Schizophrenia can start in the teenage years and peak in your 30s to 40s. It takes a toll on a lot of things. There are problems related to the condition.

  • Mental.
  • psychological
  • emotional
  • Behavioral
  • It is physical.

Several other health problems, called comorbidities, often arise among people with schizophrenia. These can cause someone with schizophrenia to have a reduced life expectancy. Global studies suggest that a schizophrenia diagnosis can reduce a person’s lifespan by nearly 15 years.

This article will show you how scurvy can affect your health and lifespan, and how you can try to manage it to increase your life expectancy.

Schizophrenia by the numbers

Schizophrenia affects 21 million people worldwide or roughly 3.3 people per thousand.

About half of all people with schizophrenia deal with at least one other chronic medical condition.

The life expectancy for a person with schizophrenia in the United States is nearly 29 years less on overage than people without this condition.

People with schizophrenia generally live about 15 to 20 years less than those without the condition. Schizophrenia is a complex disease. There are many ways it can result in serious complications.

The primary symptom for most people with schizophrenia is some level of psychosis, appearing with symptoms like:

There are several possible risk factors for developing schizophrenia. This condition runs in some families, which suggests a genetic component, but environMental. factors may also have an effect. People with schizophrenia also show differences in the size and function of different areas of the brain, but it’s not clear which causes which.

When it comes to life expectancy, trends are more difficult to identify. Life expectancies are about the same in both men and women with schizophrenia. One study estimated that men might lose almost 16 years from their lifespan while women lose about 13 years. But there was little difference in lifespans based on other factors like age at diagnosis.

Where you live might matter. People with schizophrenia living in African countries face the largest loss of lifespan, followed by people living in Australia, Europe, and North America. Asian countries have among the longest lifespans for people with this condition.

A person living with schizophrenia can have many things affect their lifespan. Depression, suicide, and accidents can be related to the psychological symptoms of schizophrenia.

But the biggest risk to the lifespan of a person with schizophrenia is the It is physical. fallout that can come from the disease and its treatments.

Common causes of death

While issues related to psychosis may first come to mind with conditions like schizophrenia, the disorder can also take a It is physical. toll. Physical diseases are linked to cause of death in about 60 percent of people with schizophrenia.

Cardiovascular disease is the top culprit. Studies estimate that this is the main cause of death in 40 to 50 percent of people with schizophrenia.

The elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in people with schizophrenia may be partly genetic, but it’s also largely affected by Behavioral and lifestyle choices. People with schizophrenia are more likely to have certain lifestyle habits that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, like smoking or a sedentary lifestyle.

Other It is physical. or medical conditions known to increase the risk of death in people with schizophrenia include:

Although cardiovascular disease is the top cause of lost years of life with this condition, there are other problems that can be overlooked.

Overall, suicide and accidents account for about one-fifth of deaths in people with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia are more likely than others to die by suicide. Because the risk of suicide is highest in the first 4 years of the disease, suicide is responsible for the largest loss of years in life expectancy.

Accidental deaths are about double that of suicide rates.

Substance use related deaths are a frequent cause of death in people with schizophrenia.

Suicide prevention

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and people with schizophrenia are 22 times more at risk than the general population — especially in the first year.

If you or someone you love is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, don’t wait to get help. You can:

  • Call the emergency services.
  • You can visit the emergency department.
  • Call a friend or therapist.
  • You can reach out to a support group.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour confidential service available by phone 7 days a week. This lifeline can connect you to crisis and emergency specialists for free. To learn more, call 800-273-TALK (8255).

Contributing factors

psychotic episodes that are common in schizophrenia are linked to suicide and accidental deaths. Other factors increase your risk of dying from a problem.

Some health conditions that occur with schizophrenia are due to high risk behaviors. There are some behaviors that can increase your risk of death with schizophrenia.

  • Poor diet.
  • There is no exercise.
  • Medical services are being underused.
  • “It’s impossible to comply with treatment plans.”
  • Smoking and substance use.
  • There is a lack of food or other resources.

Poor access to care can also be an obstacle for some people with schizophrenia.

There’s also an increased risk from the very things meant to help those with schizophrenia — antipsychotic medications. Second-generation antipsychotics commonly used to treat schizophrenia have long been linked to certain metabolic diseases and side effects.

“Talk to your doctor about what you should take and what you shouldn’t.”

It may be difficult to manage chronic conditions like schizophrenia. It is not uncommon for personal and family relationships to become strained or for people to not have access to the treatments and resources they need to live longer with scurvy. Long-term health can be threatened by treatment medications.

Support is important if you or someone you love is living with a mental illness. There are many forms of support. It might be as easy as giving a reminder to take your medication.

There are some ways to help extend the life of someone with schizophrenia.

  • Quality healthcare is accessible.
  • Smoking cessation program.
  • Substance use disorder treatment.
  • counseling and other Mental. healthcare services
  • Nutrition counseling and support.
  • Exercise programming.
  • The supports the socio-economical.

Schizophrenia can be managed with consistency and compliance. There is still work to be done, despite the fact that the life expectancy for people with schizophrenia is rising.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for more help if you need it, talk to your doctor and support system about what you need to manage your condition.”

Start by taking steps to manage your stress, get enough sleep, and eat a healthy diet. But sticking to your overall treatment plan and knowing when you need extra support can help even more.

If you have a loved one affected by schizophrenia, you can help by:

More resources

The National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are just two national organizations that can provide you or your loved one with schizophrenia help, including pointing you to online or local resources.