People who have a diagnosis of schizophrenia may have beliefs that are not shared by other people. They may hear, see or perceive things that other people do not sense. These are referred to as delusions (beliefs that are unusual or not true) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there).
People can also have difficulty in thinking clearly, making decisions and plans, understanding other people’s emotions and motives.
There are lots of myths and misunderstandings about what schizophrenia is. Some incorrect views are that people become violent, have multiple personalities and/or have an intellectual disability.
People with lived experience see the experiences associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia very, very differently to clinicians.
- A person with lived experience of a mental health condition
SANE AustraliaSANE Australia is a national mental health charity working to support people affected by complex mental illness and provides a range of relevant resources. SchizophreniaThis fact sheet provides an overview of the causes, symptoms and treatment options for schizophrenia. The site also provides a guide to support people experiencing schizophrenia, their family, friends and carers. Type: Fact sheetsEstimated reading time: 5 minutesProduced by: SANE AustraliaWhat is schizophrenia?This article is an overview of what schizophrenia is, signs and symptoms, causes, treatments and how to get help.Type: Web pageEstimated reading time: 5 minutesProduced by: Reach outStrategies for Coping with Distressing VoicesThis handy fact sheet provides practical strategies to cope with distressing voices.Type: Fact sheetLength: 1 pageProduced by: Hearing Voices Network AustraliaA Practical Guide to Coping with VoicesThis guide is an introduction to a different way of thinking about hearing voices.Type: Web pageEstimated reading time: 30 minutesProduced by: The International Hearing Voices Network What is schizophrenia? (Translated Fact Sheet)This brochure covers schizophrenia, its symptoms and causes, treatment options and where to go for help. This fact sheet is available in a number of translated languages.Type: Fact sheetLength: 6 pagesProduced by: Mental Health in Multicultural AustraliaTranslations: Yes
Types of mental health conditions
