The Key Facts (The Schizophrenia Research Institute  (Australia)):

·         Schizophrenia is a biological disease of the brain. Research suggests that schizophrenia may be a developmental disorder resulting from alterations in the usual maturing process of the nervous system.

·         Around 1 in 100 people will develop schizophrenia during their lifetime, and this figure is the same all over the world. The incidence of schizophrenia tends to be slightly higher in males compared to females.

·         Schizophrenia ranks among the top 10 causes of disability in developed countries worldwide. Onset is typically between the ages of 15 and 25, making schizophrenia probably the biggest single cause of permanent disability starting in youth.

·         Families often mistake early symptoms of schizophrenia for adolescent behavior. Many of those affected do not seek medical help, and reject advice from family and friends to do so. As a result, many do not receive appropriate treatment for 2 - 8 years from the onset of symptoms.

·         The disease is characterized by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, hallucinations, emotional disregulation and disorganized behavior. There are also more subtle signs that develop over time - slow decline in mental function and social relationships leading to marked personality change, social isolation and occupational disability.

·         It is a major cause of youth suicide - 30 percent of people with schizophrenia will attempt suicide, 5 percent will succeed. People with schizophrenia have 2.5 times the death rate of the general population, and their life expectancy is reduced by an average of 10 years.

·         There are genetic factors involved. For example, it is known that a child of a parent with schizophrenia has a 10-fold greater chance than other children of developing the illness - whether or not the child is brought up by birth parents. However, the majority of cases arise in families with no medical history of the condition, and it is possible for one identical twin to be affected and the other not. It is now estimated that genetic factors contribute 80 percent to the cause(s) of schizophrenia.

·         There is as yet no known cause or cure, but many sufferers are able to live stable and productive lives with the help of regular medication.

The Effect on Families

The impact of schizophrenia on families is uniquely distressing and disruptive. The first signs in a family member appear as confusing or shocking changes in behavior.

Parents often assume that early signs are symptoms of adolescence, and suffer increasing stress and confusion as the condition worsens. After diagnosis, coping with the continuing symptoms of schizophrenia can be especially difficult for family members who remember how vivacious or empathetic a person was before they became ill.

The impact upon families is compounded by the common tendency of patients to deny that they are ill, and to interpret the family's efforts to get help as unnecessary interference. This interpretation is often supported in the patient's mind by delusions of persecution, or grandiose ideas about personal destiny. Unless the patient gains insight into his/her condition, these delusions can lead to non-compliance with medication, and long-term disability. Unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, physical deterioration, and crime and imprisonment are common outcomes of untreated schizophrenia.

Family disruption is often exacerbated by the tendency of parents or siblings to look for a reason why the illness has happened. This instinctive reaction sometimes leads to the 'shame and blame' syndrome, causing rifts between family members. It is difficult for such families to accept that the illness arises from a genetic vulnerability - which is nobody's fault.

The Stigma of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has a long history of neglect, demonisation and concealment. Even today, the illness does not receive the levels of public attention and research funding warranted by the numbers of individuals and families it affects. It is also common for affected families to conceal the illness from relatives, friends and workplace associates, thereby diminishing its impact upon public awareness.

What Causes Schizophrenia?

The latest research results indicate that schizophrenia may be a developmental disorder resulting from alterations in the usual maturing process of the nervous system.

Scientists do not yet understand all the factors causing this alteration, but all the tools of modern biomedical research are being used to search for genes, critical moments in brain development, and other factors that may lead to the illness.

How is Schizophrenia Treated?

Since schizophrenia may not be a single condition and its causes are not yet known, current treatment methods are based on both clinical research and experience. These approaches are chosen on the basis of their ability to stabilize the condition, and to reduce the likelihood that florid psychotic symptoms will return.

During the 1990s there were dramatic advances in the treatment of schizophrenia. Just as the serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SRI) class of antidepressants has largely replaced the older and more problematic tricyclic antidepressants, a shift in the treatment of schizophrenia has now taken place. The new 'atypical' antipsychotic medication clozapine was introduced in 1992, and soon followed by risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine and others. Studies indicate that these new medications are less likely to produce the sometimes severe side effects of earlier medicines, and that they have allowed many sufferers to achieve long-term stability by maintaining their regular dosages.

What is the Outlook?

The outlook for people with schizophrenia has improved over the last decade. Although no totally effective therapy has yet been devised, it is important to remember that many people with the illness improve enough to lead independent, satisfying lives. As we learn more about the causes and treatments of schizophrenia, we should be able to help more patients achieve successful outcomes. Given the complexity of the illness, the major questions about this disorder - its cause or causes, prevention and treatment - must be addressed with research.

Although progress has been made toward better understanding and treatment of schizophrenia, continued investigation is urgently needed. This is a time of hope for people with schizophrenia and their families. Research is gradually leading to new and safer medications and to unraveling the complex causes of the disease. Scientists are using many approaches from the study of molecular genetics to the study of populations to learn about schizophrenia.

The more research we do now, the sooner we will be able to prevent any more young people from developing schizophrenia.