Schizophrenia and psychosis

Sharif was the most gifted student in his year at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Charukala. Last Falgun he stopped coming to the studio. He has taped over his phone camera and says the neighbours are recording him. At night his mother hears him talking in his room when no one else is there. A relative has suggested a pir. His parents do not know what to believe.

An illustration drawn from common experience. The people are invented; the pattern is not.

Understanding schizophrenia and psychosis

Schizophrenia is a medical condition of the brain that changes how a person perceives reality. Symptoms can include delusions, which are fixed beliefs not shared by others; hallucinations, such as hearing voices; disorganised thinking or behaviour; and, often, withdrawal, flat emotion and difficulty with concentration and memory. It usually begins in late adolescence or early adulthood. It is not caused by spirits, bad parenting or weakness of character.

How common are schizophrenia and psychosis?

Schizophrenia affects about 27 million people, roughly 1 in 300, WHO estimates. In a Hong Kong study of almost 47,000 people with schizophrenia, men lost about nine and a half years of life and women about eight, mostly to physical illnesses such as lung and heart disease. Yet only about 40% of people with psychosis worldwide receive formal mental health care.

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosis

• Hearing or seeing things others do not
• Beliefs of being watched, followed or controlled
• Speech that is hard to follow, or sudden changes in behaviour
• Withdrawal from studies, work and family; neglecting self-care

Treatment for schizophrenia and psychosis

WHO lists effective treatments: medicines, psychoeducation, family interventions and psychosocial rehabilitation. Antipsychotic medication reduces hallucinations and delusions for many people, and starting treatment early is linked to somewhat better long-term outcomes. Families are part of the treatment, not bystanders to it; family work may reduce conflict at home and the risk of relapse. Physical health checks are part of good care.

What getting better can look like

For a family like Sharif’s, recovery often starts with a calmer house, then a regular routine, then, over months, a return to some of what was lost: a sketchbook, a class at Charukala, dinner together without fear.

Common questions about schizophrenia and psychosis

Is schizophrenia caused by bad parenting or spirits?

Schizophrenia is a medical condition of the brain that changes how a person perceives reality. It is not caused by spirits, bad parenting or weakness of character. Many families draw strength from faith, and that can sit alongside medical care; what matters is not delaying an assessment, because longer untreated psychosis is linked with poorer outcomes.

Can a person with schizophrenia get better?

Many people improve with treatment. Antipsychotic medication reduces hallucinations and delusions for many people, family work may reduce conflict at home and the risk of relapse, and psychosocial rehabilitation supports a return to daily life. Earlier treatment is linked to somewhat better long-term outcomes, and physical health checks are part of good care.

When to see a psychiatrist

If someone you love is hearing voices, holding frightening beliefs, or withdrawing from life, a psychiatric assessment is the right next step, and sooner is better. If anyone is at risk of harm, call 999.

Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.

Sources

• World Health Organization, “Mental disorders” fact sheet, September 2026
• Yung et al., Schizophrenia Bulletin, 2021
• Penttilä et al., British Journal of Psychiatry, 2014
• Pharoah et al., Cochrane Review, 2010