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Access
Contributor

Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

Lack of insight and education into schizophrenia is the main cause of people's belief relating the behaviours of all sufferers as violent and dangerous.  If more people self-educated about common physical and mental illnesses then people could avoid the onset of many symptoms and diseases.  In today's online world, education comes easy, perhaps it's just as easy to avoid learning about topics which do not hold relevance for individuals, in so causing the stereotypes and identities of people with schizophrenia as a collective of symptoms.  If people were to self educate about many things, stigma and bias could be avoided. If only the media followed peoples interest in identifying people's success in surviving mental illness, instead of portraying all the worst possible symptoms and outcomes of the disease. Then, maybe hope would be installed with those with serious mental illness, like there is hope for people with physical illness.  It would be sad enough for people to have an illness, let alone be identified as the illness. Only, has health professionals recently made the transition from identifying people as 'schizophrenic', that say's a lot, which is why a collective of stigma and bias are responsible for everyday Australian's having the view that people with illness are a collective of symptoms.

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

I Hi @Access , 

i think you have raised lots of really good points. From my personal experiences I think that I was scared of people with mh diagnosis like schizophrenia through ignorance. I’ve been racking my brain as to why. I think part of the stigma came from many people with schizophrenia being in mental institutions. It was an us vs them situation. Ironically it took me ending up in a psych ward to have my eyes opened and my ignorance unveiled. It’s taken this forum to understand the stigma and stereotypes. And it’s taken a friend in real life to see the person first (a gorgeous, compassionate, insightful person). 

I think it’s a difficult one. I do believe that maybe highlighting the amazing stories of people who live with symptoms of schizophrenia and other mh conditions will create a more positive change and demystifying of it. I tend to be an advocate and talk to my friends about it now. It’s a slow but worthwhile process. 

 

Best wishes. 💜🤗

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

Hi @Teej 

I remember the first time I went into a psych ward. I had invented a sect in my mind and was in psychosis thinking half the world was after me. As people would come and go from my surroundings, I would feel infiltrated. I was discharged after 3 days and ended up straight back in there after I tried taking too many tablets. Yes, I would have to say the first time is the scariest. I did gain a lot of trust after a while and became more comfortable. Nice to know you don't hold judgement towards your friend with schizophrenia. I have many friends who have this, as do I. We trust each other and talk ourselves out of psychosis and delusions, I think that's amazing to have trust despite a complex identity.

Stay Well 🌻

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

@Access @Teej  I personally wonder if it’s the dramatic that attracts attention, not the facts. I know with my own diagnosis of DID, media have had a field day. I no longer share it, as it was too triggering and very frustrating. Like schizophrenia, it’s fear, lack of understanding and education. Not one bit helpful to those of us wearing labels. 🌻🌻

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

Hi @Access I read your posts and just wanted to say that I got a lot out of them - agree wholeheartedly. Take care.

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

@Access  I think people could do a lot more to be more understanding of eachother. I think though that it is hard to find good quality and easily understabale information on mental health issues. everyone experiences them differently and that makes it even harder to educate people as the apperance of these things is never consistent. plus when you do find information that is trustworthy it is often coated in medical terminology which is fine for some but not everyone gets that stuff. the media really doesnt help at all as well. it is a hard problem but who knows what will happen in a few more years. 

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

A couple of reasons come to mind.  

 

Schizophrenia, is a word which sticks in the ignorant mind, and can be used as a universal catch all for describing "mental illness".  

In fact less than 1% of the population suffer from that particular condtion in any culture anywhere on the planet. 

 

Fact is that some people just love/need to feel better than others, and will take any opitunity to use launguage that highlights "the other" in almost any area. This is probobly due to ignorance and fear and their own insecurities. It works in the moment but has to be repeated over and over to get the feeling of one-upmanship.  

See above. 

Re: Why is aggression and violence considered part of the package with schizophrenia?

Hi access, I feel as though it doesn't make any sense either. I don't know what to believe about it all because different websites make different assumptions about schizophrenia. Still though, I don't understand why so many people stereotype the way they do- my psychologist and I both believe that people are just being lazy instead of doing what you suggested.
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