are you afraid of people with schizoprenia?

Question

When someone tells you that he or she has been diagnosed with schizoprenia, How do you react? are you scared? and why?

Answer 1

Generally, I'm not afraid. I am sensitive toward them as they can tend to be sensitive people. I am only worried if they are not in touch with reality and known to be suicidal or violent toward others. Most people with schizophrenia have it under control, once it is diagnosed. I have friends with different types of mental problems.

Answer 2

Interestingly, I have never met anyone who has told me that he or she has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have, however, met a couple of undiagnosed schizophrenics, and they were strangely interesting, although somewhat creepy when I realize the disorganization of their speech (often after a long period where everything sounds normal). I get drawn in to the conversation, and there is a point at which it becomes clear that the person does not see reality the way I and most others do. These people have bizarre magical thinking, ritual and in one case, recounted a conversation with two nonexistent people. When I realized they weren't real but he treated them as real, that's when things got creepy. Also the prolonged stare is a little off-putting and contributes to the feeling of creepiness (not quite right, sometimes subliminal in its impact.)

If I chanced to meet someone who was diagnosed, it would be more likely that he or she was already on medication and also had knowledge of the affliction and was taking steps to deal with it. That would be much less creepy than one who has no idea why his or her ideas are they way they are--the two I met thought they were just normal (one had a "learning disability" but was brilliant at chess, and the other was a drifter who happened to be at the hotel I stayed at once.) It is the "just normal" people who exhibit these signs that are the creepy ones, because you get the idea that you can't predict what they'll do in response to you. The chain of logic and rationality isn't there, there is no cognizance of the disorder (or compensation), and that is a little bit frightening. So that's my experience with people with schizophrenia.

Answer 3

People tend to take a step back when they hear schizophrenia, the same as they do when they hear multiple personality -- It's because the majority of the population does not know what it really is, or how it affects a person's relationships.

Try to think "a person is a person" and not "a person is a disorder" Believe me, NOBODY is PERFECT! We all have our problems.

My boss's wife would come into the store, and we had some very nice times of conversation. She seemed quite normal most of the time. Yet, she did have her bad days when the schizophrenia was apparent, calling and demanding, maybe 20 times in one day, to speak with her husband. While this occasional behavior was annoying to us, we accepted her as a person, not so different from everyone else. The next week she would be feeling fine, and would walk into the store - we all treated her as if the bad day had never happened.

Answer 4

There is really little reason for people to be afraid of someone with Schizophrenia, particularly those who are receiving treatment and are medication compliant. People often become uncomfortable and anxious around schizophrenics because they behave in usual ways and that makes them seem unpredictable and that frightens people.
Usually you see schizophrenics portrayed in movies or on tv as being violent or dangerous because that makes for an interesting movie-people always want to see a train wreck and unfortunately no one much cares about what it's really like to be schizophrenic, so I'm glad you asked this question.
Schizophrenics, by and large, are far more frightened of you and me and the rest of the world than we could ever be of them. They have suffered slurs and sarcasm often from ignorant people and they are often acutely aware of the fact that their behavior is different from the norm and they come to expect negative feedback from society. Many tend to be reclusive and avoidant partly for this reason as well as several other reasons, but largely because it's very stressful for them to always try and figure out how to fit in. Untreated Schizophrenia can increase the risk of violent behavior in the population as do factors like concomitant use of substances (often in an attempt to self-medicate), however it should be noted that Schizophrenia accounts for less than 10% of societal violence and that other disorders have higher rates of violent behavior associated with them (Borderline Personality Disorder, Substance Abuse)
I would imagine that Schizophrenics who are stable and medication compliant probably show a far lesser risk than the population at large as most violence is committed during acute phases and while folks are experiencing the florid symptoms.

Answer 5

No, I am not scared. Due to an imbalance in brain neurotrasmiters people with schizophrenia are able to see and hear things that the normal people can´t see. With medication they can have a pretty normal life. Actually I have a friend with schizophrenia, I love her and respect her so much. As a Depression and anxiety sufferer I understand people with another mental illness.

Answer 6

No, I am not afraid of people who may have been falsely labeled, unless they told me this I most likely wouldn't know it about them in many cases. I do know that a lot of times poor people and those who have went through many dramas in life get labeled this more so then others. Some of my best friends have been labeled as this and I never knew it until they told me.

My one friend said that most people don't like them after they tell their story and I say so what? It is not what someone has done in their past it is what anyone does to me now that really counts.

I do know that it hurts peoples feelings a lot of times to be called names and this is just one form of doing that it does not really describe what is going on nor what a person actually needs and this is mostly different in each person.

Answer 7

no i worked with hundreds of people that are schizophrenic. they can be as kind and , caring, as anybody they are not as dangerous as society thinks they are. if they are off medication they can be scary, because the main symptom of schizophrenia, is being paranoid, and feelings of persecutions. . i have taken guns and knives, not too often though , from people admitted to the hospital, because they were so scared they felt they had to protect themselves. they had no intention of hurting anybody , but felt they had to protect themselves. this however, does not happen very often. hope this helps because i understand schizophrenia, i do not fear it.

Answer 8

To be honest, yes. But i feel for them. they need love n support to overcome it. Ever watched 'A Beautiful Mind'?

Answer 9

i would not be scared as long as the person is on medication and is consistent with their medication regimen. the only concerns anyone should have is if the person is not compliant with seeing their psychiatrist and their medication regimens.

Answer 10

well maybe be strong and encourage them its gonna be okay i mean telling them something bad maybe can bring them down