Mental health and psychiatric disorders

Schizophrenia

A mental health condition affecting how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, impacting daily life.
  • enableDex
  • disAbility Atlas
      • Schizophrenia

About

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.

People with schizophrenia may experience symptoms like delusions (false beliefs), hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t there), disorganised thinking, and changes in behaviour. These symptoms can make it difficult to do everyday activities, including work.

This condition is often invisible.

Many disabilities, including this one, may not have outward signs—people can be significantly impacted even if they appear “fine” on the outside.

Common Challenges

  • Difficulty focusing or concentrating on tasks.
  • Trouble communicating or interacting with co-workers.
  • Disorganised thoughts that make it hard to plan and organise work.
  • Difficulty managing stress or workplace demands.
  • Fear or anxiety around social interactions and working with others.
  • Fatigue or low energy levels due to medication or symptoms.
  • Stigma or misunderstanding from colleagues and employers.

Practitioner Help

  • Making sure the participant has a current mental health care plan provided by a GP.
  • Encouraging your participant to engage in all aspects of their mental health care plan.
  • Suggest therapy to help manage symptoms, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
  • Encouraging medication management.
  • Help improve social skills and interactions in the workplace.
  • Support in building coping strategies for stress and challenges at work.
  • Guide through understanding of and managing symptoms during work hours.
  • Educate employers about the condition and ways to support employees with schizophrenia.

Common Accommodations

  • Modifications to the communication style (e.g., clearer instructions or written reminders)
  • Flexible work hours (for managing health conditions)
  • Quiet work environment or noise-cancelling headphones
  • Allowing more breaks to manage anxiety or fatigue
  • Job coaching or ongoing support
  • Use of technology to assist with tasks
View more on enableDex

Notes

imagef.png

World Schizophrenia Day is 24th May

Video titled: Schizophrenia... What is it? picture

Video titled: Living with Schizophrenia - Ashley picture

Schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, but with the right support, treatment, and accommodations, individuals can live fulfilling lives and succeed in the workplace. Early intervention is key to better managing symptoms.

Resources

  • Schizophrenia | healthdirect
  • What is schizophrenia?
  • Caring for a person experiencing mania
  • Understanding Schizophrenia - Mayo Clinic
Mental health and psychiatric disorders

Help Us Improve the Knowledge Hub

This Knowledge Hub is a living library that relies on community feedback to stay current, accurate, and effective for everyone. We welcome all submissions, whether you've spotted an error, have an improvement idea, or want to suggest a new topic.

Report an Inaccuracy

Help us correct outdated information, broken links, or any factual errors you find.

Suggest an Improvement

Suggest an improvement to make an existing profile or resource much clearer.
submit feedback