18–24 May | Theme: Beyond the Headlines
Each May, Schizophrenia Awareness Week (SAW) shines a spotlight on schizophrenia, a condition often misunderstood and surrounded by stigma. Proudly led by MIFA since 1986, the week leads up to World Schizophrenia Awareness Day on 24 May and aims to build understanding while amplifying the voices of people with lived experience, along with their families, carers, and kin.
This year’s theme, Beyond the Headlines, invites us to shift the conversation.
Recent discussions across Australia have highlighted how important it is for people experiencing severe mental health challenges to have access to early support, stable housing, and coordinated care. When these supports are in place, people are far more likely to stay well and live meaningful lives in their communities.
The campaign will also explore how language shapes understanding. The term schizophrenia has been increasingly questioned by some researchers and people with lived experience, who argue that labels can sometimes contribute to stigma and misunderstanding.
What is Schizophrenia Awareness Week?
Schizophrenia Awareness Week is a national week held each May to build understanding about schizophrenia and challenge stigma.
Too often, public conversations about schizophrenia focus on headlines that create fear or misunderstanding. In 2026, Schizophrenia Awareness Week encourages people to look beyond the headlines and learn about the real experiences of people living with the condition.
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health condition that can affect how a person thinks, perceives, and experiences the world. With the right supports, many people live meaningful lives in their communities.
By increasing understanding, Schizophrenia Awareness Week aims to replace stigma with empathy and support.
How You Can Make a Difference
Real change happens when more people look beyond the headlines and build understanding about schizophrenia. Here are some simple ways you can get involved.
Share the Message
Help challenge stigma and misinformation.
Like, comment on, and share MIFA’s Schizophrenia Awareness Week posts and support content from our member organisations and partners too. Every share helps the message reach more people.
Learn More
Understanding leads to change.
Explore lived experience stories and resources on Finding North, attend events hosted by MIFA members, and learn more about schizophrenia and the realities people face.
Start a Conversation
Talking openly about mental health helps reduce stigma.
Share what you’ve learned with friends, family, or colleagues and encourage respectful, informed discussions.
Challenge the Headlines
When you see misinformation or harmful stereotypes about schizophrenia, speak up.
Encourage balanced, respectful conversations that centre real experiences.
Donate
Support the work behind the campaign.
Donations help MIFA advocate for better supports, share trusted information, and amplify lived experience voices.
Did you know?
Some researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience are calling for the term “schizophrenia” to be reconsidered or changed. They argue the label can contribute to stigma and may not reflect the wide range of experiences people have — encouraging people to look beyond the headlines when talking about complex mental health challenges.
Campaign Resources
To help people take part in Schizophrenia Awareness Week, MIFA has created a set of downloadable campaign resources. We have include social media tiles and suggested captions that individuals, organisations, and communities can use to help raise awareness during the week.
The resources are designed to make it easy to share messages that encourage people to look beyond the headlines, challenge stigma, and build understanding about schizophrenia.
We encourage organisations, community groups, and individuals to use and share these resources across their social media channels, newsletters, websites, and internal communications.
Events
Across Schizophrenia Awareness Week, MIFA and some of its members will be hosting events and activities around the country to spark conversations, share lived experience, and challenge stigma.
These events are a chance to connect, learn, and look beyond the headlines with a focus on understanding, community support, and respectful conversations about schizophrenia.
Where you can go for information and support:
Visit the Finding North website for information and resources about schizophrenia and other mental health conditions.
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Visit Finding North Network to explore a safe and welcoming online lived experience community of people supporting each other to amplify lived experience leadership.
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