Att leva med schizofreni: en kvalitativ studie om drabbade och anhöriga

The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective experience of schizophrenia. Four people, two of them diagnosed with schizophrenia and two relatives, were interviewed. The themes selected were development of the disease, recovery, belief in the future, the role of families and siblings, stigmatization and the relationship between violent crimes and mental illness. The development and experience of schizophrenia as well as the recovery differ from person to person. Schizophrenia is a family disease and can be devastating for all family members. Despite that, the support from relatives is crucial for the recovery. The stigmatization can make the illness worse and is also contributing to the fact that people with schizophrenia and their relatives are ashamed of the disease. Unlike the public prejudice that people with schizophrenia are violent and dangerous, researches have not been able to make such a conclusion based on mental illness alone. Further research needs to find ways to increase the knowledge of schizophrenia and decrease the stigmatization