Early Psychosis and Schizophrenia Awareness Day in Canada Date in the current year: May 24, 2026

Psychosis is a mental state in which a person cannot distinguish what is real from what is not. Common signs and symptoms include hallucinations (perceiving things that are not actually present), delusions (strongly held false beliefs that persist despite evidence against them), and disorganized thinking or speech.

Psychosis is not a mental disorder, but rather a descriptive term for a person’s state that can have a variety of causes. While mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder are common causes of psychosis, it can also be caused by other factors. These include brain damage, various non-mental medical conditions, extreme stress, bereavement, sleep or sensory deprivation, and some medications and substances, including alcohol, cannabis, and even caffeine.

Mental illnesses and brain damage can lead to chronic psychosis, while other causes usually result in acute (temporary) psychosis. It is estimated that about 3% of people experience psychosis or a psychotic disorder at some point in their lives. For many, the episode is brief or acute rather than chronic.

As mentioned above, psychosis can have a variety of causes, but many people primarily associate it with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder involving recurrent or persistent psychosis, as well as other symptoms, such as reduced motivation and emotional expression, difficulty concentrating or organizing thoughts, and social withdrawal.

There is a significant social stigma surrounding schizophrenia and psychosis in general, much of which is driven by misunderstanding, fear, and inaccurate portrayals in the media and popular culture. People experiencing psychosis are often incorrectly assumed to be violent, irrational, or incapable of functioning independently. However, most are not dangerous, and many can live stable lives with appropriate treatment and support.

This stigma often discourages individuals with early symptoms of psychosis from seeking help because they fear judgment, discrimination, and social isolation. As a result, they miss out on the benefits of early intervention, which is currently regarded as the best approach for helping individuals experiencing psychotic symptoms for the first time. Early intervention generally helps reduce the severity and duration of psychotic episodes, improve daily functioning, and lower the risk of complications.

World Schizophrenia Day has been observed every May 24 since the 1990s. In Canada, it is known as Early Psychosis and Schizophrenia Awareness Day to highlight the importance of early detection and intervention for psychosis, regardless of its cause, and to broaden its scope since schizophrenia is not the only cause of psychosis.