Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, with Steve Leibmann, Channel Nine, 'Today'

PHELPS: Good morning.

LEIBMANN: Let's begin by putting schizophrenia in perspective in terms of other diseases.

PHELPS: Well, if we look at how common schizophrenia is, about one in 100 people will suffer schizophrenia at some time in their lives. And I think it's important for people to know that schizophrenia isn't necessarily a lifelong diagnosis. It usually comes on between the ages of about 15 and 25, but it can come on younger. It can come on older. Some people might have only one or two episodes and never get another episode in their whole lives.

LEIBMANN: You see that's interesting, and it reminds me there are a lot of myths surrounding schizophrenia. For example, a lot of people - I was one of them - sort of think 'split personality'. Not true.

PHELPS: No, that isn't true. In fact, that confusion comes from the origin of the word 'schizophrenia', which comes from the Greek word meaning 'to split'. And rather than meaning 'split personality' it actually means a split from reality.

LEIBMANN: From reality, okay. So what are some of the other myths?

PHELPS: Well, a lot of myths. A lot of people think that schizophrenics are much more violent and dangerous than people who don't have schizophrenia. And in fact, violent crime, violent behaviour is no more common amongst schizophrenics than it is other people.

LEIBMANN: But it can be become violent?

PHELPS: They can become violent, but generally speaking, people with schizophrenia are more of a danger to themselves than to others because as you could see from the reaction of that man who put the goggles on and was reminded of how he felt when he had schizophrenia.

LEIBMANN: Yeah. It's a very distressing, very frightening terrifying condition for somebody to have. To be hearing voices and seeing things that aren't there and to be having voices telling them what they should be doing or how they're thinking and directing their activities. In a way, making them frightened of their surroundings. And for that reason it can become so intolerable that people with schizophrenia can choose to harm themselves and commit suicide.

LEIBMANN: Because that's one of the problems, isn't it? They know what they're going through. We don't.

PHELPS: Well, it's impossible to know what somebody else is going through. And I think the value at least of something like these goggles is for somebody to be able to say, 'Well, you know, no wonder this person is reacting in a way that they are because their brain is misfiring in this particular way.

LEIBMANN: What causes it? What triggers schizophrenia?

PHELPS: We don't really know exactly the cause, but we're getting a lot closer to finding out. We do know that there's a genetic basis. For example, if you've got two parents with schizophrenia the chances are that you've got about a 40 per cent chance. It's more common if one twin has it, it's more likely that the other twin will have it. But it's not necessarily just a genetic problem. What that does is create a vulnerability, and then there are environmental factors, conditions in your upbringing, perhaps some sort of chemical trigger like cannabis that might set it off.

LEIBMANN: Okay. So in bygone days you got it, you got put into a home.

PHELPS: Well, that was pretty much it.

LEIBMANN: Yeah, I mean, but these days it is treatable. It is manageable, isn't it?

PHELPS: Yes, it is. I mean about a third of people with schizophrenia will get better. About a third will have a condition that comes and goes. And about a third will have a chronic condition that really does affect their quality of life and their ability to work and to conduct relationships.

So what we have seen is a great improvement in the number of people who are able to live normal lives with schizophrenia, and that is because we have some community support services which are better than before, and better medication.

LEIBMANN: Right.

PHELPS: And it's the real issue here is that if people do get a medication that suits them, and we've got a much better range now than we ever did have, then they have more chance of leading constructive and happy lives.

LEIBMANN: Good stuff. See you next week.

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