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- Margarita Tartakovsky, MS
- Myth: Schizophrenia means having multiple personalities. Many people confuse schizophrenia with dissociative identity disorder (DID). This is somewhat understandable, as schizophrenia technically translates to “split mind” from Greek.
- Myth: Schizophrenia looks pretty much the same in everyone. While schizophrenia is now a single diagnosis, symptoms vary greatly among people with the condition.
- Myth: People with schizophrenia are dangerous. There is a slightly higher rate of aggression among people with schizophrenia. But in some cases, that increased risk may be due to substance use rather than the condition itself, as research from 2019 suggests.
- Myth: Schizophrenia arises out of the blue. “It’s quite rare to have a big drop in functioning,” says Demian Rose, MD, PhD, the medical director at the UCSF Path Program at the University of California, San Francisco.
- It means you have dissociative identity disorder (DID). This is one of the biggest misunderstandings about schizophrenia. One poll found that 64% of Americans believe the condition involves DID, which means someone acts like they're two or more separate people.
- Most people with schizophrenia are violent or dangerous. In movies and TV shows, who is the crazed killer? Often it's the character with this condition.
- Bad parenting is the cause. Mothers, in particular, often get blamed.
- If a parent has schizophrenia, you'll get it, too. Genes do play a role. But just because one of your parents has this mental illness doesn't mean you're destined to get it.
People also ask
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- Myth 1: Schizophrenia Involves A Split Personality
- Myth 2: People with Schizophrenia Are Dangerous
- Myth 3: Individuals with Schizophrenia Can’T Hold Down A Job
- Myth 4: Schizophrenia Is Caused by Bad Parenting
- Myth 5: Schizophrenia Requires Long-Term Hospitalization
- Myth 6: Schizophrenia Symptoms Are The Same For Everyone
- Myth 7: Schizophrenia Impacts Intelligence
- Myth 8: Schizophrenia Causes Sudden Mood Swings
- Myth 9: Schizophrenia Cannot Be Treated
Fact: Schizophrenia is a separate related condition to dissociative identity disorder, which involves personality “splitting.” One of the most common myths about schizophrenia is that schizophrenics have multiple or split personalities. Often times schizophrenia is confused with its related condition, dissociative identity disorder (DID). With DID,...
Fact: People with schizophrenia are wrongly identified as being dangerous through their portrayal in popular media. Are schizophrenic individuals more prone to dangerous behavior? When individuals are diagnosed with schizophrenia alone and not a co-occurring condition, they are unlikely to be violent or dangerous, according to the American Psychiat...
Fact: With proper treatment, schizophrenic individuals can be high-functioning and successfully manage their condition. Another common misconception about individuals with schizophrenia is that they cannot hold a job. With the right treatment and support system, people with this condition can be extremely high-functioning and productive. If a perso...
Fact: Schizophrenia has specific genetic and environmental risk factors and is not directly caused by bad parenting. It is a common myth that bad parenting or difficult relationships directly cause schizophrenia. This stereotype cannot be further from the truth. Schizophrenia has numerous genetic causes. Each of these has a small impact on the over...
Fact: In many cases, individuals with schizophrenia can be successfully rehabilitated back into society. Not all individuals with schizophrenia require long-term hospitalization. Some people with this condition live with their relatives or in group homes. A person may be hospitalized if they exhibit schizophrenia symptoms for the first time, or if ...
Fact: Not everyone with schizophrenia experiences the same symptoms nor the same severity of symptoms. There are several different types of schizophrenia including paranoid, disorganized, childhood and catatonic schizophrenia. Other conditions that are closely associated with schizophrenia include schizoaffective disorder, agoraphobia and panic dis...
Fact: Schizophrenia does not have an impact on a person’s intelligence. Popular media often associates high intelligence with schizophrenia. A study was conducted in 2014 to address this apparent association. The study showed that there was no association between genius or high intelligence and the development of schizophrenia. Another study found ...
Fact: Schizophrenia is related to both bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, which are characterized by sudden and alternating mood swings. However, schizophrenia is an entirely separate condition. Yet another schizophrenia myth is that individuals experience unpredictable mood swings, though this is not the case. Bipolar disorderis define...
Fact: Schizophrenia can be treated with several evidence-based treatments. Currently, there are several focuses on the treatment of schizophrenia. Along with antipsychotic medications that target the brain’s dopamine receptors, novel pharmacologicagents include those that target glutamate, glycine and acetylcholine receptors. Other treatments for s...
- Schizophrenia causes split or multiple personalities. It’s a common misconception that schizophrenia causes split personality or multiple personalities.
- People with schizophrenia can’t live alone or have a job. Schizophrenia can be a challenging condition to manage, but with appropriate treatment and support, many individuals with the disorder are able to hold jobs and live independently.
- Those with schizophrenia are more likely to be dangerous or violent. It’s a common misconception that schizophrenia is associated with violence.
- Schizophrenia treatments don’t work. The effectiveness of schizophrenia medications varies from person to person, and while some individuals may not respond well to medication, others experience significant improvement in their symptoms.
Oct 2, 2020 · #1 Myth: Schizophrenia means you have a split personality. Reality: “This is a classic myth,” Dr. Rego says. A split personality, also called a Dissociative Identity Disorder or a Multiple...
Aug 29, 2023 · Learn about the common myths and misconceptions surrounding schizophrenia, a mental health condition that affects reality and thought processes. Find out how to prevent and challenge the stigma and stereotypes that affect people with schizophrenia.
Apr 2, 2019 · Jennifer Huber April 2, 2019. Inaccurate stereotypes and erroneous beliefs abound concerning schizophrenia. Stanford psychiatrist Jacob Ballon, MD, dispelled a few of these myths in a recent article in Everyday Health. Here are a few takeaways and a bit of basic info regarding the disease:
