Lilly in Ireland: Marketing: Schizophrenia

Depression | Schizophrenia | Women's Health

What is Schizophrenia?
How Common is it?
What are the Symptoms?
Can Schizophrenia be Treated?
Common Misperceptions.
Where can I get Support?

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder characterized by gross impairment in reality testing, typically shown by delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech or disorganised or catatonic behaviour. It is not, despite being a commonly held belief, split personality. It refers to a state in which someone cannot distinguish between what others see as real and imaginary.

Schizophrenia can be severely debilitating, significantly impairing a persons ability to function in work and social situations.

Unlike many other chronic diseases which tend to have strong physical effects, schizophrenia mostly affects social functioning.

How common is it?
The global lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia is approximately 1%. Every year 15 new cases occur per 100,000 population, giving about 500 new cases per annum in Ireland.

What are the symptoms?
A person suffering from schizophrenia frequently experiences a breakdown in usual behaviour.

Schizophrenia usually develops gradually in adult life over a period of months or even years and may show up as a gradual worsening in ability to relate to other people. The symptoms are grouped into two types, positive and negative.

- Positive symptoms refers to the behaviour a person with schizophrenia exhibit which is not normally present in a healthy person, such as:

delusions

hallucinations

symptoms of disorganization, such as disorganized speech and behaviour.

The delusions are false ideas such as:

delusions of grandeur

persecution

jealousy.

When suffering from delusions the person with schizophrenia may feel like they are being controlled by some outside force. Hallucinations are often experienced as voices.

- Negative symptoms refer to behaviour which is normally absent in a healthy person, such as:

affective flattening (decrease in range and intensity of emotions)

alogia (decrease in content and amount of speech)

anhedonia (lack of enjoyment in life).

Can Schizophrenia be treated?
YES. The first step is to correctly diagnose the condition.
This is normally done by a psychiatrist in a hospital setting where a full assessment can be made.

Once diagnosed the psychiatrist will prescribe an antipsychotic medication which will reduce the more obvious symptoms of the illness. Individual and family therapy should also be provided.

Common Misperceptions about Shizophrenia
There are two very common misperceptions about the illness:

Split Personality: Approximately 52% of Irish adults believe that a split personality was the most appropriate description for the condition. This became apparent in research undertaken in September 1998 “Public Attitudes to Schizophrenia”, sponsored by Eli Lilly & Company (Ireland) limited.
Schizophrenia and Violence: The risk of violent behaviour among people with schizophrenia is only marginally greater than among other people and only then if someone is experiencing acute, untreated symptoms. When compared with other social factors, the diagnosis of schizophrenia has little bearing on whether someone is likely to be violent.

Where can I get support?

Schizophrenia Ireland
38 Blessington Street
Dublin 7
Tel: 01 860 1620
Fax. 01 860 1602

Schizophrenia Ireland is a dedicated support group based in Dublin.

Eli Lilly S.A. - Irish Branch, a Swiss company with a branch office registered in Ireland under company registration number 902873 and having its Irish registered office at Dunderrow, Kinsale, Co. Cork.
Eli Lilly and Co. (Ireland) Limited, registered in Ireland under company registration number 171214 and having its registered office at Hyde House, 65 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2.
Eli Lilly Export S.A. - Irish Branch, a Swiss company with a branch office registered in Ireland under company registration number 904601 and having its Irish registered office at Carbery House, 67-69 South Mall, Cork.