Schizophrenia, DID, bipolar disorder: three different illnesses, one dangerous myth

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding mental illness is the tendency to treat different psychiatric conditions as interchangeable. Terms such as schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder (DID) and bipolar disorder are often used loosely — a confusion psychiatrists say can delay diagnosis, reinforce stereotypes and shape unrealistic expectations about treatment and recovery.

Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder that affects how a person perceives reality, characterised by hallucinations, delusions and disorganised thinking, along with ‘negative symptoms’ including reduced motivation and difficulty completing everyday tasks. DID, classified as a dissociative disorder, involves two or more distinct identity states and is usually associated with severe, prolonged trauma. Bipolar disorder, meanwhile, is a mood disorder marked by episodes of depression alternating with mania or hypomania, during which a person may experience elevated energy, racing thoughts and a reduced need for sleep.

Despite these differences, all three conditions share one common challenge: they are burdened by stereotypes that overshadow medical reality. ‘Lock them up, stay away, dangerous, evil,’ are some of the casual ways people describe someone struggling with a mental illness, according to Dr Divya Nallur, clinical director at mental healthcare provider Amaha. ‘A diagnosis of schizophrenia or DID does not mean the person is dangerous. With the right treatment, psychological support and, importantly, a supportive environment, many of these patients study, work, marry, raise children and live full lives,’ she said.

According to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than one in four adults living with serious mental health conditions also has a substance use disorder — underscoring, experts say, why accurate diagnosis and evidence-based treatment matter more than the labels popular culture has attached to these illnesses.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Dr Partha Sarathi Sahana