By: Jessica Higgs
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental illnesses listed in the DSM-5. It is not common in the general population, but it is long lasting and affects people’s thinking and behaviour. Symptoms of the illness are hallucinations, delusions, disorganized “messy” speech, and trouble keeping relationships. The average age for symptoms to develop is 25, and the average age of a first hospital visit is 32. Many people see those with schizophrenia as “violent”, “dangerous”, or “incompetent.” In the United States, between 1996-2018, the belief that those with schizophrenia are dangerous went up by 10%.
Labelled, Lonely and Poorly Treated
A recent 2025 study interviewed 6 people with schizophrenia, and they were asked the question “How is social stigma viewed by people diagnosed with schizophrenia?” 5 themes were mentioned: social life, healthcare, workplace, relationships with others, and how they saw and felt about themselves. Many answers from the study included: feeling rejected, being labelled, being pushed, being hit in hospital, and trouble keeping a job. Other answers were distancing from others and feeling bad about themselves. One study participant said: “I was hit maybe because I wasn’t behaving well due to my symptoms.” Another participant said their friend did not believe them, and no longer wanted to be friends: “They didn’t understand my illness well, didn’t get it, thought I was a lazy good-for-nothing, that I couldn’t make any progress, that I was just living on this earth for nothing.”
Why Reducing is Important
A few of the ways that stigma shows up today is by treating people with schizophrenia as “dangerous” and not taking their symptoms seriously. Stigma can also show up as blaming them for their symptoms. Stigma around schizophrenia makes it more difficult for them to get treatment. This often leads to many people feeling unloved and lonely. Social stigma affects public places, such as hospitals. It is the hospital’s job to provide a safe space that is respectful and provides care. However, over 30% of patients with schizophrenia don’t receive the benefits from mental health services due to stigma and mistreatment. Reducing stigma would allow for better treatment in hospital. Rejection in friendships was a common answer that led to emotional issues and ending relationships, which can worsen patient health. Reducing stigma would allow for more close positive relationships and stronger mental health. Reducing stigma is important because it allows these people to use the support systems they need to feel their best. It also protects them from the negative feelings and experiences that can happen, such as ending relationships, painful emotions, and feeling like an outsider in the society they live in.
What This Means for the Future
This study shows that our view of schizophrenia is often hurtful. It also shows that stigma around schizophrenia is very hurtful to those who experience it. It is time for us to change how we view schizophrenia through a more compassionate and informed approach. We can reduce stigma through public education, which will help us have a better understand of the illness. Change should include letting go of the idea that they are always dangerous, while seeing them as capable of making progress and deserving of respect. This study reminds us that people with schizophrenia have a voice and an opinion on their own illness. Fear is one of the most common reasons people discriminate against mental illness, however these findings show that they are often more afraid of us than we are of them.
