Schizophrenia and Psychosis
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Dave’s Story
Dave is a 10-yo boy who has started to hear voices. He has always been somewhat quiet, and not been that talkative about his thoughts and feelings. The voices appear triggered when he is under more stress, e.g. conflicts with classmates or not understanding work at school. When he is angry, the voices are angry. When he is feeling good, the voices are nice…
How Common are Voices?
Studies show that voices are quite common, though the exact numbers vary depending on the study:
At a single point in time
About 2-3% of the general population hears voices (Tien, 1991) In children, a study showed that 8% of children reported hearing ...
What Is Psychosis?
Psychosis is a serious medical condition in which a person has trouble telling the difference between what is real and what is not real, typically with symptoms such as delusions and/or hallucinations:
Delusions:
Delusions are fixed, false beliefs which do not have a basis in reality. Types of delusions include Paranoid delusions, where a person may become suspicious of others and worried about being harmed by others. It may include fears of being spied on or being followed. Bizarre delusions are delusions that are strange and completely impossible, e.g. believing that one is controlled by ...
My Story, Part 1
It all started in college. I began having a hard time with school work, and my part-time job. I just couldn’t focus on anything, and it was like my thoughts were all jumbled. And then I began hearing this really negative voice -- it was quiet at first, then it got louder. I began to feel that everyone was watching me.
Things got so bad, that I had to quit my job and I began skipping classes. I hid this from my parents, but my friends started to worry. I just wanted to hide all day. When I watched TV, I thought the people on the shows were speaking directly to me.
Luckily, I had a ...
Introduction
Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that causes changes in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviours. It can make someone hear or see things that others cannot see. It can make someone feel unsafe, afraid, and lead to avoiding other people, and loss of function. Without proper treatment, it can cause serious problems with school, work and relationships. Fortunately, help is available for those with schizophrenia. In addition, there are many things that family and friends can do to support their loved ones with schizophrenia.
Do I Have Schizophrenia?
The following is a list of some symptoms of ...
Introduction
"When my sister got sick she was acting really bizarre and the police had to take her to emergency. It was really scary. My friends didn't understand at first that it was just because her brain was sick, but they do now."
Why is my brother or sister acting this way?
Psychosis is an illness of the brain. It is caused in part by genetic (inherited) brain problems plus stress or street drugs like marijuana and crystal meth. When the brain gets ill, it is hard for the person to know what is wrong. They may make up and believe other explanations for why they feel so weird, and they may act strangely. It will be really hard for ...