Schizophrenia: information for parents, carers and anyone
who works with young people
About this factsheet
This is one in a series of factsheets for parents, teachers and
young people entitled Mental Health and Growing Up. The
aims of these factsheets are to provide practical, up-to-date
information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural
and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young
people. This factsheet explains what schizophrenia is and gives
practical help and advice about how and where to get help for young
people affected by this mental illness.
Introduction
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that affects thinking,
emotions and behaviour. It is the most common form of psychosis and
affects one person in every 100. Schizophrenia is rare before
puberty. It is most likely to start between the ages of 15 and 35
years, but can occur in younger children. The illness might last
for a long time and can be very disabling.
When a young person has a `psychotic breakdown', not due to
drug use, and a definite diagnosis may not be possible, it can be
difficult to know what the long-term effects will be.
What are the symptoms?
Schizophrenia affects everybody differently. There are two
groups of symptoms, which are described as `positive' and
`negative'. Young people with schizophrenia often have a mixture of
the two. Sometimes, the illness develops slowly and can be hard to
spot, but some young people become unwell very quickly.
Positive symptoms
Delusions: this means holding beliefs that
are not only untrue, but that can seem quite bizarre. The young
person may believe that they are someone different, the President
of the USA for example, or they may believe that other people are
`out to get them'. They will believe that this is true despite what
you say.
Thought disorder is when someone is not
thinking straight and it is hard to make sense of what they are
saying. Their ideas may be jumbled up, but it is more than being
muddled or confused.
Hallucinations are when someone sees, hears,
smells or feels something that isn't really there. The most common
hallucination that people have is hearing voices. In schizophrenia,
hallucinations are totally real to the person having them. This can
be very frightening and can make them believe that they are being
watched or picked on. People who are having these experiences may
act strangely. For example, they may talk or laugh to themselves as
if talking to somebody that you can't see.
Negative symptoms
The young person suffering from schizophrenia may become
withdrawn and can appear unemotional. They seem to lose interest,
stop washing regularly or spend a lot of time on their own. They
are not able to carry on with their normal activities and usually
find it impossible to concentrate on work or study.
How to get help
The earlier it is recognised that the young person is ill, the
better the chances of getting effective treatment. This speeds
recovery and reduces the long-term harm. Some people can make a
complete recovery.
Medication
Medication plays an important part in the treatment of
schizophrenia. It treats the symptoms of the illness and allows
normal life to be resumed. Medication tends to be more effective
with positive symptoms, less so with negative symptoms.
Hallucinations and delusions may take some weeks to
disappear.
A number of drugs are available, and the doctor will advise
which is the best for your child. Sometimes a number of different
drugs will need to be tried before the best `fit' is found. The
treatment may need to be long-term, but you must discuss this with
your doctor. Unfortunately, schizophrenia can recur, and may need
long-term treatment.
There are side-effects to these medicines. Your doctor can
advise you about what they are and what can be done to help. The
risk of side-effects needs to be balanced against the risk of the
damaging effects of the illness on a person's life.
the young person and their family. This includes:
- Help with understanding the illness. It is
very important that the young person with schizophrenia and their
family are helped to understand the condition, and how best to
manage their life.
- Help to resume education or start work. An
episode of schizophrenia can interfere with education because it is
difficult to learn when you are unwell. An important part of
recovery is to begin to plan the young person's future.
- Help with family relationships. Criticism,
hostility and stress are likely to cause a relapse. Families need
help in recognising and controlling these, and on how best to
support the young person. As is normal for all young people, this
may include helping a young person to leave home and to live
independently.
- Help to cope with voices (hallucinations).
Some people with schizophrenia find a type of psychotherapy,
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), helpful in managing voices,
often in combination with medicines. Talking treatments, such as
CBT, can be helpful, but needs to be given in addition to
medication (see the Royal College of Psychiatrists' factsheet on Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy).
When treated properly, many young people with schizophrenia can go
on to lead a life that is enjoyable and fulfilling.
References
- Carr, A. (ed.) (2000) What Works with Children and
Adolescents? A Critical Review of Psychological Interventions with
Children, Adolescents and their Families. London:
Brunner-Routledge.
- Fuller-Torrey, E. (1995) Surviving Schizophrenia: A Family
Manual. London: Harper Collins.
- Rutter, M. & Taylor, E. (eds) (2002) Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry (4th edn). London: Blackwell.
- Scott, A., Shaw, M. & Joughin, C. (eds) (2001) Finding
the Evidence: A Gateway to the Literature in Child and Adolescent
Mental Health (2nd edn). London: Gaskell.
Sources of further information
- Rethink offers help to
people with severe mental illness (not only schizophrenia) and
their carers.
- Young
Minds Parents Helpline for any adult concerned about
the emotions and behaviour of a child or young person. They offer
information and professional advice, via telephone and email -
contact 0800 018 2138 or parents@youngminds.org.uk
Or you may like to look at these websites:
- www.sane.org.uk
- www.mdf.org.uk (manic
depression)
- www.pendulum.org
(manic depression)
- Changing Minds: A Multimedia CD-ROM about Mental
Health is intended for 13-17 year olds; it talks about
addiction, stress, eating disorders, depression, schizophrenia and
self-harm. Further details from the Royal College of Psychiatrists:
tel. 020 7235 2351, ext.146; www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/auvideo/cmindscd/index.htm.
- The Mental Health and Growing Up series contains 36
factsheets on a range of common mental health problems. To order
the pack, contact Book Sales at the Royal College of Psychiatrists,
17 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PG; tel. 020 7235 2351, ext. 146;
fax 020 7245 1231; e-mail: booksales@rcpsych.ac.uk, or
you can download them from this website.
© [2004]
Royal College of Psychiatrists. This factsheet may be downloaded,
printed out, photocopied and distributed free of charge as long as
the Royal College of Psychiatrists is properly credited and no
profit is gained from its use. Permission to reproduce it in any
other way must be obtained from the Head of Publications. The College
does not allow reposting of its factsheets on other sites, but
allows them to be linked to directly.
Please note that we are unable to offer advice on individual cases. Please see our FAQ for advice on getting help.
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