Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that can drastically affect a person's mental performance and well-being. People with schizophrenia may hear virtual voices, have disturbed emotions, and sometimes say confusing or meaningless sentences. However, there are some things you can do to have a better conversation with someone with schizophrenia.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Learn about schizophrenia

1. 

   Recognize the symptoms of schizophrenia. Some symptoms are more noticeable than others, but by learning to feel unobserved symptoms, you will have a better understanding of what the person you are talking to may be going through. Symptoms may include:
   • The manifestations of unfounded suspicion.
   • Unusual or strange fears, such as saying that someone wants to harm you.
   • There are hallucinations or changes in sensory experiences; for example seeing, tasting, smelling, hearing, or touching things that others cannot see.
   • Confusing words or writing. Assign unrelated events. Make conclusions inconsistent with the facts.
   • "Negative" symptoms (impaired typical behavior or nerve function) such as lack of emotion (sometimes called loss of pleasure), no eye contact, no facial expressions, no retention hygiene or social detachment.
   • Unusual attire, such as weird clothes, clothes worn awkwardly or awkwardly (one sleeve or pant leg rolled up for no reason, colors contradict each other, etc. ).
   • Unusual motor behavior, such as making weird poses or excessive / repetitive nonsense movements like buttoning and re-unbuttoning / pulling up and down the jacket zipper.

2. 

   
   
   Compare the above symptoms with schizophrenic personality disorder. Schizophrenia is a schizophrenic disorder - both disorders characterized by difficulty in expressing emotions or making social connections; However, there are some notable differences. People with schizophrenia are connected to reality and do not experience persistent hallucinations or delusions. Their way of talking is normal and easy to understand. People with schizophrenia exhibit a preference for loneliness, lack or lack of sexual desire, and may be confused by conventions or social interactions.
   • Although it is part of the schizophrenic spectrum, it is Not is schizophrenic, so the manners with schizophrenia described here do not apply to people with schizophrenia.

3. 

   
   
   Don't assume that you are dealing with schizophrenic people. Even if the person exhibits symptoms of schizophrenia, you shouldn't assume he or she has it out of the blue. You don't want to make the mistake of determining if a person has schizophrenia or not.
   • If you are unsure, ask a friend or family member.
   • Ask skillfully, eg “I want to be sure not to say or do anything wrong, so let me ask: does X have a mental disorder like schizophrenia? I'm very sorry if I say something wrong, I just see some signs, and I want to treat him with respect.

4. 

   
   
   Have a sympathetic look. Once you understand the symptoms of schizophrenia, do your best to put yourself in the person's shoes. Feeling their perspective with empathy or understanding is a key factor in having a good relationship, as it will help you to be less critical, more patient, and more understanding of the patient's needs. .
   • Although it is difficult to imagine some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, you can still imagine being out of control of your mind and not conscious of a loss of control or fully understanding. get real situations.
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Method 2 of 2: Talking to a schizophrenic person

1. 

   Speak slowly, but do not appear condescending. Don't forget that they can hear noises or other voices such as background noise while you are speaking, and that makes it difficult for them to understand what you are saying. It is therefore important that you speak clearly, calmly, and quietly, as their nerves can tire of hearing many voices.
   • Those voices may be criticizing them while you are speaking.

2. 

   Be mindful of hallucinations. Four out of five people with schizophrenia develop hallucinations, so be aware that the person may be hallucinating while you are talking. Maybe they think that you or a neighbor, or some outside entity like the central intelligence agency is controlling their thoughts, maybe they see you as a messenger of God or whatever. something else.
   • Recognize specific hallucinations to learn what information to filter out during conversation.
   • Keep an open mind. Remember that you are talking to someone who might think you are a celebrity, someone who has power or is above all common sense.
   • Try to agree with them when you talk, but don't overly compliment them or flatter them with lots of praise.

3. 

   Never talk as if they weren't there. Never push them outside, even if they are experiencing hallucinations or delusions. Often they can still be aware of what's going on and get hurt by seeing you talking as if they weren't present.
   • If you want to talk to others about the person with schizophrenia, you need to speak in a way that doesn't make them uncomfortable to hear, or in particular at another time.

4. 

   Ask people you know someone with schizophrenia. You can learn how best to talk with the sick person by asking friends and family or their caregivers (if possible). You can ask questions such as:
   • Do they have a history of aggression?
   • Have they been arrested?
   • Are there special hallucinations or delusions that I should be aware of?
   • What special strategies should I follow in situations involving the person?

5. 

   There is a retreat plan. Know when to leave the room if the conversation is not going well or if you feel unsafe.
   • Try to plan before you need reassurance and gently persuade the person to lessen your anger or get rid of the paranoia. There are things you can do to calm them down. For example, if they think the government is spying on them, you can offer to cover the window to avoid photographic / surveillance equipment.

6. 

   Be willing to accept extraordinary things. Keep calm and do not react. People with schizophrenia will have different behaviors and words from normal people. Do not laugh, look down on or make fun of their incorrect arguments or arguments. Call the police if you feel really threatened or in danger.
   • If you envision living with someone with this disorder, you will realize the severity of the situation and such issues cannot be taken lightly.

7. 

   Encourage them to continue taking the medication. People with schizophrenia often want to quit taking drugs. However, it is very important to keep taking the medicine. When they mention stopping taking the drug, you may react as follows:
   • Suggest to ask the doctor before making such an important decision.
   • Reminder that they feel better now than with medication, but they have to continue taking the pills if they want to stay that way.

8. 

   Don't energize their hallucinations. If the person begins to develop a paranoia and says you are plotting against them, avoid eye contact, as this may intensify their paranoia.
   • If they think you're writing something about them, don't text anyone while they're looking at you.
   • If they think you are attempting to steal, avoid staying in the room or house alone for a long time.
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Advice

• One great source of information is the book The Day the Voices Stopped Ken Steele's voice can help you understand what people with schizophrenia go through and the contrasts they can have when they have recovered.
• Visit the person and talk to them like a normal person, no matter what state they are in.
• Does not have an attitude of being mean or use words like speaking to children. An adult with schizophrenia is still an adult.
• It is not assumed that someone will become violent or threatening. Most people with schizophrenia and people with other mental illnesses are no more violent than people in general.
• Do not act or act frightened when symptoms appear.

Warning

• If you call the police, be sure to talk about the person's mental condition so the police know how to handle it.
• Schizophrenia has a high suicide rate compared to the majority of the population. If a sick person says they may commit suicide, get help right away by calling the police or the suicide prevention hotline.
• Always remember to keep yourself safe when the person with schizophrenia is experiencing hallucinations. Don't forget that this is a disorder that involves delusions and hallucinations, and even when the person seems completely friendly, they can suddenly attack.