FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions BC Schizophrenia Society receives.
Seeking information
If you don’t find an answer to your question on our website, we encourage you to contact us. If your question is time-sensitive or this is an emergency, please contact emergency services.

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About the BC Schizophrenia Society
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British Columbia Schizophrenia Society supports families and advocates for people with schizophrenia and other severe and persistent mental illnesses.
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BCSS Regional Educators provide resources and support for family members and friends who have a loved one with schizophrenia or psychosis. They act as liaisons between the family members and the mental health systems. BCSS educators organize and facilitate family support groups, education programs, and public education presentations to reduce stigma and increase the understanding of schizophrenia.
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Visit Find Support Near You to find a regional educator near you.
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BCSS is proud to offer a variety of programs and services, including:
- Family Support Groups
- Strengthening Families Together programs
- Partnership Education Presentations
- BCSS Youth
- One-on-one support
- Educational events and webinars
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Family Support Groups are for people in BC who have a family member or close friend with a severe and persistent mental illness.
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The Family Support Group program was developed for an adult audience. If you or your loved one is underage, please visit the BCSS Youth website. BCSS Youth provides programs and resources for children and youth, including drop-in support groups.
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About schizophrenia
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A severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) isn’t a specific diagnosis; it is a term used to describe when a mental illness significantly impairs and interferes with major life activities. Often, “severe and persistent mental illness” and “serious mental illness” are used interchangeably.
All mental illnesses have the potential to interfere with quality of life. Many instances of mental illness may broadly qualify as “serious” or “severe and persistent,” depending on the interpretation and use of the term.
A severe and persistent mental illness typically describes diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorders. These are considered SPMI due to their profound effects on all aspects of life, such as employment, family relations, interpersonal relationships, and education over a lifetime.
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Schizophrenia and psychosis are related concepts, but they refer to different things. Psychosis is a symptom or feature of mental illness where an individual experiences a loss of contact with reality. Schizophrenia is a specific mental illness that is characterized by a combination of symptoms, including psychosis. While psychosis is a symptom involving a disconnection from reality, schizophrenia is a distinct mental health disorder with a broader set of symptoms, including psychosis. Not everyone experiencing psychosis has schizophrenia, but schizophrenia often involves psychotic symptoms.
PSYCHOSIS
Characteristics: It involves hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others don’t) and delusions (strongly held false beliefs).
Causes: Psychosis can be associated with various mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or substance use.SCHIZOPHRENIA
Characteristics: In addition to psychosis, schizophrenia may involve negative symptoms (e.g., reduced motivation, social withdrawal) and cognitive symptoms (e.g., impaired thinking processes).
DIAGNOSIS
A diagnosis of schizophrenia requires the presence of symptoms for a significant period and a specific pattern of symptomatology.
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Schizophrenia is a complex and multifactorial mental disorder, and its exact causes are not fully understood. However, several factors are associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, including genetics, brain development, brain chemistry, age, and environmental factors. Just over 1% of the population is diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder.
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A common symptom of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders is anosognosia (pronounced ahh-no-sog-noh-zee-uh). This symptom defines the common concern many family members and loved ones of people with mental illness have – “they don’t recognize that they are ill.”
Anosognosia is often misinterpreted as stubbornness, denial, or refusal of treatment. This symptom can be frustrating for the families and friends trying to support their loved one and the individual with the mental illness. Would you go to the doctor if you didn’t think you were sick?
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When someone is experiencing psychosis symptoms, it is important to intervene early to help reduce the length of time they are in psychosis. This can result in better overall outcomes in their recovery process. For more information, visit the Early Psychosis Intervention website.
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There are several factors that contribute to the risk of developing schizophrenia:
- Genetics
- Environment
- Brain chemistry
- Brain structure
- Brain development
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When someone has psychosis, it can be difficult for doctors to make an exact diagnosis because symptoms are not unique to one disorder (e.g., psychosis can occur with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder).
Families have an essential role to play in this assessment. Families can provide valuable information about family medical history, birth and childhood history, physical or emotional trauma, school adjustment and achievement. They can also give the history of the presenting problem, including how the person was functioning before the onset of symptoms and what changes the family has observed. Distinguishing between disorders is difficult in the early stages. For this reason, medical professionals may not attempt to make an initial diagnosis.
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Yes. In rare instances, children as young as five have been diagnosed with the illness. They are often described as being different from other children from an early age. Most people with schizophrenia, however, do not show recognizable symptoms until adolescence or young adulthood.
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Schizophrenia tends to run in families, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should not marry and have children. Since everyone wants to be a good parent and provider for their family, you will need to ask yourself some important questions:
- Is my illness sufficiently under control?
- If I have to work full-time in order to support my children, can I do it?
- Will the stress and expense of raising children cause me to become ill again?
- What if my children inherit the illness?
(The chance of each of your children developing schizophrenia is 1 in 10. If your partner also has schizophrenia, the chance of each child developing the illness increases to 2 in 5.) - Is my partner a capable person who can help provide a secure and peaceful home environment for a child?
As you see, these decisions are very personal — and will depend entirely on you and your situation.
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No. Street drugs alone do not cause schizophrenia if there is no family history of schizophrenia. Since some people who take street drugs may show schizophrenia-like symptoms, people who have schizophrenia are sometimes accused of being “high” on drugs. A person suffering from psychotic symptoms may also become involved in substance abuse, where having such symptoms in the setting of getting high is seen as normal.
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Evidence indicates that if someone has a predisposing factor, drugs like cannabis (marijuana, hash, hash oil, etc.) may trigger an episode of schizophrenia. This may or may not clear up when use of the drug stops. If your family has a history of mental illness, extra caution might be wise. Street drugs can be risky for anyone, but for people with schizophrenia, they are particularly dangerous. As mentioned earlier, certain drugs can cause relapses and make the illness worse.
All street drugs should be avoided, including:
- PCP
- Cocaine/Crack
- LSD
- Amphetamines
- Marijuana and other cannabis products
- Ecstasy
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Moderate use of alcohol (one or two glasses of wine or beer) doesn’t seem to trigger psychotic symptoms, but heavy use certainly does.
People on medication should be especially careful. Since alcohol is a depressant, it can be life-threatening when combined with medications like tranquilizers (i.e. clonazepam, Rivotril, Ativan, Valium, alprazolam, etc.). Each multiplies the effect of the other — often with disastrous results.
* The following may also trigger symptoms of schizophrenia:
- large amounts of nicotine and/or caffeine
- cold medications and nasal decongestants
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Find information on schizophrenia in Français / 中文 / ਪੰਜਾਬੀ / हिंदी / বাঙালি / اردو / Español HERE.
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Yes, antipsychotic medications can control the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t real) and delusions (false beliefs).
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The first antipsychotics that were developed are now known as “first generation” or “standard” antipsychotics. More recently developed antipsychotic medications are called “second generation” or “atypical”. The atypical medications may work better to improve certain symptoms and have fewer side effects.
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People may need to try several medications or different doses to find what works best for them. Any changes to medications should be made in consultation with a doctor and it is important not to stop taking the medication suddenly.
Antipsychotic medications are usually taken in pill form, but it is also possible to get long-acting antipsychotic shots, which can help prevent relapses.
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Yes, antipsychotic medications can have side effects. There can be initial side effects, such as drowsiness or dizziness while you adjust to the medication. There can also be ongoing side effects, such as slowed movement and restless limbs. There can also be side effects that develop with long-term use, such as tardive dyskinesia.
If side effects are persistent and problematic, the doctor may recommend changing the dose or trying a different medication.
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About supporting a loved one
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The decision to seek help for a relative or friend can be tough for many reasons. It can be difficult to know what to do or where to go, or there may be uncertainty about the problem. The person may not want help or may not recognize there is a problem. It can be difficult to cope with a person who is in distress but refusing to get help. If you suspect that your loved one may have a mental or substance use problem, it is essential to be honest and open when talking with them.
- If the person appears to be a danger to themselves or others, seek help immediately.
- Let the person know that others have noticed changes in their feelings and behaviour and are concerned they may be having difficulties.
- Listen to what they have to say and try to solve the problem together.
- Encourage the person to talk with their doctor or mental health professional. Offer to go with them to an appointment.
- If the person does not believe they have a problem or refuses to get help, encourage them to talk with someone they trust.
- Allow the person to stay in control by offering choices about how family members and friends can help them.
- Offer to help the person to find out more about where to get assistance.
- Reassure them that it’s okay to seek help, even if they think they can cope without it.
- Stay optimistic about the future and reassure them that things will improve.
- If the family member is a child or youth, talk to their school counsellor.
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See our Supporting a Loved One page for more information and contacts for getting your loved one assessed and provided with medical help. You may also find these pages helpful:
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If symptoms are occurring, ask your doctor for an assessment or referral. Family members are usually the first to notice and help their loved one seek medical help. See Supporting a Loved One for more information.
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We all need friends who stick with us through good times and bad. People with schizophrenia will value your friendship. They are often discriminated against by those who are ignorant about the illness. Many people with schizophrenia have high IQs. Unless someone is experiencing symptoms of their illness, there will be nothing especially unusual about their behaviour.
You can be a real friend by trying to understand the illness and educating others when the opportunity arises. Let them know the facts. Also, if you can, try to get to know your friend’s family. For example, families might help you understand how your friend may sometimes be overwhelmed and discouraged because of the chronic and persistent nature of the illness. Once you know this, you can help by being supportive and encouraging during these rough times.
If you’re planning social activities with your friend, it helps to remember:
- People with schizophrenia need to keep a fairly regular schedule and get adequate sleep and rest.
- Because there may be some disabling periods of thought disorder, term papers and studying for exams can’t be left until the last minute.
- Using street drugs is very dangerous because they can trigger a return of symptoms (a relapse).
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The BC Mental Health Act outlines the use of involuntary treatment. This is a last resort to protect individuals in crisis, ensuring timely intervention for their well-being when they cannot make decisions in their best interest.
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The provincial government has amended the Mental Health Act to provide a new rights advice service, which is currently being implemented across the province. Information on the service can be accessed here: https://irasbc.ca/.
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