Schizophrenia Misconceptions Prompt Experts To Request Name Change For The Mental Illness

Many people equate schizophrenia with delusions, hallucinations and violent behavior. Some people even believe that the disease is only caused by genetics. However, a new editorial from an expert argues that there are too many misconceptions about schizophrenia and the condition is not as simple as many think it is.

Dr. Jim van Os, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Maastricht University Medical Center, wrote in his editorial that schizophrenia should not be instantly equated with genetic brain disease and that its symptoms vary widely among different patients, according to Medical Daily. For these reasons, a number of experts are requesting to rename schizophrenia in order to lessen the prejudice and false impressions.

"Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of misunderstanding around schizophrenia," Brian Semple of U.K. charity Rethink Mental Illness, told Medical News Today. "Many people assume that it means having a split personality or that it makes you violent, neither of which is true."

According to a past survey, 61 percent of Americans believed that people with schizophrenia are violent to other people. However, statistics show that only 1 in every 20 people who commit violent crimes has a severe mental disorder.

The misconceptions about schizophrenia are creating several problems. Those who develop schizophrenia are scared to reveal their condition and seek help because they are afraid of the prejudice and discrimination against people with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia are also afraid of losing their jobs, families and friends.

Head of empowerment and social inclusion at U.K. charity the Mental Health Foundation Dr. Crepaz Keay has a suggestion on how to reduce the misconceptions about schizophrenia. ""Moving the focus onto what people can do, rather than what they can't or the help they need is an important part of improving our public image," Crepaz Keay told MNT.