In April 2018. The Institute for Patient Rights and Health Education organised a further 3 educational meetings for people with schizophrenia and their carers, with a total of 152 participants (this group consisted of both patients and carers of people with the condition). Meetings were held in Toruń, Gdańsk and Bytom. During the lectures, specialist doctors explained that schizophrenia, like any other disease, if untreated, can lead to adverse consequences for the patient. They presented positive (productive) and negative (disabling) symptoms of the illness and explained the difference between delusions and hallucinations. Meeting participants were introduced to the pattern of schizophrenia symptoms and their consequences. They also discussed treatment options (through oral medication, intramuscular administration) and explained how medication treats the symptoms of schizophrenia. Finally, ways of dealing with the side effects of medication were presented, as well as information on what else is important besides drug treatment in the course of the illness (e.g. diet, alcohol abstinence, attending therapy, etc.). At all meetings, participants had the opportunity to ask questions and receive substantive answers. The meetings also enabled doctors to dispel certain myths related to the disease. An added value of the meetings in Toruń and Gdańsk, which met with great interest on the part of the participants, was the demonstration of how to perform hypodermic injections presented by nurses who, among other things, deal with injections on a daily basis. The nurses tried to "disenchant" the myth that injections hurt. All meetings were positively received by the participants. Above all, they praised the opportunity to ask questions and receive comprehensive answers from the psychiatric specialists. Torun - 06 April 2018. Place: Headquarters of the Toruń "Cooperation" Association in Toruń There were 53 participants The meeting was held under the patronage of local NGOs operating under the name of Toruń "Cooperation" Association, Association of Associations of Families and Guardians of Mentally Ill People "POL-FAMILIA" from Toruń and NeuroPozytywni Foundation from Warsaw. 
(Photo: IPPEZ and the Toruń 'Cooperation' Association) Gdansk - 19 April 2018. Place: Wojewódzki Szpital Psychiatryczny im. Prof. Tadeusz Bilikiewicza w Gdańsku (Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Gdańsk) The meeting was attended by 64 participants. Jacek Stasiuk, specialist in psychiatry, and Marzena Stawiarska, nurse The meeting was held under the auspices of the local NGO "Przyjazna Dłoń" Association for Persons with Mental Crises, the "Nadzieja dla Rodziny" Association and the NeuroPozytywni Foundation from Warsaw. 
(Photo: IPPEZ) Bytom - 23 April 2018. Place: The "Integration" Community Self-help Centre in Bytom 35 participants took part in the meeting Moderator: psychiatry specialist Elżbieta Smętek The meeting was held under the patronage of the NeuroPozytywni Foundation in Warsaw. 
(Photo: IPPEZ) Project implemented with the support of: 
