Abstract

Schizophrenia and the Importance of Awareness

Author(s): Daniel Wong

Schizophrenia is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions, often shrouded in stigma, fear and misinformation. When the term “schizophrenia” is mentioned, popular culture frequently conjures images of dangerous or unpredictable individuals. Yet, these stereotypes are not only inaccurate they are deeply harmful. Schizophrenia is a complex, chronic mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves. It does not define a person’s character, nor does it make them inherently violent or incapable of leading a meaningful life. Schizophrenia is typically characterized by a combination of symptoms that can be broadly categorized into positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. Positive symptoms refer to experiences that add to a person’s perception of reality, such as hallucinations hearing or seeing things that are not there or delusions, which are false beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary.