"One thing I find really hard about my illness is the stigma." -- Shawna, a person with schizophrenia
"The worst thing about having schizophrenia is the isolation and the loneliness..." -- Dr. Phillip Long, psychiatrist
Society's knowledge of major mental illness lags way behind the facts. People with schizophrenia are victims of this general ignorance. In truth, they are victims twice over. First, they have an incurable, chronic brain disease that they must learn to live with as best they can. Next, because of their illness, they are discriminated against.
What is the biggest problem for people with mental illness? Most say it's that others do not accept them. Once they have learned to manage their symptoms, they still have to face overwhelming difficulties with friends, housing, and work. They feel the sting of discrimination in almost everything they do. Old friends and even some family members are uncomfortable in their presence. So they become isolated, cut off from society.
No wonder so many people with schizophrenia feel they don't belong; that they are "different"; that they are not respected or valued. Widespread, hurtful ignorance leads to the terrible social isolation and loneliness that can become the most disabling feature of the illness.
Why Do People Find Mental Illness So Unacceptable? Fear of Danger Many people are afraid that people who have a mental illness are dangerous, unpredictable, and aggressive. In reality, people with a mental illness are usually anxious, fearful of others, and passive. The myth of danger is largely based on inaccurate and outdated cultural myths that always portrayed people with mental illness as violent.
Fear of Criminal Intentions People with psychiatric disorders are no more likely to commit crimes than the general population. However, if mental illness is left untreated and allowed to become progressively more severe, people who are acutely ill may inadvertently end up in jail. Another common confusion has to do with the nature of involuntary hospitalization, which is sometimes necessary to treat and safeguard someone who is very ill. Hospitalization for medical treatment to regain one's health should never be falsely equated with incarceration in the criminal justice system.
Fear of the Unknown People often fear what they do not understand. And when they don't understand, they often make wild guesses. Some cultures believe mental illness is the work of evil spirits, while others believe it is caused by bad blood, poisons, or lack of moral integrity. As people learn more about the real nature of mental illness, many of these harmful beliefs fade.
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