Most people with schizophrenia make a recovery, although many will experience the occasional return of symptoms (relapses).
Support and treatment can help you to manage your condition and the impact it has on your life.
Caring for your own health can also make treating your condition easier and help reduce anxiety, depression and fatigue. It can help you have a better quality of life and be more active and independent.
Self care includes:
- maintaining good physical and mental health
- preventing illness or accidents
- effectively dealing with minor ailments and long-term conditions
As part of the care programme approach, you'll be in contact with your healthcare team regularly.
Having a good relationship with the team means you can easily discuss your symptoms or concerns. The more they know, the more they can help you.
Spotting the signs of an acute schizophrenic episode
Learning to recognise the signs that you're becoming unwell can help you manage your illness. Signs can include losing your appetite, feeling anxious or stressed, or having disturbed sleep.
You may also notice some milder symptoms developing, such as:
- feeling suspicious or fearful
- worrying about people's motives
- hearing quiet voices now and again
- finding it difficult to concentrate
You may also want to ask someone you trust to tell you if they notice your behaviour changing.
Recognising the initial signs of an acute schizophrenic episode can be useful, as it may be prevented through the use of antipsychotic medicines and extra support.
If you have another acute episode of schizophrenia, your written care plan should be followed, particularly any advance statement or crisis plan.
Your care plan will include the likely signs of a developing relapse and the steps to take, including emergency contact numbers.
Read about treating schizophrenia for information about advance statements.
Taking your medicine
It's important to take your medicine as prescribed, even if you start to feel better. Continuous medicine can help prevent relapses.
If you have questions or concerns about medicine you're taking or any side effects, talk to your GP or care co-ordinator.
It may also be useful to read the information leaflet that comes with the medicine about possible interactions with other drugs or supplements.
It's worth checking with your healthcare team if you plan to take any over-the-counter remedies, such as painkillers, or any nutritional supplements, as these can sometimes interfere with your medicine.
Healthy living
Keep healthy
As well as monitoring your mental health, your healthcare team and GP should monitor your physical health.
A healthy lifestyle, including having a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables and taking regular exercise, is good for you and can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes. You should also try to avoid too much stress and have a regular sleep pattern.
You should have a check-up with a GP at least once a year to monitor your risk of developing cardiovascular disease or diabetes. This will include recording your weight, checking your blood pressure, and having any appropriate blood tests.
Find out more about annual health checks for people with severe mental health conditions
Stop smoking
Stopping smoking has been shown to improve the mental health of people with schizophrenia. It also reduces your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Find out how stopping smoking can improve your mental health.
You can ask your GP about NHS support, as well as stop smoking medicines such as patches, gum or inhalers. You can also go to NHS Quit smoking to find out more.
If you take antipsychotic medicines and want to stop smoking, or you start smoking again if you stopped, it's very important to talk to your GP or psychiatrist.
The dosage of your prescription drugs may need to be monitored and the amount you have to take could be reduced depending on if you smoke.
Avoiding drugs and alcohol
Regularly drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol or using illegal drugs can trigger psychosis and make symptoms of schizophrenia worse. Alcohol and drug use can also cause other mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety as well as causing damage to your physical health.
Drugs and alcohol can also react badly with antipsychotic medicines.
If you're currently using drugs or alcohol and finding it hard to stop, ask your care co-ordinator or GP for help.
Further information
- Rethink Mental Illness: wellbeing and physical health
Who is available to help me?
In the course of your treatment for schizophrenia, you'll be involved with many different services. Some are accessed through referral from a GP, others through the local authority.
These services may include:
- community mental health teams (CMHTs) – these provide the main part of local specialist mental health services, and offer assessment, treatment and social care to people living with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses
- trained peer support – this involves the support of someone who has had schizophrenia themselves and is now stable, and may be available through your CMHT
- early intervention teams – these provide early identification and treatment for people with the first symptoms of psychosis; your GP may be able to refer you directly to an early intervention team
- crisis services – specialist mental health teams that help with crises that occur outside normal office hours and allow people to be treated at home for an acute episode of illness instead of in hospital
- acute day hospitals – an alternative to inpatient care in a hospital, where you can visit every day or as often as necessary
- advocates – trained and experienced workers who help people communicate their needs or wishes, get impartial information, and represent their views to other people; they can be based in your hospital or mental health support groups, or you can find an independent advocate to act on your behalf
Further information
- Mind: Mind in your area
- Rethink Mental Illness: Treatment and support
Employment and financial support
Avoid too much stress, including work-related stress. If you're employed, you may be able to work shorter hours or in a more flexible way.
Under the Equality Act 2010, all employers must make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities, including people diagnosed with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses.
Several organisations provide support, training and advice for people with schizophrenia who wish to continue working.
Your community mental health team is a good first point of contact to find out what services and support are available for you.
Mental health charities such as Mind or Rethink Mental Illness are also excellent sources of information on training and employment.
If you're unable to work as a result of your mental illness, you're entitled to financial support, such as Incapacity Benefit.
Further information
- GOV.UK: Disability and the Equality Act 2010
- GOV.UK: Incapacity Benefit
- Money Advice Service
- Rethink Mental Illness: Money, benefits and employment
Talk to others
Many people find it helpful to meet other people with the same experiences for mutual support and to share ideas. It's also an important reminder that you're not alone.
Charities and support groups allow individuals and families to share experiences and coping strategies, campaign for better services, and provide support.
Useful charities, support groups and associations include:
There are also other places that offer support to people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
Day centres
Even if you do not have a job or are unable to work, it's still important to go out and do everyday things and give a structure to your week.
Many people regularly go to a day hospital, day centre or community mental health centre. These offer a range of activities that allow you to get active again and spend some time in the company of other people.
Work projects
These provide training to help you develop your work skills and support you back into work. They often have contacts with local employers.
Supported accommodation
This could be a bedsit or flat where there's someone around who is trained to support you and help you deal with day-to-day problems.
Peer support
You may be offered the chance to meet regularly with a trained peer support worker who has recovered from psychosis or schizophrenia themselves.
Further information
What can family, friends and partners do to help?
Friends, relatives and partners have a vital role in helping people with schizophrenia recover, and make a relapse less likely.
Do not blame the person with schizophrenia or tell them to "pull themselves together", or blame other people. Instead you could try to offer them support and understanding about how they are feeling.
It's important to stay positive and supportive when dealing with a friend or loved one's mental illness.
As well as supporting the person with schizophrenia, you may want to get support to cope with your own feelings. Several voluntary organisations provide help and support for carers.
The care team may be able to provide you with an assessment about your own needs, which you can share with your GP if needed.
The care team can also offer you information to help you understand what schizophrenia is, how it affects people, and how you can help.
You should have a discussion with the care team about what to do in the event of a crisis.
As part of someone's treatment, you may be offered family therapy. This can provide information and support for the person with schizophrenia and their family.
Friends and family can play a major role by monitoring the person's mental state, watching out for any signs of relapse, and encouraging them to take their medication and attend medical appointments.
If you're the nearest relative of a person who has schizophrenia, you have certain rights that can be used to protect the patient's interests.
These include requesting that the local social services authority ask an approved mental health professional to consider whether the person with schizophrenia should be detained in hospital.
Additional help, including financial support, may also be available for you if you are caring for a family member, friend or partner with schizophrenia.
Further information
Depression and suicide
People with schizophrenia have increased risk of suicide then the general population.
The risk may be higher after an acute episode or hospital stay.
This and other stresses, such as financial worries or feeling isolated, can lead to symptoms of depression.
Signs you may be depressed include feeling particularly down over the last month and no longer taking pleasure in the things you used to enjoy.
Do not ignore these symptoms. If depression is not treated, it can worsen and lead to suicidal thoughts.
If you have symptoms or depression, or any suicidal thoughts, it's very important that you immediately tell your GP or care-coordinator.
You can also call the Samaritans on 116 123 at any time of the day or night.
The warning signs of suicide
The warning signs that people with depression and schizophrenia may be considering suicide include:
- making final arrangements – such as giving away possessions, making a will or saying goodbye to friends
- talking about death or suicide – this may be a direct statement such as, "I wish I was dead", or indirect phrases such as, "I think that dead people must be happier than us", or "Wouldn't it be nice to go to sleep and never wake up?"
- self-harm – such as cutting their arms or legs, or burning themselves with cigarettes
- a sudden lifting of mood – this could mean a person has decided to try to end their life (suicide) and feels better because of their decision
Helping a suicidal friend or relative
If you see any of these warning signs:
- get professional help for the person, such as from a crisis resolution team or the duty psychiatrist at your local A&E department
- let them know they're not alone and you care about them
- offer your support in finding other solutions to their problems
If you feel there's an immediate danger of the person attempting to end their life (suicide), stay with them or have someone else stay with them. Remove all available means of suicide, such as sharp objects and medication.