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The symptoms are also just as frightening to the one experiencing it as it is to the one witnessing the signs of the disease. The personality may appear different when the symptoms are enhanced or become more overwhelming to the sufferer but it’s not a separate break off in personality. Someone with a delusion or hallucination can also have either a delusion or a hallucination about any number of things. They’re not fixed on a set of standards. And they don’t suffer from blackouts and memory disturbances like someone with multiple personality disorder or DID (dissociative personality disorder).

3. People suffering with schizophrenia are more dangerous than people suffering with multiple personality disorder. Not true! Having schizophrenia does not make someone more dangerous than having multiple personality disorder or any other disease. Though the media would like people to believe this, research has proven that people with schizophrenia commit less than 2% of crimes within the general public.

4. People with schizophrenia have some of the longest lifespans of any other sufferer with mental illness. False! Unfortunately, most people who live with schizophrenia tend to have some of the shortest lifespans of all the other survivors of mental illness. Because so many schizophrenic patients have multiple medical and mental health conditions, poorer compliance with medication regimens, increased suicide rates and lack of insight into what may be more obvious healthier lifestyles to someone without the disease, they usually suffer more fatalities than the average person. They also live in more isolation because of their inability to relate well with others. And their lifespans are generally 10-25 years shorter than the average adult.

The issue for the general public is not that either of these disorders present much of a threat to the survival of the species. Rather, the isssue is that we need to become better educated about these more misunderstood disorders and that we treat people who suffer from them with respect and dignity. Living with mental illness is not an easy life to live. The task for our medical and mental health systems should be to bridge the public’s awareness of the realities of mental illness.

Asha Tarry, LMSW is a Licensed Mental Health Specialist and Owner of Behavioral Health Consulting Services LMSW, PLLC (BHCS) www.BHConsultingServices.net. BHCS provides consultations, evaluations and referrals for adults 18 yrs & over with mental health and social services needs. They also offer 1:1 mental health coaching & support groups. Follow her at www.Twitter.com/@ashatarry and www.Facebook.com/Asha

#MentalHealth Myth Buster: Schizophrenics Have Multiple Personality Disorder?  was originally published on blackdoctor.org

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