Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that influences how an individual believes, feels, and acts. It can blur the lines of reality to an individual. This may impact their life expectancy in multiple ways, both for their health and ability to do living day-to-day.
Many people who experience schizophrenia suffer from a range of health problems. And they could end up suffering from other diseases like heart disease and diabetes. That has a lot to do with the lifestyle choices commonly associated with the disease. It may be hard for some people to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and resolve their symptoms. Moreover, they can turn to alcohol or drugs in order to lessen their grief, but this can bring even more health issues. This has been associated with a death rate that is twice as high than the general population, which makes people with schizophrenia have shorter lives.
Relationship complications
Schizophrenia also limits lifespan by complicating human relationships. Normal day-to-day life can get difficult. People with schizophrenia may have difficulty using language or relating to other people. This results in loneliness, and difficult time to remain friends with friends or family. This can lead to the vicious cycle of their symptoms worsening. Similarly, lack of supportive relationships, feeling isolated and stressed leads to further health and well-being issues.
Suicide
While depression is a more common cause of suicide, people with schizophrenia are also at severe risk. When the experience of hallucinations or delusions is added, this can drive a person to feel so hopeless that they think about taking their own life. This underscores the critical need for care and treatment tailored for individuals with schizophrenia, to stop this risk. Mental health professionals are searching for more effective strategies to assist individuals who struggle with schizophrenia in coping with their symptoms and ultimately reduce the rate of suicide.
A challenging existence
Living life while fighting schizophrenia can be hard as well. Most people with this condition struggle to keep a job or further their education. The symptoms can be distracting and demotivating. It spirals into an endless cycle that can even decrease life expectancy due to these mental health problems.
Schizophrenia treatment has come a long way in the past few years. Newer medications have been introduced with less side effects and a more effective symptom-controlling profile, for example. There has also been increasing attention on the importance of early intervention and prevention that can also reduce the long-term effects of the disorder.
Still, though these advances in treatment have been made, schizophrenia remains a serious and difficult illness. It also has a high degree of stigma and discrimination associated with it which could worsen the difficulties faced by those suffering from this illness in accessing needed support and services.
To sum up, though mortality in the context of schizophrenia and related symptoms might be a concern globally, with appropriate care, treatment and availability to healthcare services, those afflicted can lead rich and fulfilling lives. It is down to us ALL to appreciate this condition and help ensure a more accessible, inclusive world for all.
Mental health is no joke, and it you or someone you know are having a hard time now — please reach out for help. At Arbor Wellness, we provide a secure and caring setting for those seeking direction. Our experienced team is on hand to listen, understand and share strategies tailored to your unique set of circumstances.
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/features/schizophrenia-life-expectancy
https://www.healthline.com/health/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-life-expectancy
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/schizophrenia
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-complications
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-drinking-alcohol-kill-brain-cells
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia
https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/why-schizophrenia-leads-to-social-isolation
https://www.healthline.com/health/schizophrenia/suicide-in-schizophrenia
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/young-adults-schizophrenia-have-highest-suicide-risk
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4159061/
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/medicines-to-treat-schizophrenia
https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/schizophrenia-symptoms-patterns-statistics
https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-complementary-treatments
