No, Schizophrenia Isn't the Same as Having a 'Split Personality'

Schizophrenia is a complex and serious mental disorder that involves hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking and an abnormal interpretation of reality. However, from its portrayal in mainstream media to misguided notions about mental health in general, schizophrenia is often deeply misunderstood.

Ashleigh Singleton, a mental health advocate and community educator on schizophrenia who has lived with the condition herself for more than 20 years, said the most common misconception people have when she tells them she has schizophrenia is that she has a split personality or multiple personalities.

This is not the case.

It's no surprise misconceptions are rampant. Inaccurate and exaggerated portrayals of what it's like to live with schizophrenia are pervasive. That's part of the reason why Singleton has made it her life's work to educate others about the reality of schizophrenia, and to prove someone can have the disorder and enjoy a meaningful and fulfilling life.

For Singleton, schizophrenia manifests in the form of auditory hallucinations. She first started hearing voices when she was 14 years old, shortly after her mom died following a years-long struggle with various health problems.

"At the time, there was no information at school or anything like that about mental health issues," Singleton said. "So, I was hearing these extremely malicious voices that were constantly just telling me to harm myself, to kill myself, things like that."

From age 14 to age 16, Singleton said, she didn't tell anyone she was hearing voices for fear of how they would react and what they would think.

"When I started hearing these voices, I was like, 'Oh my goodness. I'm literally going crazy,'" Singleton continued. "I felt like if I told anybody that I hear voices, I might be thrown in a padded room for the rest of my life. I was completely terrified. I didn't know what to do.

"For the next two years, I didn't tell anybody I was hearing voices," she added. "Outwardly, I was really struggling to connect to people around me and getting in trouble at school. And, of course, I was still really mad and upset that my mom died."

Before her diagnosis, Singleton said, people were already putting forth misguided notions about what they thought could be the problem.

"When I was going through various stages of being diagnosed with schizophrenia, I went to a private Christian school, and I had people like my 'friend's' parents going to my dad and saying, 'We need to cast the devil out of Ashleigh.'"

Fortunately, her father instead became her biggest advocate and ally, supporting her from the time she began the journey of diagnosis to when she started and continued the treatment that has allowed her to live a fulfilling and healthy life.

Now, Singleton and her father work with the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society to educate local high schoolers, police departments and other parts of the community about what it's really like to both live with and support a loved one with schizophrenia.

Despite an increasingly open dialogue about mental health, there's still a long ways to go. Singleton noted she encounters people all the time who have a wildly different view from the reality of what it means to have schizophrenia, not to mention it still surprises some folks to know it's possible for people with schizophrenia to lead meaningful lives.

"I could have used the conversations about mental health that are happening now when I was young and struggling with voices, and being afraid to tell anyone about it," Singleton said. "When it comes down to it, we're more alike than different. And people shouldn't be defined by what's happening with the chemicals in their brains."

Diane McIntosh, a psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, echoed the importance of fighting all stigma surrounding mental health issues, adding that doing so starts with education.

"The stigma comes from a lack of understanding and that leads to a lack of compassion," McIntosh said. "When we teach each other and when we also seek to learn more on our own, we can understand each other better and start to break down those walls."

Schizophrenia can interfere with almost every aspect of daily life and lead to severe, even fatal complications when left untreated. According to experts, treatment usually requires a combination of antipsychotic drugs and psychosocial therapy. Because schizophrenia is a chronic disorder, continuous treatment is necessary to keep symptoms under control and to avoid complications.

The antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia can cause a range of side effects, including sexual dysfunction. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any disruptive side effects, as they may be able to lower your dosage or find a different medication that might work better for you.

Singleton said finding the right medication as well as getting involved with her local psychosocial rehabilitation center for people with schizophrenia and other mental health issues helped her find a new lease on life. Forming meaningful relationships and finding a sense of community with others she could relate to helped save her life.

The Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance offers resources as well as professional and peer support to those living with schizophrenia as well as their loved ones. The journey may not always be an easy one, but it helps when you don't have to make that journey on your own.