This National Schizophrenia Awareness Day on July 25, 2026, we’re unpacking this misunderstood mental health condition, busting myths, and explaining why so many people with schizophrenia are also battling substance use issues.
The more we understand what schizophrenia is and what it isn’t, the more personalised addiction recovery can be for dual diagnosis clients.
Integrated addiction recovery honours the unique experiences of dual diagnosis, and is changing lives on a daily basis.
If this approach appeals to you, please get in touch with Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690 for further information and support.
National Schizophrenia Awareness Day is held on the 25th July.
This annual event was created by the charity Rethink Mental Illness to raise awareness of schizophrenia, improve the understanding of the condition, and reduce stigma.
Getting involved is simple! You can make a donation to Rethink Mental Illness, explore the resources on their site, or:
As you learn more about schizophrenia this July, we encourage you to educate yourself on the links between schizophrenia and addiction.
People who are battling both illnesses face additional stigma, which can be reduced if the public is willing to explore the realities of both conditions.
Not sure where to start? Right here works!
In today’s blog post, we’re going to outline what schizophrenia is, how it affects people with the condition, and why it’s associated with drug and alcohol addiction.
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that affects around 23 million people around the world (1).
This condition causes “positive” and “negative” symptoms.
Positive schizophrenia symptoms are not enjoyable.
When we say positive, we mean that these symptoms add something to the individual’s experience, rather than taking something away.
They are examples of psychosis, such as:
Negative schizophrenia symptoms are characterised by difficulty functioning.
Individuals with these symptoms may experience:
Generally, negative symptoms are harder to treat, and they can even be medication-resistant.
However, this doesn’t mean medication never works for schizophrenia. Many individuals with this condition benefit from a combination of medication and ongoing therapy.
Schizophrenia is one of the most stigmatised mental health conditions, and much of this stigma comes from myths. Let’s bust some of those myths today.
Whilst schizophrenia can increase the likelihood of violence, most people with schizophrenia are not violent. This is commonly portrayed in the media, but it’s not based on reality.
It may surprise you, but people with schizophrenia are more likely to be victims of violence than to behave violently themselves.
In the majority of cases, schizophrenia is a condition that develops slowly, and there are often signs of early symptoms.
Sometimes, it can be triggered by something like drug use (e.g., cannabis), but this doesn’t necessarily mean it came “out of nowhere”. It could be that the drug user was already vulnerable, either genetically or environmentally, before they used the substance.
It’s true that there isn’t a solid “cure” for schizophrenia, but this is true for most mental health conditions.
What this myth doesn’t account for is all the treatments that can control and reduce schizophrenia symptoms, such as therapy and medication.
If schizophrenia is in your family, your risk of developing the disorder may be higher. However, your environment also has an impact on your risk, including trauma, chronic stress, and drug misuse.
Up to 50% of schizophrenia patients are dependent on drugs or alcohol, and over 70% are dependent on nicotine (2). They are known as dual diagnosis patients, as they are experiencing more than one mental health condition.
Often, people diagnosed with schizophrenia will use drugs or alcohol to cope with their situation.
Some substances will help people to access more positive emotions and temporarily forget about their problems, and others will mask the issue by making the person feel relaxed and detached.
Whichever it is, it’s not safe. Relying on drugs and alcohol like this is what commonly leads to addiction.
It also increases the risk of psychosis, which people with schizophrenia are already vulnerable to, as well as the risk of relapse for those in recovery.
There are also instances where someone with no history of schizophrenia begins to experience symptoms after using substances. This is much more common with severe drug use, but it has been known to happen after one-off drug use.
Dual diagnosis patients deal with additional challenges in recovery, such as:
Integrated treatment allows these patients to receive high-quality care for both of their conditions, at the same time.
Their treatment plan is highly tailored, allowing them to receive consistent support for schizophrenia and addiction, from qualified medical staff who understand both diagnoses.
In some cases, rehab may not even be the right place for someone with schizophrenia, and alternatives should be considered. However, many people with this mental health condition manage to successfully complete addiction treatment at rehab.
Tailored treatment plans mean no one’s rehab journey looks the same.
That said, there are certain elements of treatment that are predictable. If you go into rehab with a schizophrenia diagnosis, you can expect:
Getting sober while managing schizophrenia symptoms is a huge challenge, and rehab is the best place to succeed at this.
It allows you to stay away from home for 28 days, put your full focus on recovery, and work with experts to reduce symptoms of both schizophrenia and addiction.
The symptoms of addiction and schizophrenia can overlap, so it’s important to avoid dismissing problematic symptoms just because someone you know has already battled schizophrenia for a long time.
Someone may need professional support if they:
Many dual diagnosis patients have come to us to relieve stress, get expert advice, and accept professional help without having to confront endless admin.
If you’re in the same boat, we encourage you to make the most of our free telephone assessment, where we will ask you about your experiences with schizophrenia and addiction, and offer to refer you to a treatment provider that can expertly manage your two conditions throughout the recovery journey.
Simply call us on 0800 140 4690.
Below, we outline answers to common questions about National Schizophrenia Awareness Day:
No, dual diagnosis refers to the presence of addiction with any other mental health condition. The second condition isn’t always schizophrenia. In fact, schizophrenia is one of the less common mental health diagnoses.
Other examples of dual diagnosis are:
Families can support their loved ones in recovery by being a consistently supportive presence in their lives. Emotional openness is one of the most powerful skills families can develop.
Boundaries are also important. Each family member only has a limited amount of time and energy, and it’s sensible to avoid expending all of this on the recovering loved one.
Finding the right balance between support and self-care is the best way to show your support.
Yes, it’s possible to recover from addiction if you have schizophrenia.
Having two conditions can make recovery much tougher, but with the right support, there’s nothing stopping you from thriving long-term.
The right support looks different for everyone, but some key considerations should be:
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schizophrenia
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181760/
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
