Four Myths Surrounding the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Though approximately 3.2 million Americans battle schizophrenia, many myths about the disorder still exist. Many of us think we know what schizophrenia looks like, but schizophrenia is often misrepresented in the movies, books, and television shows that we are exposed to..

Here are four myths about schizophrenia that should be dispelled:

1. Schizophrenia cannot be treated.

While in many cases schizophrenia cannot be cured, it can certainly be treated, allowing for better quality of life for those struggling with the disorder. Finding the right regimen of medication and psychiatric therapies may take time, but can lead to patients finding a healthy balance and an ability to cope with their mental illness.

2. People with schizophrenia are dangers to society.

It is a common misconception that people who have schizophrenia regularly lash out or become violent. In fact, research has found that people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are more often than not found to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators of it. Left untreated or paired with substance abuse, however, schizophrenia can lead to aggressive behaviors.

Though some schizophrenic patients have significantly more noticeable violent tendencies than others, once these patients are stabilized with the right kind of medication and therapy, these individuals are no more threatening than anyone else we come into contact with in our everyday lives.

3. Schizophrenia patients cannot lead normal lives.

Upon hearing the word “schizophrenia,” much of the population, unfortunately, pictures a mentally unstable person locked in a hospital or another institution. While untreated symptoms can certainly become severe enough to lead to hospitalization, if patients are treated early and properly, they can eventually lead lives that are very close to what many consider to be “normal.”

4. Antipsychotic medications make schizophrenic symptoms worse rather than better.

In our society, a stigma has developed surrounding the use of antipsychotic medications to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychosis. A false belief that these prescription drugs make people “even crazier” or turn them into lifeless, helpless ghosts of their former selves keeps many people who need antipsychotic drugs from actually taking them. These drugs affect patients in a vast number of different ways and, undoubtedly, can cause some unwanted side effects, but when the right drug is prescribed and is taken as directed, it can dramatically change a patient’s life for the better.

If you or your loved one is having trouble with the current prescribed antipsychotic drug, you should consult with your physician immediately in order to find a better course of treatment. Antipsychotic drugs are intended to make the patient’s life better, not worse.

Let us help you in your fight against mental illness. No one is in the battle alone. Do not hesitate to reach out and take control of your mental health.