Schizophrenia is a serious and chronic mental illness that affects roughly 1 in 300 people worldwide. During a Schizophrenic episode, your perception of reality becomes distorted, and you start experiencing common psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing objects, or people), paranoia (fear of being attacked or harmed), delusions, etc. Since the symptoms of Schizophrenia feel very real to the people experiencing it, one of its biggest challenges is the lack of insight it grants to the person. This is where the right support network (doctors, psychiatrists, family, friends, etc.) becomes crucial in managing this severe condition.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Symptoms of Schizophrenia are divided into different types:
Positive Symptoms: These symptoms are behaviours and actions added to a person’s normal functioning. These symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functions. Some positive symptoms include:
Negative Symptoms: Negative symptoms refer to the symptoms that reduce or inhibit certain behaviours, hindering normal daily functioning. E.g. Lack of emotional expression, lack of motivation, social withdrawal, inability to perform basic movements, stupor—being stuck in a single pose, etc.
Cognitive Symptoms: Symptoms include difficulty in remembering, speaking, understanding, concentrating, being unaware of your surroundings, etc.
Genetic Factors: Genetics plays a major role in the likelihood of someone developing Schizophrenia. If someone in your immediate family has or had it, especially one of your parents or a sibling, the chances of you getting it are more than 6 times higher than someone without a family history. That said, over 80% of people with Schizophrenia do not have any family members who also have the condition.
Brain Chemistry and Structure: Schizophrenia can be linked to problems with how certain chemicals in the brain work. These chemicals i.e. neurotransmitters help brain cells communicate with each other. In people with Schizophrenia, these neurotransmitters aren’t properly regulated, leading to changes in thinking and behaviour.
Environmental Triggers: Among the general population, Schizophrenia tends to emerge more frequently during periods of hormonal and physical changes, such as adolescence and early adulthood. Viral infections, marijuana use, smoking, childhood trauma, malnutrition, vitamin D deficiency, challenges in social cognition, and lower intelligence quotient can also trigger Schizophrenia in people with a genetic predisposition.
Neurodevelopmental Factors: Sometimes, how the brain grows and develops can affect your chances of getting Schizophrenia. Things such as infections or stress during pregnancy, or not getting the right nutrients, can affect how a baby’s brain grows. This might increase their risk of developing Schizophrenia later in life. Also, problems with learning or social skills during childhood could be linked to Schizophrenia when a person gets older.
Paranoid Schizophrenia: This type of Schizophrenia is characterised by prominent delusions of themes such as persecution, where people feel someone is plotting against them and is out to hurt them; or theme of grandeur, where the person feels they are an important and influential figure in society. This type of Schizophrenia also includes symptoms of hallucination such as auditory hallucinations.
Disorganised Schizophrenia : This type of Schizophrenia involves disruptions in cognition and thought processes, resulting in slurred and incoherent speech, erratic or irresponsible behaviour, or emotion regulation that may seem to be completely mismatched to the situation.
Catatonic Schizophrenia : This type of Schizophrenia involves motor disturbances, including immobility, unusual postures, or excessive movement. People with this condition may resist instructions or mimic others’ speech (echolalia) and actions (echopraxia).
Undifferentiated Schizophrenia: Undifferentiated Schizophrenia is characterised by symptoms that don’t fit into other categories such as paranoid, disorganised, or catatonic, but still meet the criteria for diagnosis. It includes a mix of symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganised thinking.
Residual Schizophrenia: Residual Schizophrenia refers to cases where active symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations have subsided significantly but lingering negative symptoms persist. These may include social withdrawal, reduced emotional expression, or difficulty concentrating, indicating ongoing challenges despite treatment progress.
Diagnosis of Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is diagnosed using the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Version 5). To consider a diagnosis for Schizophrenia, a person should display at least two of its symptoms and one of the symptoms should at least include hallucination, delusion, or disorganised speech.
For a formal diagnosis, a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist will conduct a comprehensive interview and take a detailed case history, where they ask you questions about your symptoms, chief complaints, and family history, and conduct any required assessments that may give them a deeper insight into your condition.
Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition that cannot be completely cured, however many people learn to live with it successfully once they come to terms with the fact that they need help.
While most mental disorders require medication of some kind, Schizophrenia is practically untreatable without medication. Antipsychotics are the primary form of medication prescribed, but doctors may also prescribe antidepressants and anti-anxiety pills. While these drugs don’t cure Schizophrenia, they help ease the most distressing symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.
Psychotherapy is a crucial part of treating Schizophrenia. Psychotherapy addresses maladaptive thoughts and emotions and teaches you important tools and techniques to overcome the challenges faced when suffering from Schizophrenia.
While any mental illness requires support from your loved ones, a network of caring family members and friends is doubly instrumental in managing Schizophrenia. Commonly, family members also receive therapy since dealing with a loved one’s Schizophrenia can be quite challenging. Therapy helps family members support their loved ones suffering from this condition more effectively.
The cost of treatment for Schizophrenia depends on your treatment plan, frequency of sessions, and medication required.
At BetterPlace, each of our appointments costs INR 2,000 and within that cost, you get to meet both our psychiatrist and our psychologist in your first 90-minute session. Accurate diagnosis sits at the heart of our treatment approach. Our team of mental health professionals psychologically and physiologically assess you by using a combination of psychometric testing, assessments, and physical tests to understand your condition and its severity. This helps our team to create a completely tailored treatment plan unique to your needs and requirements.
Consultant Psychiatrist, MD Psychiatry
Therapy Mode Online, In-person
Languages Hindi, English
M.Phil Clinical Psychology
Therapy Mode Online, In-person
Languages Hindi, English, Bengali
At BetterPlace, our experts have helped over 50,000 people navigate Schizophrenia and other mental health challenges.
Your recovery journey is unique, and so is our approach. We design treatment plans tailored to your physical, emotional, and psychological needs, combining proven therapeutic methods and the latest scientific research for effective, long-lasting results.
We address more than just the symptoms. Our integrated care approach combines therapy, medication support, and lifestyle interventions to help you regain control of your health and well-being—both inside and out.
Your progress is closely tracked by our expert team of psychologists, psychiatrists, and counsellors. We make adjustments to your treatment plan whenever needed, ensuring you’re always receiving the right care at the right time
We offer more than just treatment—we equip you with practical skills, coping strategies, and psychoeducation so you can take control of your recovery.
When visiting BetterPlace, you can expect a welcoming environment where there is 0% judgment.
Meet with both a psychologist and a psychiatrist
Get an accurate understanding of your mental health
Get a personalised treatment plan
Get ongoing care with regular follow-ups
Visit our Experts today!
Yes, Schizophrenia can run in families, and it has a 79% chance of heritability, i.e. being transferred from parent to child. However, it’s not solely determined by genetics, and other factors also play a role.
This is a false belief, most people with Schizophrenia are not violent. They are more likely to harm themselves or be victims of violence than to harm others.
Many people with Schizophrenia can work, attend school, and lead independent lives with appropriate support, treatment, and accommodations.
Currently, there is no cure for Schizophrenia, but it is a treatable condition. As per the WHO, at least one-third of people with Schizophrenia experience complete remission (reduction or disappearance) of symptoms. That is only possible, however, with appropriate medication, therapy, and support.
Trauma-focused therapy may be beneficial for people with Schizophrenia who have experienced trauma, as it can help address underlying psychological issues and improve overall well-being. However, it should be provided by trained professionals and integrated into a comprehensive treatment plan.
Yes, Schizophrenia symptoms can fluctuate in intensity and presentation over time, with periods of exacerbation (relapse) and improvement (remission). Understanding these changes is important for treatment planning and management.