… and suddenly that voice was there in my head

At home in the bathroom began. Anna Kunze, 16 years old, cleaned the bathroom, just like every Wednesday – there’s suddenly: “Anna!” “Anna!”

Who called her? Her parents were on the road, for sure. The TV was on? Anna ran through the house, was in a panic, found no one. The Voice? Only in your head. Loud and strong, as if someone were standing directly behind her. It was the beginning of Anna’s schizophrenia.

The 22-year-old in Dresden and is one of around 500,000 people in Germany who live with the diagnosis. “In schizophrenia, people do not perceive things that exist in reality,” explains Sandeep Rout, specialist for psychiatry and psychotherapy, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, in Berlin. “There is a split between Experience and reality. No split personality, as many people think.”

Schizophrenia leads to delusional ideas

Among the main symptoms are auditory hallucinations, delusional ideas, thoughts, which do not correspond to reality, and disturbances of the I-perception. Stakeholders have the feeling that others could read their thoughts or possession of your personality.

Anna Kunze paints a portrait of a woman. The art helps her to better with your schizophrenia.

The guile of the disease Between onset and diagnosis, with an average of five years. Also in the case of Anna Kunze, the disease remained long undetected – you snuck in your life, and darkened it. In school, the girl felt bullied, then their grandmother died. Anna Kunze was plunged into an emotional crisis. With 14 years she was treated for the first Time due to depression in the hospital.

Acute Psychosis

The voice in your head, a woman’s voice, took over more and more Power. You insulted Anna Kunze. “You’re not stupid, Anna!” “Anna, You’re ugly!” And then the whole world was suddenly against you. Also your family Anna Kunze is no longer trusted. “I was sure that my sister has aligned with a radiation to me, so I’m going crazy.”

“Acute psychosis”, says Professor Hans-Peter Volz, Medical Director at the hospital for psychiatry, psychotherapy and Psychosomatic medicine Schloss Werneck in Bavaria, Germany. “To prevent these stages, early detection is important. This reduces the risk for a chronic course.”

Non-Specific Symptoms

To recognize schizophrenia early, but it was difficult. “In a preliminary stage of non-specific symptoms such as restlessness, sleep disturbances, lack of joy, drops in performance or tension feelings show. Affected often feel of other, excluded, and misunderstood,” explains Volz.

Who recognizes such changes, should seek help, advises Sandeep Rout. Psychiatrists and psychiatric clinics were not the right person to contact. The first measure of stress to the stress factors from the life. “People should pay attention to getting enough sleep and sensory overload, avoid,” says Rout. Alcohol and drugs could also trigger an acute episode. A special role in the prevention of a stable environment – a lot of patience and understanding of the nationals games.

Therapeutic Procedures

“Schizophrenia is today, with medication, to treat. A combination with psychotherapy and other therapeutic procedures, such as occupational therapy is usually ideal,” explains Volz.

Anna Kunze has learned to live with your disease, even a co-founder of the EX-Saxony – an Association for those who help each other. Volz says: “This is the correct setting. People should grovel on the ground.” There is no Schizophrenic, he says, “only people with schizophrenia”. Although the disease is part of your life. But only a part.

Mysterious Illness

Paranoid Schizophrenia: "As much autonomy as possible, and as little compulsion as nötig"

People with paranoid schizophrenia live in a parallel world: you hear voices in your head, suffer from delusions of persecution, alienate themselves from friends and family. How can you be helped? A conversation with Professor Andreas Heinz, head of psychiatry at the Charité in Berlin.