The problem with misinformation in the media

September 2022

Jessica from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hello there,

Thank you for continuing to be a part of the Health Storylines community. When it comes to the media, most of us are aware that it’s not always realistic. Sometimes these inaccurate representations can be quite harmful. For mental illness specifically, there is already a lack of awareness and understanding in society in general and the media is part of this problem.

Some films and TV shows are guilty of spreading misinformation about certain mental health conditions. One condition that is so often a victim of this is schizophrenia.

You’re not alone

It’s normal to feel frustrated when you see misinformation being spread about an issue that affects you or someone close to you. This misinformation contributes to the stigma that everyone affected by mental illness battles every single day.

Where the media has the power to make you feel isolated, it doesn’t always get it wrong. What is a TV show or movie that you feel well represented a struggle you’ve faced and helped you feel like you’re not alone?

It’s not a label, it’s a tool

August 2022

Jessica from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hello there,

Thank you for continuing to be a part of the Health Storylines community. Receiving a mental health diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially when you have been exposed to the stigma surrounding mental health your entire life. It can cause you to question your identity and affect your self-esteem.

It’s important to remember that you are not your diagnosis. But your diagnosis can be a source of empowerment for you.

Informed Self-care

Having all the information can help you inform your self-care strategy. Your diagnosis can tell you more about what symptoms to look out for and what strategies might help you get the most out of your treatment.

To find more tools that can guide you on your self-care journey, check out the ‘Mental Health’ category in your Health Tool Library:

Is your gut health affecting your mental health?

July 2022

Jessica from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hi there,

Thank you for continuing to be a part of the Health Storylines community. For many people that are trying to manage their mental health, it’s no secret that poor mental health can manifest itself through physical symptoms. For a very long time it was believed that certain gut disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, could be a by-product of depression and anxiety.

But what if it’s more complicated than that? What if your gut was able to send messages to your brain, like your brain sends messages to the rest of your body? New research is showing that this is possible, and that poor gut health may be a key contributing factor in the development of mental illnesses.

What is Gut Health?

There are lots of bacteria living in your body, right at this very moment! The bacteria found in your gut help you digest food and can help you maintain good physical and mental health when properly taken care of.

When it comes to mental illness, it’s too soon to draw conclusions, but researchers are seeing distinct differences in the gut bacteria of individuals with depression, other mood disorders, schizophrenia, and psychosis, when compared to people without these conditions.

Download Your Storylines Report

Want to learn more about how your physical and mental health are affecting each other? Make sure to track regularly and see what trends you can identify between your moods and your symptoms over time through the My Storylines Report feature:

It’s World Schizophrenia Day!

May 2022

Jessica from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hi there,

Thank you for continuing to be a part of the Health Storylines community. We wanted to let you know that today is World Schizophrenia Day! Today is a day to learn more about schizophrenia and challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness together.

According to the World Health Organization, schizophrenia affects more than 21 million people worldwide. Even though it affects so many, it is still a widely misunderstood condition.

Schizophrenia is a complex condition that will affect different people in different ways. This can make it difficult for others to understand, which contributes to the stigma. Awareness days like today are an opportunity to educate and to help make the world a more inclusive place.

It only takes one person to make a difference in someone’s life. To reach out to your family and friends and start the conversation today, visit your Circle of Support:

Let’s talk about your symptoms!

April 2022

Jessica from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hey there,

Thank you for continuing to be a part of the Health Storylines community. We know your symptoms are an important part of your journey so we wanted to talk about them in this newsletter. Did you know that there are different categories of schizophrenia symptoms?

Noticing changes in your symptoms and when they occur is an important part of your journey; we can help you with that!

In 1911, psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler was the first to use the term ‘schizophrenia’. He noticed that symptoms of people with schizophrenia tended to fall into two distinct categories: termed “positive” and “negative”.

Understanding these symptoms and when you tend to experience them is important for managing your schizophrenia. This week, how about you take time to notice when you are affected by your positive or negative symptoms by tracking your mood along with writing in your journal?

Stigma? How can we stop it?

March 2022

Funmi from Health Storylines

< Back to Schizophrenia

Hey there,

We’re so happy you’re here. Though there is a lot of stigma around mental illness in general, when it comes to schizophrenia, stigma makes it difficult for people to get the support they need. With over 24 million people diagnosed with schizophrenia worldwide, this is definitely an issue to be addressed.

What is a stigma?

First of all, stigma is the discrimination or negative attitudes towards a particular characteristic of a group. Turns out that the stigma surrounding schizophrenia has discouraged people with symptoms to not seek a diagnosis. Not only that, but it also prevents people from speaking openly about their experience.

How does stigma start and how can we overcome it?

Stigma comes from a lack of understanding or fear, often enhanced by inaccurate representations of a group of people. The stigma of schizophrenia stems from the lack of information on how to support it. This lack of support leads to the mistreatment and misunderstanding of people with schizophrenia.

We can address stigma in our community through creating education and awareness around schizophrenia. If you feel comfortable, start small by having conversations with people closer to you and talk about your experience. It might be the first step to moving past stigma within your Circle of Support.

Is it time for a name change?

Researchers in the field have proposed changing the name of schizophrenia to help combat the perception of it. Though some may agree, the root of the stigma comes from the education and awareness of the general public. What are your thoughts? Would you change the name of schizophrenia if you had the chance?