Other medical or mental health problems sometimes occur
along with or because of
Other medical problems may
- Obesity (being very overweight). This can be caused by
side effects of medicines used for schizophrenia or because your symptoms make
healthy eating and activity hard.1 People who have
schizophrenia also are more likely to have
- Type 2 diabetes. This may be caused by obesity or by
some medicines used to treat schizophrenia.1
- Heart problems, such as
coronary artery disease. These may be caused by
schizophrenia, by some side effects of medicines for schizophrenia, or by
obesity, smoking, drinking, or diabetes.1
- HIV. Schizophrenia may result in behavior that makes
HIV more likely.1 This behavior includes having
unprotected sex, having many sex partners, and using drugs.1
- Liver disease, as a result of heavy drinking.
- Lung problems, such as
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), because
of heavy smoking.
- Contagious diseases. Some people who have
schizophrenia live in institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. Living
with many other people makes getting diseases that are easily spread, such as
tuberculosis, more likely.
People who have schizophrenia are more likely to have accidents because they
can be confused or reckless. Body stiffness and lack of coordination, which are
sometimes side effects of medicines, also make accidents more likely, and some
people who have schizophrenia hear voices that tell them to do dangerous
Mental health problems
Mental health problems that
may occur along with schizophrenia include
substance abuse. You need to treat these problems as
well as the schizophrenia.