2.  Schizophrenia is a rare illness

3.  Schizophrenia afflicts 1 person in 100. By comparison, it affects twice as many people as Alzheimer’s, five times the amount of M.S. and six times as many as Diabetes.

4.  Schizophrenia is a brain disease. MRI scans show that the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces in the mid-brain) are larger in schizophrenics.

5.  MRI and PET scans show there is a change in the functioning of the brain

6.  Schizophrenia generally affects older people.

7.  The age of onset is usually between 15 and 25.

8.  More males than females develop schizophrenia.

9.  Males tend to contract schizophrenia at a younger age than females, but the illness is distributed equally among the sexes.

10.  Schizophrenia is caused by poor parenting.

11.  The cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but it is definitely an organic (physical, biological) disease and is the fault of no one.

12.  Schizophrenia is caused by street drugs.

13.  Schizophrenia is not caused by street drugs. However, research supports the fact that the use of drugs in an individual genetically predisposed to the disease may trigger schizophrenia, or bring it out earlier.

14.  People who have schizophrenia are usually violent and dangerous.

15.  People who have schizophrenia are usually vulnerable and are more of a danger to themselves (eg. - suicide) than others. A very small amount of schizophrenics commit horrific crimes (that always make the front page of newspapers), but they are more likely to be victims than offenders.

16.  People who have schizophrenia have multiple or split personalities.

17.  People with schizophrenia do not have D.I.D. Rather, they suffer from a “split” from reality.

18.  Schizophrenia can be successfully treated.

19.  Schizophrenia can not be cured, but can be treated very successfully – schizophrenics can lead meaningful and productive lives while managing their disease.

20.  Although some see the terms as outdated, neurosis refers to mental health challenges that are not organic – they usually involves stress but not a break from reality. They tend to be “milder” than psychosis. Examples are depression, anxiety, OCD, hypochondria.

21.  Psychosis involves an active split from reality and includes hallucinations (hear voices or see things that aren’t there) and / or delusions (false beliefs or misinterpretations of situations). They are much more challenging to deal with than neurosis. Examples are schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder (formerly called “manic depression.”)

22.  Schizophrenia is a disturbance involving delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and / or disorganized or catatonic behaviour. A deterioration in the individual’s ability to function at work, school, and / or socially also frequently occur.

23.  Unknown, but we do know that genetics and family history play a role. Research also shows that prenatal difficulties like intrauterine starvation or viral infections seem to influence the development of schizophrenia. However, it is not yet understood how the genetic predisposition is transmitted

24.  Schizophrenia is usually treated with medication and is supplemented by counselling. Drugs are successful in 80-90% of schizophrenics, as long as they keep taking the medication. Although this is a very challenging condition for individuals and their families, and some have great difficulties, this disease can be very successfully treated (but not “cured.”) Individuals can have a good life.

25.  *** (early intervention and treatment are the keys to reducing symptoms and improving the outcome)  Withdrawl from activities and social contacts  Irrational, angry or fearful responses to friends and family  Sleep disturbances  Deterioration in studies or work  Inappropriate use of language (words do not make sense)

26.  Sudden excesses, such as extreme religiosity or extreme activity  Deterioration of personal hygiene  Difficulty controlling thoughts or concentrating  Hearing voices or sounds others don’t hear  Seeing people or things others don’t see  A constant feeling of being watched  Mood swings and anxiety

27.  www.schizophrenia.ca (Schizophrenic Society of Canada) www.schizophrenia.ca  www.mentalhealth.com www.mentalhealth.com  www.openthedoors.com www.openthedoors.com