Communicating with Individuals with Schizophrenia: A Guide for Support

Schizophrenia is a complicated and difficult disorder to cope with, both for those who suffer from it and for those who support them. One of the most difficult aspects, especially for those caring for a schizophrenic, is communication. Talking to a schizophrenic, and being understood, require patience and understanding.

Things You'll Need

• A Basic Understanding of Schizophrenia

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Instructions

How to Talk to a Schizophrenic

• 1

  Assess the state of the disorder. Some types of schizophrenia can leave a person with a blank affect; he won't speak or even acknowledge your presence. Other types cause delusions or childlike behavior. Assessing the symptoms and their severity is the first and key step to communication.

• 2

  When attempting to communicate, use a normal voice and speak to the person with schizophrenia as you would speak to anyone else. When symptoms are minor, schizophrenics are able to understand normal communication, even if they don't always respond to it.

• 3

  Be patient. It can take a long time to engage a schizophrenic in communication. This may be due to a symptom of the disorder or simply because the person has to focus her mind on listening and thinking clearly before even attempting to make herself understood.