Carina said she was now an “expert by experience” and works with a number of universities and organisations. She has also taken part in the new research at Cardiff University.
“It would be amazing in a few years if people with psychotic disorders have the same life expectancy as the general population,” she said.
Carina said she wanted more understanding, less stigma and more compassion.
“If an older person presents at a train station in distress, people are kind and think they’re someone with dementia,” she said.
“That wouldn’t happen if the person was psychotic.”
Dr Alun Thomas, chief executive of the mental health and addiction charity Adferiad, said that sensationalist reporting of serious mental illnesses created stigma and fear.
“The public then sees serious mental illnesses as a danger, rather than the danger being we don’t respond to the symptoms early enough,” he added.