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ABSTRACT
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by abnormal patterns of thought and perception. What has been studied less often is the personal experience of having schizophrenia. Qualitative studies have been illuminating in this regard, and the purpose of this meta-synthesis is to determine the themes that can be identified across those studies. The inclusion criteria required that the studies employed qualitative methods, that participants had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the studies focused on their “lived experience.” After applying search criteria to databases, 27 studies were included in the meta-synthesis. Five major themes were identified in the results, including: (1) the experience of symptoms; (2) the process of acceptance; (3) personal relationships; (4) treatment experiences; and (5) spiritual practices and faith. Implications of these results are explored.