Confronting Schizophrenia Stigma: Overcoming Self-Shame, Stereotypes, and Media Myths

Dealing with schizophrenia stigma can be one of the toughest parts of living with the condition. Lesley McCuaig highlights three sources of stigma: self-shame, social stereotypes, and media myths. Calling for more education on severe mental illnesses, Lesley hopes that sharing her experiences will help clear up these misconceptions.

Schizophrenia is perhaps the most stigmatized mental illness you can have.

I spend a lot of my time advocating and speaking about my experience with schizophrenia to help reduce the stigma around the illness. Based on my speaking and writing experiences, I've noticed that many people don't understand what schizophrenia is.

Schizophrenia stigma often results from a lack of education on the subject. People are afraid of things they don't understand, and schizophrenia can seem scary to those who aren't familiar with it.

So, I have taken it upon myself to share my story and educate others about living with schizophrenia. By writing and reading articles like these, I hope to shed some light on this oft-misunderstood condition and, in turn, reduce the stigma associated with this mental illness.

Schizophrenia stigma in the recently diagnosed

Before I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, I knew little to nothing about the illness. Had I known what I do today, perhaps the diagnosis wouldn't have had such a profound impact on me.

Self-stigma can be a major challenge for those living with schizophrenia. Self-stigma often includes shame about having the illness. In my case, the social stigma of schizophrenia coupled with self-stigma made it harder for me to reach out and ask for help.

I carried a great amount of shame for hearing auditory hallucinations.

Stereotypes about schizophrenia can hide some surprising truths

Social stereotype 1: “Only homeless people have auditory hallucinations”

The idea here, I think, is that “only” homeless people have auditory hallucinations from schizophrenia or other severe mental health conditions.

Research shows that while 5.5% of people in the U.S. have a severe mental illness, this rises to 31.4% in the homeless population. Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the general population but impacts 20% of the homeless population.

Despite the higher prevalence in the homeless community, they make up a small percentage of those with schizophrenia. So, within the 1% of people living with schizophrenia, a large portion are not homeless. These stereotypes increase both homelessness and schizophrenia stigma. They imply that people with schizophrenia can't have stable lives and that having a home can prevent or cure the illness.

Social stereotype 2: “Auditory hallucinations always mean schizophrenia”

Researchers estimate that 5% to 28% of the general population experience hearing voices or other sounds as hallucinations. One reason unrelated to schizophrenia could be hearing loss. 16% of people with hearing impairments experience hallucinations involving sounds.  

Up to 70% of people will experience auditory hallucinations at least once in their lives when falling asleep or waking up. It's a common type of hallucination.

Research also suggests that approximately 75% of people with schizophrenia will experience auditory hallucinations.

Looking beyond schizophrenia’s portrayal in the media

Media myth 1: People with schizophrenia are violent

Schizophrenia stigma often extends to what we see in the press, radio, or film, with the spotlight being on “people with schizophrenia committing acts of violence.”

In fact, most people with psychotic disorders will never commit an act of violence. Research suggests that less than 10% of violent crimes in society can be attributed to schizophrenia.

In fact, according to studies, people with schizophrenia are 14 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than be the perpetrator.

Stigma can have a crippling effect on someone's life, including issues with social isolation, lower self-esteem, poorer relationships, fewer job and housing prospects, and increasing delays in seeking treatment.

So, what is schizophrenia? It's a mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, or acts. Some early warning signs are seeing or hearing something that’s not there, perhaps having disorganized thinking (positive symptoms), and lacking motivation to engage in life’s activities (negative symptoms).

When describing schizophrenia symptoms, "positive" doesn't have the same meaning we'd usually attribute to that word. Positive symptoms are extra experiences added to a person's typical feelings, like hallucinations or delusions. On the other hand, negative symptoms remove aspects from a person's usual personality, affecting their motivation, social interactions, and emotional expression.

Media myth 2: Schizophrenia is having a split personality

Schizophrenia isn't the same as having a split personality, multiple personalities, or a dissociative disorder.

Instead, someone with schizophrenia may have trouble with decision-making, distinguishing between reality and fantasy, and expressing and managing normal emotions. It can differ from person to person.

The takeaway

Stigma can deeply affect someone with an illness, including both how they view themselves and how society views them.

So, to help decrease schizophrenia stigma and stigma associated with severe mental illness, educate yourself and those around you. You could start by listening to podcasts, reading articles online, or watching YouTube videos. If you have children, you could teach them at an early age about mental health.

There are lots of us out there advocating for severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia - don't let our efforts get lost in the void.

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for the evaluation, management, or treatment of any condition.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence, or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen.

NPS-ALL-NP-01412 NOVEMBER 2024