In honor of National Mental Illness Awareness
Week, please take a few moments to learn about schizophrenia, the mental
illness that led to the death of my son. Schizophrenia causes moderate
to severe disability in 40% of males and 25% of females
that are afflicted with the disease, and has a suicide rate that is 12
times that of the general population. Despite the severe impact on its
sufferers, the symptoms are the subject of jokes, people with the
illness are ridiculed and avoided, and even their families often try to
keep their illness a secret - as if it is shameful. Before you make
another joke about "hearing voices," or laugh about someone rambling
nonsense on the street, think about what you are doing. Making fun of
someone who has hallucinations due to schizophrenia is as bad as
ridiculing someone who is losing their hair due to cancer. It's not
okay to make jokes about an illness that devastates lives. Educate
yourself, and help put an end to stigma. As long as stigma exists,
better treatment and more research into cures will not happen.
Learn more:
What is Schizophrenia?
