The following are the most common questions from patients, parents, siblings (brothers and sisters), husbands/wifes, and others commonly in our discussion boards, along with our member answers and advice. In many cases, member answers have been expanded on from other sources, and relevant links have been added for more information. These answers are meant only as a helpful guide and a resource for further information; each individual situation is unique and may need a tailored solution. Your treating psychiatrist is always the best person to ask when you have specific questions pertaining to your own case.

If you don't find what you're looking for here, please visit the Schizophrenia.com Discussion Boards (see the righthand menu column on the Schizophrenia.com homepage ) and post your question. Our members are usually very generous with their advice and support.

FAQ Index of Questions:

General Questions:

• What is my risk of developing schizophrenia?
• What can I do to lower the risk of developing schizophrenia?
• What can I do to lower the risk of developing schizophrenia for future children?

Diagnosis and Treatment:

• How is schizophrenia diagnosed? How can I tell if someone has schizophrenia?
  
• What to do if you suspect you or a loved one may have a psychiatric disorder
  
• What if my family member refuses to see a doctor?
  
• What to do after recieving a diagnosis - how you can help
  
• What is the prognosis? How likely is it that a person with schizophrenia will ever have a "normal" life?
  
• How is schizophrenia treated?
  
• What to expect after going on medication
  
• What if I can't afford prescription medications?
  
• Working with the psychiatrist
  
• Hospitalization - when and why is it necessary?
        The hospital experience    
        Choosing a facility
        Concerns of families
  
• My son (or daughter) is over the legal age of 18 and the doctors won't share with me information on his treatment (due to current laws). How can I make sure my son/daughter is getting the best possible treatment and the doctor is well informed?
  
• How can I help my loved one get the best care possible?
  
• Why won't my loved one stick to their treatment?

Coping With Schizophrenia:

• How do I understand and deal with the symptoms? (Delusions; Voices/Hallucinations; Anger/Irritability/Mood swings; Violence and Abuse; Paranoia; Suicidal Thoughts and Tendencies; Apathy/Lack of Motivation; Emotional Flatness and Social Withdrawal)
  
• How Can I Help Someone Who's Depressed? Why Is Depression So Common Among Schizophrenia Patients?
       Possible causes of depression
        How to cope and where to get help
  
• What are the chances of relapse? How can you plan for a relapse situation?
  
• How do I explain the illness to family, close friends, and others?

Living With a Severe Mental Illness - Practical Matters:

• Planning for the future - issues for caregivers and resources to help
  
• Federal Aid and Funding Programs
  
• Health Insurance and Aid
  
• Housing concerns - if your loved one can't live at home
  
• Job and School Issues - can a person with schizophrenia go back to work?
  
• How can I help a family member who's been arrested?

Questions From Parents About Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia (onset under age 14):

• What is childhood-onset schizophrenia? How is it different from adult schizophrenia?
  
• How can I tell if my child is developing early-onset schizophrenia? How early can it be identified?
  
• How do I respond to my child's symptoms (particularly hallucinations)?
  
• The Next Steps: What if my child needs an evaluation or treatment?
  
• Received a Diagnosis - now what?
  
• Prescription Medications - what to expect
  
• What antipsychotic medications are there? What do they do? What are the side effects?
  
• How will medication help? How will I know if it's working?
  
• Are there any other treatments besides medication?
  
• How can I help my child understand his/her condition?
  
• How do I explain the illness to my other children? How can I help them cope with their brother/sister's condition?
  
• How can I plan for my child's financial needs, now and in the future?
  
• What can I do if my child is having problems at school (social or otherwise)?
  
• For Teens: Who you can talk to, where you can get help

Questions From Children (Offspring) of People With Schizophrenia:

• My mother/father is becoming more paranoid and acting odd - is this schizophrenia? Could it be something else?
  
• What are my chances of inheriting schizophrenia from my parent? Of passing it on to my own children?
  
• Do children of parents with schizophrenia have a higher incidence of other, related psychiatric conditions?
  
• What common issues/concerns do children of parents with schizophrenia deal with, and how do they cope?
  
• I am a student/I have a full-time job/I live far away. How can I make sure my parent is taking care of themselves?
  
• What if my parent wants to come live with me?
  
• Deciding to obtain guardianship or power of attorney
  
• Is my parent eligible for disability aid or health insurance?
  
• How can I help a parent (or older family member) who's depressed?
  
• Living with a mentally ill parent is affecting my own thoughts - I have to remind myself who's delusional! Is this common?
  
• How do I explain to my children about Grandma/Grandpa's illness? Should I keep them from visiting?

Questions From Siblings (Brothers and Sisters) of People With Schizophrenia:

• How a severe mental illness in the family commonly affects brothers and sisters
  
• What are my chances of developing a mental illness also?
  
• How do I explain this illness to other people?
  
• How to cope as a brother/sister and as a family
  
• What you, as a sibling, can and can't do for yourself and your ill brother/sister
  
• Your role in your sibling's recovery process
  
• Is it helpful to try and make my brother/sister get out and get more involved with life?
  
• How can I best help my sibling if I live far away?
  
• How to plan for the future as parents age

Questions From Partners (Wives and Husbands) of People With Schizophrenia:

• How can I relate to what my spouse is going through? How can I be supportive and understanding?
  
• How can my partner sometimes seem perfectly normal and loving, while at other times they are completely irrational?
  
• If it comes to the point of involuntary commitment, will they ever forgive me?
  
• What level of responsibility can I logically expect from my partner?
  
• How much is "enough"? Setting limits, deciding when to stay and when to leave
  
• How can I best take care of my own physical and mental well-being, without making my partner feel neglected
  
• How can I cope with my partner's extreme emotional withdrawal?
  
• The symptoms are affecting our physical and sexual relationship - is there anything to be done?
  
• Living with a mentally ill partner is affecting my own thoughts - I have to remind myself who's delusional! Is this common?
  
• Considering children and parenting
  
• How can I help my children cope with mommy/daddy's illness?
  
• Considering a long-term committed relationship with a boyfriend/girlfriend who has schizophrenia