of clozapine is a heavily regulated one, and the individual will have to be closely monitored. Blood tests will also have to be carried out, as there is an increased risk of agranulocytosis (failure of the body to produce enough white blood cells) during the use of clozapine.

Prognosis of Schizophrenia

Individuals with schizophrenia have an increased risk of premature death. This is according to the World Health Organization that states that individuals with schizophrenia are 2 or 3 times more likely to die early than the general population. For example, the average life expectancy for people living with schizophrenia in the US is 28.5 years in comparison to the average of the general population which is 79.5 years. About 4.9% of people suffering from schizophrenia die by suicide. However, treatment can reduce that risk, significantly. According to WHO, one-third of individuals with schizophrenia experience complete remission of their symptoms.

Coping With Schizophrenia

A diagnosis of schizophrenia can be shattering for some individuals. It can be a difficult process for a person, and adjusting to manage the condition can be very trying for them. Symptoms that might leave you disconnected from reality, or unable to trust your own judgement or of those around you, is tough to handle, and repeated occurrences might leave you feeling despondent. It doesn’t help that there are significant amounts of misconceptions and stigma surrounding schizophrenia, and some of this might be directed towards you. It is also tough to handle that these misconceptions and stigma are more pronounced in schizophrenia discourse than in other mental health conditions.

Personally, I had to deal with plenty of stigma that came with living with schizophrenia that arise from dealing with abuse towards my pets, my mother, and I. You might be going through the same challenges, struggling to cope with your condition, but if there are anything that has worked from me, it’s these three things;

• Coping skills
• Self-care techniques, and
• Psychiatric treatments

You have to learn to live with the condition, and develop healthy strategies to help you cope with the symptoms. This process will involve a lot of experimentation, but it’s for the best, as it helps you find what really works for you

The first step to coping with schizophrenia is being able to build a good support system. A healthy support group is an important factor when it comes to tackling a lot of symptoms relating to mental health disorders, and this is the same for schizophrenia. Negative symptoms are better relieved with the aid of support systems, and while positive systems can be alleviated with the aid of drugs, negative symptoms are best treated with the aid of support group, as they are symptoms that affect social interactions. Your support group isn’t just restricted to humans, as your pets can be your support group during these trying times. All you need is someone who understands you and is empathic towards what you are going through at the moment.

Another important way of coping with schizophrenia is learning how to control your emotions. You can easily feel fear, anger, anxiety, or sadness when you are schizophrenic, but learning steps to cope with them can make them feel less overwhelming. You can take your step towards learning how to control your emotions step by step, as it involves a lot of trials before you get to a point where you can handle these emotions more effectively.

Therapy is an important aspect of coping with schizophrenia. CBT is the recommended form of therapy for people living with schizophrenia. The advantage of CBT is that it helps you check the reality of the beliefs hold, and how they hold up to the true nature of reality. Self-care is also important, especially during episodes of psychosis. Simple things such as maintaining a healthy sleep hygiene or taking little walks can help you get through these periods better.

Summary

Schizophrenia is often the most stigmatized mental health disorder. Many consider it to be all gloom and doom once they have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, this isn’t true. Schizophrenia can be managed, and even its worst symptoms like psychosis can be managed of the right care and techniques are involved. A number of people have gone on to make full recovery from schizophrenia. It’s a step-by-step process, and if you are able to learn how to cope with it, you increase your chances of winning your battle against it significantly. This article has shown what schizophrenia truly is, and have shown ways you can learn to cope with it. It’s up to you, whether you are living with schizophrenia or taking care of someone living with the condition, to apply the lessons you learnt from this article.

References

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