What Does Schizophrenia Feel Like?
While every mental health disorder causes problems in a person’s life, schizophrenia can feel particularly challenging. It not only negatively impacts the person who has it but it also leaves their loved ones unsure of how to help. In fact, many family members wonder, “What does schizophrenia feel like?” When they have a better idea of what living with this mental illness feels like, it makes it easier to understand what’s going on. As a result, they know more about how to interact with and help their family member.
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by disordered thinking and perception, leading to altered interpretations of the environment and impaired social interactions. Along with hallucinations and delusions, individuals with schizophrenia may experience communication difficulties and have trouble forming coherent thoughts.
Symptoms of schizophrenia can greatly impact one’s ability to work, attend school, and engage in healthy relationships, hindering their overall quality of life. Despite increased awareness about mental illness, stigma surrounding schizophrenia persists due to certain behaviors associated with the disorder.
Signs of Schizophrenia
To begin to answer the question “What does schizophrenia feel like?”, it’s important to consider the symptoms that this mental illness causes. Common signs of schizophrenia include:
- Cognitive difficulty
- Difficulty focusing on a topic or conversation with someone
- Lack of emotion
- Withdrawing socially from others
- Delusions
- Audio or visual hallucinations
- Memory problems
- Psychosis
- Chaotic or agitated behaviors
- Suicidal feelings or behaviors
- Poor hygiene
What Does Schizophrenia Feel Like?
Even if you ask someone who suffers from the disease, “What does schizophrenia feel like?”, you will get varying answers. Before someone is diagnosed, they often feel at a loss for what is going on and are scared to ask for help. Once they are diagnosed, if they do not seek help, the illness often worsens. They may struggle to have everyday things others take for granted, such as a fulfilling career, loving relationships, and the ability to live independently. For many, those things are possible, but the individual may struggle to maintain their ability to have the life they want.
What Kind of Emotions Happen to Schizophrenic People?
A big part of what schizophrenia feels like has to do with the emotions that happen. Many of the feelings that people experience can become overwhelming, especially if they don’t have professional help dealing with them. Fear and anxiety often infiltrate the individual’s daily life. They feel afraid that they won’t be able to be independent, have a job they enjoy, or engage in healthy relationships. The daily stressors of life can cause anxiety, which then creates a cycle of self-doubt and difficulty believing the person can accomplish even basic tasks.
Many people with schizophrenia feel depressed because of the limitations the disease places on their lives. They may feel abandoned by those who don’t understand how to interact with them. Conversely, they may isolate from the world, which makes them feel lonely and adds to their depression.
Anger at having an incurable mental health disorder can happen and be mistaken by others as a hostile personality that pushes them away. In fact, angry outbursts sometimes happen as part of schizophrenia, and the inability to control them can leave the person frustrated. Another feeling that accompanies this disease is one of embarrassment. A stigma exists that makes many people think that schizophrenics are dangerous to be around. As well, the person may be embarrassed by their tics that they cannot control.
How to Help Someone With Schizophrenia
If you have a loved one with schizophrenia, talk to them about what sort of help they are getting. The two basic treatments include psychiatry and psychotherapy. If they need help making and getting to doctor and therapy appointments, volunteer to assist them. If the person lives with you, offer to help monitor them to ensure they take their medications regularly. Remember that someone new to taking medications will need a few weeks or more for them to take effect.
You can also educate yourself on what schizophrenia is like. If appropriate, you can offer to attend family therapy sessions in order to learn how to communicate with and assist the person. You can also let them know you understand they have a disease that is not their fault. Often, just knowing someone is in their corner and available to give them a pep talk or do them a favor can mean a lot.
Learn About Our Schizophrenia Treatment Centers Today!
If you find yourself wondering “What does schizophrenia feel like?”, you likely have a loved one who deals with this mental health disorder. New View Wellness in Atlanta is a highly effective schizophrenia treatment center that helps people manage their symptoms. We provide family counseling to help people come together and learn how best to support someone they love. We offer multiple types of outpatient mental health programs in Atlanta, which means the individual is not required to live in a facility while getting help.
For more information about getting help for schizophrenia, visit our admissions page now. Our staff is happy to answer any questions you may have about our program.