Are people with schizophrenia dangerous?
Whilst the myth that all people with schizophrenia are violent is not founded in the evidence, it is the case that people living with schizophrenia are more at risk of dangerous behaviour such as suicide or violence while they are poorly.
Thankfully violent behaviour is comparatively rare. Most people with schizophrenia are never violent and indeed do not display any dangerous behaviour. However a small number do become violent when they are suffering from the acute symptoms of psychosis because of the influence of the hallucinations and delusions on their thinking. Studies have found that in cases of dangerousness, it is the delusions that are usually more influential in causing the dangerous behaviour than the hallucinations.
However tragically it is also the case that many people with schizophrenia harm themselves and very often they succeed in killing themselves.
Schizophrenia and suicide
Schizophrenia kills more people in the UK than traffic collisions.
Schizophrenia kills as many people in the UK as traffic collisions.
About 280,000 people are currently being treated for schizophrenia in the UK. Of these about 10% will die by their own hand within ten years of their diagnosis13.
With an annual death toll of between 800 and 1,800 in the UK alone suicide is a major cause of premature death amongst people with schizophrenia and on a par with road deaths.
