About 1% of Americans, or nearly 3.5 million people, are affected by schizophrenia — yet the mental disorder remains highly stigmatized and misunderstood, experts say.

The reason, according to Brooke Kempf, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner based in Indiana, is a general lack of knowledge about schizophrenia.

“People may see somebody hallucinating and think, ‘That is schizophrenia,’ when there’s so much more to the illness,” she told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

STUDY LINKS CANNABIS ABUSE TO SCHIZOPHRENIA IN YOUNG MEN

“It’s important for people to recognize that schizophrenia is a diagnosed and treatable medical condition.”

For World Schizophrenia Day, Kempf shared some of the most common myths and misconceptions surrounding the disorder.

Here’s a look at five. 

Myth No. 1: People with schizophrenia are violent

One of the greatest and “most harmful” myths is the notion that people living with schizophrenia are “scary” or “violent,” Kempf said.

“There is a long history of conflating TV or movie characters who are behaving in odd, confusing or frightening ways with a diagnosis of schizophrenia,” she said. 

NY WOMAN REVEALS LIFE WITH A SISTER’S SCHIZOPHRENIA, WRITES ‘LOVE LETTER’ TO HER

“However, we have to remember that these are made-up, dramatized situations. A diagnosis of schizophrenia doesn’t have anything to do with what we see on the screen.”

When patients with schizophrenia experience an acute episode — perhaps having delusions or hearing voices — they might behave differently than they typically would, sometimes seeming angry or violent.

“The person is likely experiencing something within themselves that they might be arguing about or responding to, but they aren’t targeting anything toward another person,” Kempf said.

When a patient with schizophrenia is experiencing an acute episode — perhaps having delusions or hearing voices — they might behave differently than they typically would, sometimes seeming angry or violent. (iStock)

When symptoms are managed with medication, “you would probably have no idea of their diagnosis,” she noted.

“Through my long history of working in community mental health and hearing their stories, I know that people living with schizophrenia are good, caring, loving people,” Kempf said. 

“They are more likely,” she added, “to be the victim of a violent crime than the perpetrator of one.”

Myth No. 2: People with schizophrenia have multiple personalities

There is a misconception that people with schizophrenia have multiple personalities, which could be because the Greek word “schizophrenia” means “split mind,” Kempf noted.

“However, people with schizophrenia do not have split personalities,” she said. 

MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS DON’T GET NEEDED CARE

“They might have different behavioral characteristics when they’re ill and experiencing an episode, but it’s not because they have a split personality.”

Myth No. 3: People with schizophrenia are not intelligent

This assumption is completely false, according to Kempf.

“If the illness isn’t well managed and continues to progress, or they have repeated relapses, patients will lose gray matter in their brains, and their cognitive function may decline,” she told Fox News Digital.

“But that does not mean they’re not intelligent.”

One expert said she’s worked with a multitude of “very successful individuals who also happen to live with schizophrenia.” (iStock)

Some patients may experience cognitive decline in the early stages of the disease — referred to as the “prodromal phase,” Kempf said — but early diagnosis and intervention can help prevent that.

Kempf said she has worked with a multitude of “very successful individuals who also happen to live with schizophrenia.”

“People with schizophrenia do not have split personalities.”

In many cases, she noted, people can no longer see the “highly intelligent individual” behind the disease.

“As long as individuals with schizophrenia get the proper treatment — ideally with a long-acting injectable (LAI) medication — they can keep their symptoms controlled and function very well,” Kempf said. 

Myth No. 4: Symptoms of schizophrenia only involve hallucinations and delusions

Schizophrenia consists of what is clinically termed “positive” and “negative” symptoms, Kempf noted.

“Delusions and hallucinations, as well as changes in behavior and thoughts, are considered positive symptoms,” she said. 

“Delusions and hallucinations, as well as changes in behavior and thoughts, are considered positive symptoms” of schizophrenia, the expert said.  (iStock)

Patients experiencing these symptoms may hear voices or have extra thoughts, delusions or fixed false beliefs, the expert explained. 

“Hallucinations are not just hearing voices,” Kempf said. “They can occur in multiple ways based on our senses — seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things.”

Negative symptoms are when people lose interest in the world around them, withdraw or don’t take an interest in everyday social interactions, according to Kempf. 

DISRUPTED SLEEP, PLUS NIGHTMARES COULD BE LINKED TO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, EXPERTS SAY

“Patients with schizophrenia may get labeled as ‘lazy,’ or they don’t seem as put together,” she said. “But it’s not about laziness. The person’s brain doesn’t connect these things as being important.”

People with schizophrenia may also experience what are referred to as “psychomotor” symptoms, Kempf said — they might seem abnormally slow, and their speech and thought processes can be somewhat delayed or disorganized.

“Unfortunately, if these negative symptoms continue and there isn’t treatment, they can impact cognitive functioning.”

Myth No. 5: People with schizophrenia require long-term or lifelong hospitalization

Hospitalization for a person experiencing acute schizophrenia symptoms is usually very short, according to Kempf. 

“For someone having an episode of schizophrenia, the average length of stay may be about five days.”

“In an inpatient setting, for someone having an episode of schizophrenia, the average length of stay may be about five days,” she said.

“If a patient doesn’t respond to medication and can’t function safely on their own, they might have to go to a longer-term, higher-level setting.”

CHICAGO NURSE IS FINALLY FREE OF COVID-19-RELATED PTSD AND DEPRESSION AFTER ELECTRICAL BRAIN TAPPING THERAPY

Today, health care providers aim to give people with schizophrenia community-based services so that they’re able to function on their own, Kempf noted.

This might mean supporting them with employment services and housing opportunities to ensure that they have an affordable and safe place to live. 

“Some patients continue to live with their family members; some might live in a group home,” Kempf said.

“People living with this disease deserve to be treated like human beings and with the same care we would provide someone diagnosed with a physical illness.”

From a medical perspective, schizophrenia has different levels of severity, the expert noted. 

“But, again, if managed well, with early intervention, an individual can remain high-functioning and live independently,” she said. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Our goal is the least structured environment possible, enabling the person to live a normal life where they can work, grocery shop and drive on a day-to-day basis.” 

Ultimately, Kempf said, schizophrenia should be viewed as a disease, not a choice. 

“While schizophrenia is a mental health diagnosis, it should be thought of no differently than a physical health diagnosis of diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease,” an expert said. (iStock)

“While schizophrenia is a mental health diagnosis, it should be thought of no differently than a physical health diagnosis of diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease,” she said.

“It just impacts a different organ: the brain.”

Other brain disorders, such as epilepsy, tend to be more accepted by society, she said — but there is still a “huge stigma” surrounding diseases like schizophrenia, “probably because of the fear of the unknown.”

“It is treatable, and both medication and support services are available,” she told Fox News Digital. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“We all have a role to play in helping to dispel myths, foster understanding and reduce stigma,” she continued. 

“People living with this disease deserve to be treated like human beings and with the same care we would provide someone diagnosed with a physical illness.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Taking fish oil supplements could raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study suggests.

Among healthy people, regular use of fish oil was found to make them more susceptible to developing heart disease and stroke for the first time, the study found.

Among those who had existing heart disease, however, fish oil consumption was shown to slow the progression of cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk of mortality.

MEDITERRANEAN, MIND DIETS SHOWN TO REDUCE SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S IN THE BRAIN, STUDY FINDS

Researchers analyzed nearly 12 years of data for more than 415,000 participants from the UK Biobank study; the participants ranged in age from 40 to 69.

“Regular use of fish oil supplements might be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation and stroke among the general population, but could be beneficial for progression of cardiovascular disease from atrial fibrillation to major adverse cardiovascular events, and from atrial fibrillation to death,” the researchers wrote in the study, which was published in The BMJ (British Medical Journal).

“Further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms for the development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease events with regular use of fish oil supplements.”

Study highlights ‘uncertainty,’ cardiologist says

Dr. Jim Liu, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, pointed out that there has been conflicting data about whether or not fish oil or omega 3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“This is yet another study that reminds us there is still a lot that needs to be investigated when it comes to fish oil and heart disease.”

“This study appears to echo the same sentiment that there is still some uncertainty about their relation to heart health,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Similar to previous studies, I think this study indicates that fish oil is not necessarily universally good or bad for all.”

COMMON COOKING INGREDIENT COULD REDUCE DEMENTIA MORTALITY RISK, STUDY SUGGESTS

Whether or not fish oil is beneficial or harmful depends on an individual’s specific underlying health conditions, he said — such as a history of heart attack or atrial fibrillation, and on other factors such as dosing and different formulations of the substance. 

“Further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms for the development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease events with regular use of fish oil supplements,” the authors of a new study wrote. (iStock)

“Previous studies have shown that certain formulations of fish oil can help reduce cardiovascular events in people with elevated triglycerides and previous cardiovascular events,” Liu noted.

“Overall, this is yet another study that reminds us that there is still a lot that needs to be investigated when it comes to fish oil and heart disease.”

Dietitians weigh risks and benefits

Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, who practices as The Lupus Dietitian, also was not involved in the study but offered insights.

“In this study, there was a slightly increased association between healthy people who took fish oil and developing atrial fibrillation and stroke, whereas for those people who took the fish oil after being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, there was a slightly decreased association and risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke,” she told Fox News Digital.

ANGER CAN INCREASE HEART ATTACK RISK, STUDY FINDS: ‘CHRONIC INSULT TO ARTERIES’

“Overall, I would say to take these results with a grain of salt, as it was a prospective study.”

A prospective study monitors what people self-report and their eventual health outcomes over time, she noted — versus a control study, where similar people are placed in two groups and one group takes the fish oil while the other does not. 

“We don’t know about the population of healthy participants and why they decided to take fish oil,” Freirich said. 

A registered dietitian recommended that most people get their omega 3s from food sources such as salmon, sardines, tuna, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and almonds.  (iStock)

“Perhaps they have a family history of heart disease, or other lifestyle features that are contributing to their risk of developing atrial fibrillation and stroke outside of the fish oil supplement.”

As a registered dietitian, Freirich said she recommends most people get their omega 3s from food sources such as salmon, sardines, tuna, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and almonds. 

“Making small changes to your diet over time can have big benefits in reducing your overall cardiovascular risk.”

“Many people do not get enough omega 3 fatty acids in their diet, and this can be a great way to consume healthy fats while also benefiting from protein and sources of fiber,” she said.

When preparing meals, replacing a serving of red meat with fatty fish can promote heart health by decreasing the intake of saturated fats and increasing the intake of omega 3s, according to Freirich. 

“Always discuss your supplement use with your medical care providers, as some may be unnecessary or even increase your risk for poor health outcomes,” said one expert.  (iStock)

“Making small changes to your diet over time can have big benefits in reducing your overall cardiovascular risk,” she advised.

“Always discuss your supplement use with your medical care providers, as some may be unnecessary or even increase your risk for poor health outcomes.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, agreed that prior research has indicated that taking high doses of fish oil supplements could potentially elevate the risk of atrial fibrillation — while regularly consuming fatty fish four to five times a week may lower that risk. 

To determine the potential benefits of fish oil and the appropriate dosage, experts recommended consulting with a registered dietitian specializing in heart disease. (iStock)

“We need to recognize that when it comes to fish oil — and many other foods and supplements — more or a concentrated dose isn’t necessarily better,” Routhenstein, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

“It is also important to note that not all fish oil supplements are created equal. Factors like dosage, quality and additional ingredients can influence cardiovascular health outcomes.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

To determine the potential benefits of fish oil and the appropriate dosage, Routhenstein recommended consulting with a registered dietitian specializing in heart disease.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for more detail, as well as several manufacturers of fish oil supplements requesting comment on the findings.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

• Despite growing concern about bird flu, many U.S. dairy farms have not increased health protections for employees.
• On May 22, 2024, the U.S. government said a second dairy worker has contracted bird flu since cattle first tested positive in late March.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it believes unpasteurized milk is the primary vector for transmitting the virus in cows, though officials do not know exactly how it spreads.

Many U.S. dairy farms have not yet increased health protections against bird flu for employees during an outbreak in cows, according to workers, activists and farmers, worrying health experts about the risk for more human infections of a virus with pandemic potential.

Epidemiologists are concerned the virus could potentially spread and cause serious illnesses as farmers downplay the risk to workers while employees are not widely aware of cases in U.S. cattle.

The U.S. government said on Wednesday that a second dairy worker contracted bird flu since cattle first tested positive in late March and that investigators are looking into whether the person was wearing or offered protective equipment.

AUSTRALIA REPORTS NEW BIRD FLU CASE AT POULTRY FARM AS GLOBAL CONCERNS RISE

Nearly 24,000 farms sell milk around the country, and they offer varying protections to staff. Lobby group the National Milk Producers Federation said it encouraged farms to use protective equipment in line with federal recommendations and heard of increased worker protections.

Three dairy workers, seven activists and two lawyers who assist farm employees told Reuters that dairy owners have not offered equipment like face shields and goggles to staff who spend 10- to 12-hour days side-by-side with cows. Three large dairy companies with tens of thousands of cows declined to comment on their procedures.

The workers – all based in New York, a major dairy producer – said they heard of the new illness affecting cattle through the media or community organizers, not their employers. One, 39-year-old Luis Jimenez from Mexico, said last week it was business as usual.

“They’re not doing anything,” he said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April and May advised workers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) if they may be exposed to sick livestock, after a Texas dairy worker tested positive for bird flu. On May 6, the agency asked states to make equipment available to workers.

CDC wants “to make sure that farm workers across the country, whether they are at a farm with an affected herd or not, have access to PPE,” said Nirav Shah, principal deputy director, last week.

New York state said it is assessing CDC’s recommendation and has not yet distributed equipment. Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, where cattle were infected, said they distributed equipment to eight dairies combined. Kansas, Idaho and Wisconsin said they have equipment, but no farmers asked for it.

Michigan, where the second dairy worker tested positive, said many farms have protective gear but the state is coordinating a way to make it available for those that need more.

Dairies became more aware of bird flu’s risks in late April after the U.S. government began requiring that cows test negative before crossing state lines, said Emily Yeiser Stepp, who oversees a National Milk Producers Federation program that covers workforce development.

Still, “reaching out into some of our rural networks takes a little longer,” she said when told of workers who said they were not informed of recommendations for protective equipment.

CLOSE CONTACT WITH COWS

The U.S. confirmed bird flu in dairy cattle in nine states. Scientists have said they believe the outbreak is more widespread based on findings of H5N1 particles in about 20% of retail milk samples.

Bird flu has caused serious or fatal infections globally among people in close contact with wild birds or poultry. In cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it believes unpasteurized milk is the primary vector for transmitting the virus, though officials do not know exactly how it spreads.

Health experts advise dairy workers to wear gloves and disposable coveralls that can block milk splashes on their bodies or clothing.

Jimenez said his coworkers are under pressure to work so quickly that they sometimes do not have time to wash their hands before meals and often drive home in their work clothes.

Workers attach and detach milking equipment on cows, putting their faces close to unpasteurized milk. Most are immigrants and many do not have health insurance.

“When you’re milking, splashes can’t be avoided. When it splashes in our eyes, we wash it out with water,” said another New York worker, who requested anonymity because he is undocumented.

Lucas Sjostrom, a farmer and executive director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, uses robotic machines to attach milking equipment to cows, but said he is being extra conscious that human workers wear gloves while transporting unpasteurized milk. Minnesota has not reported bird flu in cows.

In Indiana, another state without confirmed cases, farmer Steve Obert said he has not increased precautions for workers, though that could change if his herd tests positive. Extra protective equipment is not comfortable to wear, he added.

“We’re rather isolated and I don’t think the risk is really great,” said Obert, executive director of the industry group Indiana Dairy Producers.

BLOOD-RED EYES

The infected Texas worker suffered conjunctivitis and broken blood vessels that turned his eyes scarlet red, according to a photo published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He reported wearing gloves when working with cows but not respiratory or eye protection, the journal said.

Scientists are watching for changes in the virus that could make it spread more easily among humans. Epidemiologists said it could cause more serious illnesses if it mutates or infects someone with a compromised immune system.

Some dairies with infected cows have resisted allowing federal officials on their farms because of financial concerns, said Gregory Gray, a University of Texas Medical Branch professor studying cattle diseases.

The CDC said it would like to test more farm workers, but it is not required.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

New Mexico had anecdotal reports of workers with symptoms similar to conjunctivitis, but most were not tested, according to internal state documents that were dated April 26 and obtained by Reuters under a public records request. The workers were not tested because they did not seek healthcare, the New Mexico Department of Health said.

Policy changes are needed to encourage workers to seek treatment, such as emergency income assurance for those who test positive, said Brian Castrucci, an epidemiologist and CEO at health policy group the de Beaumont Foundation.

“I don’t want to wait until we have a dead dairy farm worker until we ratchet up what we’re doing,” he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday that a second H5N1 bird flu case has been identified by officials.

A 55-year-old Michigan dairy worker became ill after working with H5N1-infected cattle, the CDC said in a press release. While an upper respiratory tract sample tested negative, a specimen from his eye confirmed the H5N1 bird flu infection.

A Texas farm worker was diagnosed with the disease in March. Both the Michigan and Texas patients suffered from conjunctivitis, or pink eye. Neither showed signs of a respiratory infection.

“Conjunctivitis (eye infection) has been associated with previous human infections with avian influenza A viruses and is part of the current CDC case definition for A(H5N1) surveillance,” the CDC explained in a Wednesday press release. 

VIRAL ‘HOSTAGE TAPE’ SLEEPING TREND GAINS STEAM AS DOCTORS WARN OF POTENTIAL DANGERS

“While it’s not known exactly how eye infections result from avian influenza exposures, it may be from contamination of the eye(s), potentially with a splash of contaminated fluid, or touching the eye(s) with something contaminated with A(H5N1) virus, such as a hand.”

The Texas case marked the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. Globally, it was the first time a human caught H5 bird flu from a cow.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found that at least 49 dairy herds across nine states have been exposed to H5N1.  On Wednesday, the CDC maintained that the health risk that H5N1 bird flu poses to humans is still low.

THREE WOMEN — AGES 41, 55 AND 64 — SHARE THEIR SECRETS TO BETTER HEALTH AND LONGEVITY

Fatinah Albeez, a research associate with the Broad Institute’s Sabeti lab, works with milk samples in May 2024. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“Based on the information available, this infection does not change CDC’s current H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which the agency considers to be low.,” the CDC said. “However, this development underscores the importance of recommended precautions in people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals.”

Officials are still monitoring the outbreak, but maintain that pasteurized milk is safe to drink.

“I can say without reservation that our commercial milk and meat supplies are safe,” USDA official Eric Deeble said during a briefing on May 16. “At no time were animals that are sick from H5N1 or any other animal disease permitted to enter into our food supply.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Jon Arizti Sanz, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow working in the lab to test bird flu samples in May 2024.

The CDC is encouraging Americans to avoid exposure to dead animals and animal waste. Officials also discourage drinking raw milk.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Following these recommendations is central to reducing a person’s risk and containing the overall public health risk,” the organization advised.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.