Among all psychological disorders, schizophrenia might just be the most misunderstood and stigmatized not only among the general public but psychologists too. Perhaps its rare occurrence of 1% in the population, schizophrenia attracts misjudgment and anxiety in the media, public even at the doctors. Causing a sense of isolation and alienation among the sufferers hence shunning away all mediums of hope and treatment.DID is a completely different complex, post traumatic developmental disorder, earlier known as Multiple Personality Disorder. Both of these disorders are perceived in great seas of misconception, misunderstanding, and stigmatization, as they were the subject of probably the greatest psychological hoax of all time.
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that usually surfaces between the mid-late ’20s but the symptoms can see during the teenage years too. The word "schizophrenia" literally means "split mind" usually mistaken with Dissociative Identity disorder but contrary to popular belief, the condition has nothing to do with a split in personality or multiple personalities.The term can be inferred as “split from reality”.Once thought of as a single condition, schizophrenia is now included in the DSM-5 as a point on a spectrum of disorders that vary in how they're expressed and how long they last, but they share similar symptoms. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders are characterized by delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability
to function usually perceived as “psychotic behavior”. The loss of a touch of reality is common to all points on the spectrum.
Dissociative identity disorder occurs usually when a child’s psychological development is
disrupted by early repetitive trauma that prevents the normal processes of consolidating a core sense of identity. childhood trauma in people with dissociative identity disorder includes burning, mutilation, and exploitation. Sexual abuse is also routinely reported, alongside emotional abuse and neglect. According to the DSM-5, DID majorly characterized by a disruption of identity, in which a person experiences two or more distinct personality states usually mistaken as so-called possession in different cultures.
Schizophrenia symptoms seen among teenagers closely resembles those of adults but they are hard to diagnose, common symptoms showed withdrawal from friends and family, a drop in performance at school, trouble sleeping, irritability or depressed mood, and lack of motivation.
Teen multiple personality disorder or now known as teen dissociative identity disorder is a
dissociative condition where someone has two different personality states, or identities, which control the person’s behavior at different times. These alternate identities are referred to as “alters” and may exhibit differences in thought, manners, speech, and gender identity.
Television and film industries have perpetuated many stereotypes, that people pick it up as a form of “accurate” information and representation. Victims of such shaky and inaccurate
versions of mental health and disorders are DID and Schizophrenia. Many people cannot
differentiate one mental illness from another, and even cultural differences can impact the
understanding of what is a mental illness and what is not, as “what might be normal in one
society may be a cause for concern in another” (Mayo Clinic, 2019, p. 6). Its really important that one has their own research and educate themselves to create a safe environment for those who are suffering, people suffering fro these mental illness do live a normal life having a regular routine job as well functioning adults. There is so much more that is still left to understand about them, below as some reference links to get started with along with some tips and suggestions to make them feel comfortable.
Try to be patient and understanding in daily life.
● If somebody you care about experiences dissociation, it may mean they do not always
respond to you as you expect.
● Ask them what would help but be aware that they may not always know or be able to
tell you.
● If they want to tell you about their experience try to listen with acceptance.
● Touching and intimacy can be difficult for some people. It might help to ask them
what is OK and talk about this together.
(Extracted from https://www.mind.org.uk/
★ Reference links https://www.mdedge.com/
★ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321462
★ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia
★ https://www.mhanational.org/conditions/
Written by Omnya Izzeldin, @omnya.aaa on instagram!
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