By Carol Goh
What is schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition associated with changes in thinking, perception, and behaviour that can distort reality testing and affect daily functioning. People may become socially withdrawn or display unusual behaviours, speech, or thoughts. Many wonder if they are “crazy.” The answer is no—they are experiencing symptoms that impede functioning, and with support, these symptoms can be treated.
Core symptom areas (often used in diagnosis)
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Disorganised speech (e.g., derailment, incoherence)
- Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour
- Negative symptoms (e.g., reduced emotional expression or motivation)
Dissociative features
Some people present with prominent dissociative symptoms, such as:
- Dissociative amnesia
- Depersonalisation
- The sense of multiple, distinct identity states
- Auditory hallucinations
- Extensive comorbidity
- History of severe childhood trauma
Dissociation can function as a defence when reality feels overwhelming—temporarily softening psychic pain or fear. If we can decode the meaning behind these experiences, there is hope for recovery.
What could cause schizophrenia?
Beyond biology, many studies associate adverse life events—especially childhood trauma—with later psychosis. Early experiences shape attachment and social-cognitive development. For some, trauma-related processes (including PTSD) may be central; addressing trauma can therefore be an important part of care. See also: EMDR and Schema Therapy.
When a child is harmed by a caregiver, they may dissociate to maintain attachment. Repeated trauma increases later psychosis risk (see references below).
Psychotherapy intervention
Therapy often begins by telling your story—even difficult parts. In Jung’s terms, we work with the shadow: the aspects we deny, repress, or hide. Because many wounds are interpersonal, listening closely to voices and recurring themes can offer clues about the nature of the wound and what needs care.
We use an integrative approach (overview: Psychotherapy), selecting methods that fit your history, symptoms, and goals:
- Inner-child healing (meeting unmet needs with safety and care)
- Gestalt Therapy (e.g., empty-chair dialogues)
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) — trauma processing and desensitisation
- Schema Therapy — shifting deep-rooted “I’m not safe / I’m not good enough” beliefs
- Journalling & Visualisation — consolidating new learning
- Mindfulness — grounding, attention training, and present-moment coping
For youth presentations or early intervention, see Youth Counselling. For whole-person change, explore The RENEW Program. Adjunct reading ideas: Bibliotherapy.
Getting help
You can
WhatsApp us for urgent scheduling, contact us with questions, or book an appointment for a confidential session.
Book recommendations
- EMDR Therapy for Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses — Paul William Miller
- Feeling Unreal — Daphne Simeon
- Getting Past Your Past — Francine Shapiro
- The Body Remembers — Babette Rothschild
- When the Past is Present — David Richo
References
- Miller, P. W. (2016). EMDR Therapy for Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses. Springer.
- Rokita, K. I., et al. (2020). Childhood trauma, parental bonding, and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia and healthy adults. Journal of Clinical Psychology.
- Rokita, K. I., et al. (2020). Childhood trauma, brain structure and emotion recognition… Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 15, 1336–1350.
- Storvestre, G., et al. (2020). Childhood Trauma in Persons With Schizophrenia and a History of Interpersonal Violence. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11.
The information in this article is for educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
