Lived Experience Forum

[Sanebo]

SANE Australia has called for a national discussion on whether to change the name of Schizophrenia - https://www.sane.org/sane-media/news-comment

Some people - including people living with schizophrenia, their family and friends and mental health professionals - strongly support a change but others are not so sure.

Some research suggests it would help other research says its not definitive.

How do you see it? 

[NikNik]

Hi @Sanebo

I found this part of the article particularly interesting:

"In Japan, after they changed the name, psychiatrists were almost twice as likely to tell their patients about their diagnosis.  Furthermore, 86 per cent of psychiatrists said it was also easier to talk to their families and discuss the treatments available."

What do others think?

[Rosie]

Hi @Sanebo

Yep, we should. Manic-depression was renamed and got a bit of a "stigma makeover", why not? I think its a good thing to talk about because it would be empowering for people who live with it to take part in the name change. Is the pupose only to reduce stigma? Or is there a medical argument to 'reclassify it' - I don't really know. But the purpose should be clear and there should be sound research and theory as to why and how it might be changed.

[ivana]

I think so.

Its only part of the picture regarding removing stigma but i think a name change would be a good start.