These studies did not find a difference in benefits outcomes between risperidone and olanzapine over the first 3 years of treatment, but they found that that risperidone had higher risk of some specific adverse events (worsening akathisia, sexual dysfunction, and amenorrhea). Comparative evidence on the risk of cardiovascular or all-cause mortality was not available for the other SGA drugs. While infrequent, self-harm, including suicide, is a major cause of death among individuals with schizophrenia that antipsychotics, along with other interventions, are intended to help prevent.

There isn’t a single test to diagnose schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that should not be ignored or left untreated. Even though it’s still not known what causes schizophrenia, researchers believe genetics may play a role.

Young people’s mental health

For people with schizophrenia, the risk of self-harm and violence to others is most significant when the illness is untreated or co-occurs with alcohol or substance misuse. These negative symptoms are sometimes mistaken for symptoms of depression or other mental illnesses. Psychotic symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorder. The symptoms of schizophrenia can make it difficult to participate in usual, everyday activities, but effective treatments are available.

Sign up to the Patient newsletter

However, a person’s risk rises if one of their parents has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Many people with schizophrenia do not realize that they are unwell. The following sections explore some of the main symptoms of schizophrenia in more detail.

Antipsychotics

• In the mid-1950s, chlorpromazine, the first typical antipsychotic, was introduced, followed in the 1970s by clozapine, the first atypical antipsychotic.
• Some people don’t want to take medication.
• A new antipsychotic, xanomeline-trospium (Cobenfy), is harder to categorize.
• Natural options for schizophrenia are often hindered by limited research.

People with schizophrenia do not experience having multiple personalities. https://www.csusm.edu/palliativecare/griefandbereavement.html This is a completely different diagnosis and its real name is ‘dissociative identity disorder’. Schizophrenia is often confused with ‘multiple personality disorder’. Speak to someone you trust about how you are feeling if you hear something upsetting about schizophrenia.

Catatonia is a state in which someone is awake but does not seem to respond to other people and their environment. Catatonic schizophrenia is used to describe a state of catatonia in addition to schizophrenia. Sometimes symptoms develop slowly over months and the person may gradually become withdrawn, lose friends, jobs, etc, before the condition is recognised. Not all symptoms are present in all cases. People already diagnosed with schizophrenia may also have tests done if they suddenly become worse. This will rule out physical causes of the symptoms or drug/alcohol misuse which may cause similar symptoms.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one-third of people with schizophrenia experience a complete remission of symptoms. Unlike someone with bipolar disorder during a manic episode, the symptoms of psychosis aren’t accompanied by mania. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of psychosis, seek treatment immediately. However, if you are concerned that your child has acquired some new, worrying behaviors, it’s essential to talk with a mental health professional as soon as you can. If you or someone you care about has received a diagnosis of schizophrenia, having support from family and friends can help lower stress and create a feeling of inclusion. Another treatment option for schizophrenia is psychosocial intervention.