The word “schizophrenia” literally means “split mind,” referring to a chronic mental illness which causes a ‘split in the patient’s perception of reality.’ This illness affects less than one percent of the U.S. population.

When schizophrenia is active, keeping a grip on reality becomes a difficult task. Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and lack of motivation are some of the possible symptoms of this disorder.

**People living with schizophrenia have no more propensity to violence than others, yet they are more likely to be victims of violence and discrimination due to stigma and misunderstanding.**

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder and often misunderstood, resulting in stigma toward those who live with this condition due to a lack of information about this illness.

Schizophrenia is not split personality or multiple-personality. It is not always active either; people with schizophrenia can live long periods without symptoms and, with the help of treatment, can diminish the recurrence of the illness.

People living with schizophrenia have no more propensity to violence than others, yet they are more likely to be victims of violence and discrimination due to stigma and misunderstanding.

Not everyone who lives with schizophrenia has the same symptoms, and they don’t manifest with the same intensity or frequency, so even though people who live with this mental disorder might need extra support during periods of crisis, this illness does not prevent them from living a normal, successful life.

There’s no known cure for schizophrenia, but there is recovery, and it is essential for all of us to be aware that the person is not the illness. A person who lives with any mental health condition deserves to be understood as a person first and foremost.

There are many successful people living with schizophrenia, such as Elyn Saks, University professor and author of “The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness,” Esme Wang, author of “The Collected Schizophrenias,” a collection of first-person essays about her experiences with schizoaffective disorder, or the mathematician and economist John Forbes Nash Jr. who’s life inspired the movie “A Beautiful Mind” and earned the Nobel Prize for his work on game theory.

If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia, know that you are not alone, and you can achieve great things in life with this diagnosis.

People living with schizophrenia live in different walks of life, and they deserve our respect and understanding.

If you are interested in more information about schizophrenia and want to hear from others living with this mental illness, may we offer some resources: