Are people with schizophrenia violent?

People with schizophrenia are not especially prone to violence and often prefer to be left alone. Studies show that if people have no record of criminal violence before they develop schizophrenia and are not substance abusers, they are unlikely to commit crimes after they become ill. Most violent crimes are not committed by people with schizophrenia, and most people with schizophrenia do not commit violent crimes. Substance abuse always increases violent behaviour, whether or not the person has schizophrenia (see sidebar). If someone with paranoid schizophrenia becomes violent, their violence is most often directed at family members and takes place at home.

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