A Guide to National Schizophrenia Awareness Day 2024

National Schizophrenia Awareness Day occurs next on July 24^th 2024 with the goal of increasing the awareness about schizophrenia. As a mental health issue that affects people worldwide, with an estimated 220,000 people receiving NHS treatment for schizophrenia at any one time in the UK alone, it’s important to understand more about this condition.

Here’s what you need to know about this serious mental health condition, and how to ensure that your organisation is aware of the signs and symptoms.

What Causes Schizophrenia?

While researchers are still uncertain about the direct cause of schizophrenia, the general consensus is that genetics, personal issues, and environmental factors play a big part. And while these different causes will inevitably vary from person to person, the following experiences and instances are closely associated with schizophrenia.

• Extreme stress or unexpected life events like a sudden bereavement, sexual or physical abuse, money issues, isolation or job loss. If not addressed, these problems can trigger some early signs of schizophrenia.
• Excessive cannabis use and other drug usage has also been linked to schizophrenia. However, it’s still unclear if drug use may trigger schizophrenia, or if people with schizophrenia are just more prone to use recreational drugs.
• The chemistry of our brains is also thought to potentially lead to the development of schizophrenia, especially if there’s any significant disruption in brain chemistry during pregnancy or childhood formative years.
• People with family members who have experienced a psychosis are more likely to develop schizophrenia due to their genes.

Schizophrenia Symptoms

For organisations, having the ability to spot the potential symptoms of schizophrenia can play a pivotal role in helping your people to find the right support. Below are some common symptoms associated with schizophrenia.

• Extreme paranoia and delusions
• Mild to extreme hallucinations
• A severe lack of emotion
• A lack of general motivation
• Muddled and confused thinking or speech
• Extreme difficulties with communication

Whether diagnosed or not, people who experience these symptoms can find simple daily tasks challenging and overwhelming, making it difficult to lead a healthy and productive life without support.

Helping to Raise Awareness and Reduce the Stigma

Organisations can show their support and understanding of this issue by sharing emails and other communications about this awareness day. From a personal standpoint, encouraging charity fundraising ideas and making it feel like a team effort can also help to reduce some of the stigmas surrounding schizophrenia too.

Even the smallest of efforts to increase visibility of this day says a lot about your organisation and your approach to mental health and wellbeing. It lets your team know how much you value the health of your people. It also facilitates are more open forum where your people feel comfortable coming forward and actively asking for support before it’s too late.

By being an organisation that proudly addresses mental health awareness days like this, you help to inspire others to come forward with their issues, drastically reducing future absences while increasing retention at the same time.