Living with Schizophrenia

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Living with Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex and serious mental health condition which affects men and women from all walks of life and social backgrounds.

It is caused by physical and chemical changes within the brain. In the UK at the moment almost a quarter of a million people are being treated for this condition by the NHS. It is usually life changing and can often be life threatening. Although the condition is widely misunderstood, particularly by the popular media, modern treatments are highly effective and most people who suffer from the condi

tion will make a substantial recovery although it may take some time. Founded in 2013, Living with Schizophrenia is a mental health project based in the South West of England which provides a platform for people living with schizophrenia in the broader sense including sufferers as well as carers and relatives. Our aim is to provide hard evidence-based information about this often cruel and enigmatic condition about which there is often so much mythology.

17/04/2026

Research from Denmark has confirmed the findings of previous studies that there is a connection between cannabis use and schizophrenia and has underlined the need for extreme caution when considering legalisation of cannabis use.

Led by Danish researchers, this was a large study of over 60,000 participants diagnosed with cannabis use disorder using data from a population of almost seven million. Cannabis use disorder occurs when a person’ s use of cannabis cannot be controlled and withdrawal effects are experienced if they stop using it. This study found that as many as 15% of cases of schizophrenia in young men may be preventable by avoiding cannabis, with young men being more at risk than young women.

The researchers commented that legalisation of cannabis use sends the wrong message that cannabis is harmless. Dr Carsten Hjorthøj, the study’s lead, said, “This study adds to our growing understanding that cannabis use is not harmless”.

In recent years there has been a growing movement in jurisdictions around the world to legalise the use of cannabis but the evidence of a connection between cannabis and schizophrenia has been growing. These changes in laws have led to cannabis becoming one of the most frequently used psychoactive drugs. Schizophrenia is a cruel, life-changing (and often life-threatening) condition. Legislators must be made aware that legalisation of cannabis will have real and tangible human costs. And sufferers of schizophrenia and their carers should know that cannabis use will make their symptoms worse.

There is more about schizophrenia and drug use in the Living with Schizophrenia website at. https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/schizophrenia-and-street-drugs/

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

(Image: Pe3K on Shutterstock)

31/03/2026

March sees the anniversary of the birth of Vaslav Nijinsky, the great ballet dancer who some experts believe to be the greatest male dancer of all time. Despite a meteoric early career he was, during his early life, struck down by the serious mental illness that we now know of as schizophrenia and which prevented him from fulfilling his true potential.

Vaslav Nijinsky was born 12th March 1889 in St Petersburg, the son of two Polish dancers and studied dance at the Imperial Ballet School where his exceptional skills were soon evident. By the age of 18 he was already dancing with the likes of Anna Pavlova at the Mariinsky Theatre. Later he joined the Ballet Ruse, a new company formed by Russian impresario Sergei Diagelev in Paris.

By 1917 the first signs of the mental storms that were to end his career were beginning to show through and in 1919 Nijinsky was diagnosed with the newly-described condition called schizophrenia and committed to an asylum. In the absence of any effective treatments, over the next 30 years or so he was to suffer repeated episodes of his illness and was confined on a number of occasions. Despite treatment by the foremost psychiatrists of the time he rarely danced professionally again after the first episode of illness.

It is a tragedy that this great dancer, who some described during his short career as the eighth wonder of the world, died before the development of the new antipsychotic medicines that today enable so many people with schizophrenia to live fulfilling lives. You can read more about Nijinsky’s struggle with schizophrenia on the Living with Schizophrenia website at https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/nijinsky/.

(Image: Jean-Pierre Dalbera on Wikimedia Commons, creative commons attribution)

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

20/03/2026

First World War poet and composer Ivor Gurney who suffered with hearing voices probably lived with schizophrenia.

Hearing voices, or auditory hallucinations as psychiatrists call them, is a common experience for people living with schizophrenia. In fact, it is so common that it is considered to be one of the principal indicators when doctors are considering a diagnosis. Voices are often one of the most difficult experiences to cope with and sometimes they can lead to dangerous behaviour. They remain one of the biggest issues for people with schizophrenia and should be taken very seriously by doctors, patients and carers alike.

What is it like to hear voices?
To the voice hearer, the voices coming from inside them are very real and are often indistinguishable from real people’s voices. Sometimes the person may hear voices of people that they recognise, e.g. relatives or friends. For other people the voices may have no distinct personality, being just a non-descript voice with no discernible accent.

The experience of voice hearing should not be confused with the normal inner voice that we all have in our minds when we are in good health. Voices caused by psychosis are profoundly different. They are as real as hearing a person in the same room speaking.

Why is voice hearing so significant?
One of the most important questions about voices is why are they so powerful? Why can voices make people think and do things that are irrational, bizarre or even dangerous, and why are they so successful in causing suffering? Well, part of the answer to that is that the voices know you intimately. Because they come from inside you, they have a perfect understanding of your whole psyche. They understand all of your strengths and weaknesses, all of your secret fears and hates. All of the things you most love and care about, and because they know you so well they can attack you where they know that you are most sensitive and where they can do the most damage.

Some people may experience voices that are benign or friendly but in schizophrenia the common experience is for voices that are malevolent and hostile.

Voice hearing is a very common experience for many people living with schizophrenia and is a very serious issue. It is vital to try to understand voices in order to cope better with them. You can read more about voices in schizophrenia on the Living with Schizophrenia website at https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/understanding-voice-hearing/.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

Image: Richard Hall, Ivor Gurney Estate/Gloucestershire Archives

18/02/2026

Preparing for Relapses

Like in any health problem, in schizophrenia relapses often tend to strike when you are least expecting them. When a health crisis occurs it often makes day-to-day living really difficult especially if you find that you are not able to get out of the house or if your emergency relapse plan requires you to stay at home for a while.

Of course, thinking about a relapse can be quite scary and naturally when we are well we don’t like to think about things going wrong but that is precisely the best time to make a few sensible precautions for when we are not able to function so well. Remember the old saying: we hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

It is vital to work out in advance how to spot the danger signs of an impending relapse and what steps you will take if the signs of a relapse begin to appear. Remember you may not be able to function well when it does happen and at that time may not be able to work out what to do. By knowing in advance what to do you will help reduce the risk of dangerousness and minimise the damage that the relapse will do to your life. When you start to put your relapse plan together you should discuss it with your doctor, community psychiatric nurse or social worker if you have one along with your carers and relatives.

There are four parts to a successful relapse plan:
Spotting the signs early.
Getting professional help quickly.
Seeking sanctuary.
Self help.

On the Living with Schizophrenia website we have a web page that gives a lot of hints and tips about how to prepare better for a relapse. It can be found at https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/preparing-for-relapses/ . This page deals with some really useful precautions such as making an Advanced Statement or Power of Attorney, the Medicalert scheme, and developing support networks etc.

Relapse planning is a vital skill for all those living with schizophrenia, both sufferers and their families. Good relapse planning can help reduce the impact of future episodes of schizophrenia and help to speed up recovery later on.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

05/02/2026

One of the most enduring myths that has grown up since the old asylums were closed and the policy of care in the community was introduced is that people with schizophrenia cannot be trusted to organise taking their medication.

It is simply not true that people with mental health conditions are not very good at taking their medication. Studies have shown that compliance with medication is no worse in mental health conditions like schizophrenia than it is in long term physical ailments such as asthma or high blood pressure. In fact, demographic factors such as whether you are single or in a relationship are more likely to play a role in the way that you adhere to your medicine regime.

Remembering to take antipsychotic medicines is a vital part of staying well in schizophrenia and of a successful recovery strategy. However, organizing medication does not come naturally to many people and is another one of those skills that people living with schizophrenia need to learn as part of an effective recovery strategy.

For many people living with schizophrenia the job of organising the taking of their medicines is left to the patient. Our web page called Managing Your Medication at https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/managing-your-medication/ contains a lot of information and tips which will help you to do this. It covers aspects like remembering to take medication, what to do when collecting medicines, keeping an emergency reserve of medicines and checking your prescriptions are correct amongst other things.

In all long-term health conditions managing medication is a key activity and schizophrenia is no different. Good management of medicines can greatly improve prospects for recovery and quality of life for all those people living with schizophrenia.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

27/01/2026

It has long been known that people with schizophrenia in particular and serious mental illness (SMI) in general will die at a much younger age than their colleagues in the general population and deaths from cancer form a large part of this disparity. Although people with serious mental illness are no more likely to suffer from cancer they are more likely to die prematurely from it according to recently published research carried out by the British government agency, Public Health England.

Further research published recently on the Medscape platform has found that people with schizophrenia are less likely to participate in one of the government’s cancer screening programmes. This study looked at participation by people with serious mental illness in three UK government cancer screening programmes: bowel, breast and cervical cancers. And in all three of those programmes participation was lowest in those people with schizophrenia.

The study concludes that much more research is needed to understand why people with serious mental ill health are less likely to participate in cancer screening programmes and specific action is needed to support people with schizophrenia. This study, which was a large study using data from over one million people, was published in the British Journal of Cancer and was commissioned by the National Health Service of England.

It has long been known that people with schizophrenia are more likely to die prematurely from physical health conditions like cancer. This research demonstrates that much greater awareness of the cancer risk is necessary amongst sufferers, carers and professionals alike who could all play their part in reducing this tragedy. Some cancer screening programmes are provided in the UK by the NHS free of charge and in most cases the procedures are quick and painless. We must all ensure that we make the fullest possible use of them.

For references to this piece go to https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/schizophrenia-and-cancer/

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

15/01/2026

A recent study from Japan has confirmed that people suffering with schizophrenia are at a much-increased risk of suffering with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as heart problems or stroke. The new research, which featured in an article by Pauline Anderson on the Medscape platform, studied over four million patient’s records in Japan. The report recommends that health care providers build routine screening for CVD into their health care practice for patients with schizophrenia.

In the UK the main provider of health care services is the government-run National Health Service. But standards of health care practice are set by an organisation called the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Current NICE guidance is that people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychotic illness should be offered a comprehensive physical health screen at least annually to monitor for conditions like CVD, diabetes and obesity and in practice this is usually provided by either the patient’s own GP (family doctor) practice or directly by the Community Mental Health Team.

Where annual physical health screening cannot be obtained from the local NHS organisation then it can be accessed through one of the large national private health care providers such as the Nuffield Hospital or BUPA. Costs of these services will need to be picked up by the patient and range from £259 up to £900 depending on the type of screening chosen. If the cost is prohibitive then patients can try applying for Personal Independence Payment which is a state benefit available to people with long-term health conditions who need help with their health care arrangements.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

18/12/2025

Finding a job: Why work?

Work is a difficult issue for many people living with schizophrenia in the UK. Of course, for people whose symptoms are too severe, work may not be an option but others will, over time, find that they have made a substantial recovery from their symptoms and are now able to function quite well. At this point they may well begin to think about getting into work.

So, what are the benefits of work for people with schizophrenia? For those who are able to work there are a number of benefits. Here are a few:

1. Work provides financial independence and frees you from the constraints of the state benefits system.

2. Work is one of the main ways in which people interact with the society they live in. We all need to feel that we are doing something useful to contribute to our society and for most people work is an important means of making their own personal contribution.

3. Work improves your self-esteem. All of us need to feel good about ourselves and having a high self-esteem has been shown to reduce the frequency of relapses in schizophrenia.

4. Work provides social contact and enables you to make new friends.

5. Work enables you to learn new skills. Human beings by nature enjoy learning new skills especially when we turn out to be good at them. Learning a new skill will give you a real sense of achievement and another entry on your CV.

6. By being given responsibility in a job you will feel more valued.

7. Work gives you a reason to get up in the morning. For most people early morning is not their best time. We all need a reason to get up and something worthwhile to do with the day. Work provides you with the motivation to get up early and have a full and productive day.

8. Work gives you a purpose in life. People suffering with psychosis score very poorly in tests designed to assess their purpose-in-life. Working helps to overcome this.

For many people living with schizophrenia working has many benefits and it is important that we are all aware of the improvements to our condition that working brings.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

08/12/2025

Finding a job: What kind of work can you do?

After you have experienced a period of schizophrenia, particularly a prolonged one, it is often difficult to get into work. One of the biggest hurdles facing people in this position is knowing where to start. Many people who have suffered from schizophrenia have little or no experience of work and do not know what sort of work they can do. Answering the question “What sort of work could I do?” is the starting point on your journey back into the mainstream.

For people who have worked before it is not such a huge issue as they have a better perception of their strengths and skills in the workplace. However, it may be that you don’t feel able to go back to your old job or perhaps you have never worked. In both cases it may be really difficult to know what sort of work you could manage or better still, work that you could do really well at.

In general people who have worked before their schizophrenic illness began will find it easier to find a job and will find it easier to cope with work than those who have never worked.

You may not be able to develop a clear idea of what sort of job best suits you until you have spent some time job-searching or even tried some work experience but it is a good idea to have some ideas before you begin your job-search and this involves taking a long hard look at your personal qualities. There are a couple of questions that you need to answer before starting job searching:

1. What are your personal qualities?
2. How will your schizophrenia affect you at work?
3. What previous work experience and qualifications do you have?

It may also be prudent to ask if there are any external factors that will affect you. For instance, how far will you be able to travel to work or do you have any family commitments such as child care that will affect the picture?

Getting into work after an episode of schizophrenia is not impossible but it can entail some difficult challenges and it is vital to plan and prepare your job search in great detail.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

20/11/2025

Schizophrenia and Debt

Debt is an unfortunate fact of life for many people living with schizophrenia. An episode of schizophrenia can make it very difficult if not impossible to manage your finances well. In fact in a recent survey by the Money Saving Expert website it was found that around 36% of people with mental health issues have severe or crisis debts compared to around 6% of the general population. This finding is important to people with schizophrenia because it shows us how vulnerable we are to debt problems if we let them get out of hand and also that it is possible to live a prudent lifestyle in which debt need not be the dominant feature that sadly it is for many.

When you are well it is vital to run your affairs well to avoid a legacy of debt and a poor credit record that may take years to overcome. In addition, debt is a major source of stress which needs to be avoided if you are to stay well in the future. It is however one that, with canny financial management, you can avoid.

If you have problem debts it is often helpful to get in touch with one of the non-profit debt advice agencies who can help you. Debt advice is a complex subject. We therefore recommend that you get advice from one of the specialist debt advice services such as Step Change or Citizens Advice and make enquiries with your local library about help available in your area:

No matter how bad your debt problems there is usually a way through them and you will come out the other side and want to make a fresh start. Our information sheet on staying out of debt (https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/staying-out-of-debt/) has a lot of information about managing your finances prudently and in a way that won’t risk getting into debt again in the future.

There is more information about managing debt in our information sheet at https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/information-sheets/dealing-with-existing-debts/.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

04/11/2025

Mental Ill Health and Managing Your Money

Many people living with schizophrenia find it hard to run their finances successfully and sometimes end up in debt. Here are a few tips on how to manage your money better.

Learn how to budget and set aside a regular time each week to check your bank balance, pay outstanding bills and budget your spending for the following week.

Try to preserve your credit rating as, without a good credit score, you will not have access to the lowest cost banking facilities and credit will be more difficult to obtain and will inevitably cost more. Check your credit record at least once a year by requesting it from one of the credit reference agencies such as Equifax (https://www.equifax.co.uk/). This usually only costs a few pounds.

When budgeting try to keep a minimum balance of at least £100 in your bank account as a margin of safety. This may take a little practice but is achievable over time. Get used to treating that money as dead money. It will help prevent you from going overdrawn and attracting charges from the bank for unauthorised overdrafts so will pay for itself in the end.

Don’t have large credit limits on your credit cards. Keep your credit limits to just a bit more than you normally spend each month. There is no point in having excessive credit limits: they can lead to debt problems and will affect your credit rating.

Prioritise your spending giving top priority to any debts that threaten your liberty such as court fines and then next to bills associated with your home such as rent or mortgage, service charges and Council Tax. Next, come your work expenses such as travelling to work, meals etc. Then basic living costs such as electricity, gas, ‘phone, water and food. Make sure that you cover all of these expenses before spending on anything else.

It is a very good idea to keep some money for a rainy day. Save into a separate account on a regular basis so that you have a reserve of money to help meet any unexpected large bills.

Managing your finances is a vital skill that people living with schizophrenia need and sometimes lack. But like so many aspects of daily living, good financial management can be learnt with a bit of research and time.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

15/10/2025

In the United Kingdom today treatment for schizophrenia focuses on medication in conjunction with talking therapies as being the principal route out of psychosis. However, for people living with schizophrenia, whilst psychosis remains a huge threat to their wellbeing, physical illnesses like cancers, heart disease, and diabetes are also now known to be a major cause of ill health and early death. Getting more exercise can help with this in a number of ways.

Clearly more physical exercise can help to combat the problem of weight gain which often results from a sedentary lifestyle and the side effects of some medicines but what is less well understood is that exercise in itself can help to reduce physical health problems like heart disease and diabetes even if you don’t manage to get your weight down at the same time.

But in addition to the benefits of exercise for physical health there is now some evidence, albeit limited, that exercise may have benefits for mental health symptoms as well. There have been a number of research studies both in the US and here in the United Kingdom that have suggested that exercise can help to improve the negative symptoms of schizophrenia such as apathy, lethargy and social withdrawal and the cognitive symptoms such as poor memory and thinking skills although at the moment the evidence for this is somewhat limited and more research is required.

It is vital that people with schizophrenia and their relatives are aware of the need to treat the whole person and getting more exercise can be an important part of a holistic wellness strategy that improves both body and mind.

Contact us on email at: info@livingwithschizophreniauk.org

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