If you mentioned schizophrenia to a person who never heard of it, he would probably think you have the strangest sneeze in the world. Compare that to the reaction of one who knows about it and some basic details about it. What images and connotations would he associate with schizophrenia? Thanks to media, television shows like House, and movies such as A Beautiful Mind creating a portrayal of the average schizophrenic, he would probably think that every person living with schizophrenia had hidden identities, saw his doctors as monsters, and thought that a Nazi was spying on him for information to win World War 2 at every corner. Maybe he would know that it is a disorder that affects the mind, but not much else.

            He probably wouldn’t know that 2.2 million Americans, .28 million Australians, .25 British, 6 to 12 million Chinese, 4.3 to 8.7 Indians, and almost 1.1 percent of the world population is afflicted with schizophrenia.  Due to the prevalence of the disorder, extensive research has gone into finding a cure, as none currently exist.  However, treatment for the disease has progressed. Medication has advanced and is successfully treating many of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Although the general population knows of this disease, few know of the tremendous costs that are needed to treat the disease, or that the disease can be highly manageable with treatment. In the United States alone, more than 62.7 billion dollars are expended for patients’ long term care, medication, and any additional treatments.

If a common person didn’t know about such astronomical costs of treatment, he may also be unaware that not everyone with schizophrenia is a Princeton graduate mathematical genius, a rambling hobo that sits in Washington Square scamming the unsuspecting public in intricate games of chess at breath taking speeds, or incapable of functioning in modern society. The severity of the disease varies, ranging from having a maintainable lifestyle with usage of antipsychotic medication to permanent, long term care in health care institutions. (How does the variance in severity affect treatment options/perception people have of schizophrenia?)

            Having schizophrenia does not justify others passing judgment, nor should the term confine everyone afflicted to a uniform model. In this article, and the ones to come, I hope to dissolve the stereotypes surrounding this disease.

References:

“Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics.” Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.

“Result Filters.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.

“Schizophrenia Treatment & Recovery.” : Getting the Help and Support You Need. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.