R-5-5

The Lies We All Believe

When I was eight years old my parents took me to see the musical Cats. We took

BART into the city and had a five minute walk to the theater. During the walk I saw a man

across the street and he was acting very strange. My first instinct, along with my parents, was to

stay on the other side of the street and not engage with this man. However, as we were walking

away, a small voice in my head asked why? Why was I supposed to ignore him? Why should I

be afraid of him? These questions gnawed at me every time I encountered someone who was

different. I would look around and notice that everyone stayed on the other side of the street

and looked away. People held their children closer and sometimes even called the police because

they felt in danger. The instinct to stay away from someone who is different is a natural way to

protect yourself from any danger.

For the first sixteen years of my life I stayed away from anyone who seemed different

and I truly believed that I was protecting myself and that these people were dangerous. However,

during the summer before my senior year, I participated in a summer camp that was

transformational. I participated in a Samuel Merritt University workshop to learn more about

careers in the mental health field, but I left with so much more. In the workshop I learned about

schizophrenia for the first time. I had no prior knowledge of what schizophrenia was but in my

mind I just imagined someone who yelled things. This workshop was designed so that we could

put ourselves in the shoes of someone with schizophrenia. We listened to distressing voices on

headphones and tried to do daily tasks. At the end of the workshop I had a new understanding for

those afflicted with schizophrenia. These people were not as dangerous as everyone thinks. They

1
 R-5-5

have a lot going on in their minds and no one to help them because our instinct is to stay away

from them.

I went through my life telling myself that what I was doing was to protect myself, that

they were better off alone, and that I was safer. This workshop made me see that our view of

these people was so misconstrued, that our instinct has led us to isolate an entire group of people

and make them feel less than human. We justify our actions by saying that we are protecting

ourselves but in truth we are separating ourselves because we are scared. This fear is natural

because we fear what we do not know, but we can learn and change our views of others to be

more appreciative and considerate. If I had not attended this camp I would still be afraid, but

after gaining all this knowledge I wanted to share it with others. This specific experience taught

me that not everything is as it seems and there is a lot of misconception when it comes to mental

illness. We make assumptions before we learn the full story and this has led me to investigate an

important issue: How do public perceptions of schizophrenia differ from reality, and what are the

negative consequences of these stereotypes for the people who are afflicted?

As a starting point, we must first understand what schizophrenia is and how it affects

someone. In an interview with Deidre Rubcich, an educational psychologist, she described her

work with Dr. Fish who was conducting a longitudinal study following mothers who were

schizophrenic and their children to see if they would develop schizophrenia later in their lives.

The study found that schizophrenia is not only genetic, there are also environmental components.

According to Mrs. Rubcich, Schizophrenia is a very severe disorder that has to do with how

someone thinks and behaves and what happens with them biologically. There are indicators with

neurotransmitters that are not working properly. Schizophrenia is a chronic disease that affects

2
 R-5-5

the brain in a way that allows someone to disassociate, or disconnect, from their mind and body.

The illness attacks the brain specifically and can be best described as a flooding of thoughts.

These thoughts enter the brain as incoming stimuli but they cannot be sorted and interpreted. The

nerve cells, or neurons, have trouble communicating with each other because of the

neurotransmitter, dopamine (Miller and Mason 32). When the brain is assaulted by an illness

such as schizophrenia, its usual processing can be disturbed in several ways. We divide these

symptoms into three categories: positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive

symptoms (Miller and Mason 37). The division of these categories helps psychologists and

psychiatrists in determining whether someone should be diagnosed with schizophrenia. For

someone to meet this criteria they need to have experienced all three categories of symptoms for

a period of at least six months. Although the use of positive as an adjective for any symptoms

seems like a contradiction of terms, it denotes those symptoms which are present but should be

absent (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, thinking disorders such as loose associations). Delusions

are known as false beliefs that do not have evidence to support this belief (Mandal, Ananya). An

example of a delusion would be someone who believes the FBI is after them. A hallucination is a

false sensory experience (Delusion vs. Hallucination). The sensory experience comes from inside

the brain rather than external stimuli. An example of a hallucination would be hearing voices.

Negative symptoms, on the other hand, indicate symptoms that are absent but should be

present (e.g., apathy, social withdrawal, poverty of thoughts, blunting of emotions, slowness of

movement, lack of drive) (Torrey 89). An example of a negative symptom would be when the

patient withdraws from their loved ones and shows little to no emotion toward them. The third

category is cognitive symptoms which include poor executive function (decision making),

3
 R-5-5

inability to sustain attention and problems with working memory (knowledge learned recently)

(National Institute of Mental Health). Since this illness attacks the brain it can be very hard to

help someone afflicted to reconnect with their mind. The brain plays constant tricks on those

who are troubled with schizophrenia. They believe in their delusions and their false reality

because their brain forces them to. The best treatment for this illness is medication that stops the

brain from playing its tricks.

Mrs. Rubcich stated that, there is a stigma around mental health as a whole but with

schizophrenia it is at a higher level. There are many myths about this illness that drive public

perceptions. This could be primarily due to the fact that schizophrenia is very different than other

mental illnesses and is often misunderstood. Three of the largest myths in public perception are:

that all schizophrenics are criminals, that as crazy people they have no hope to succeed in life,

and that they are or should be committed to institutions that operate like prisons.

The most common public perception that is projected onto those who have

schizophrenia, is that they are dangerous and violent.In public perception, schizophrenia is

often associated with violence (Carpenter). Television shows often cast criminals and serial

killers as psychotic and mentally ill, this supports and strengthens our beliefs (Jones and

Hayward 158). There is a stigma related to schizophrenia based on common stereotypes of

people with schizophrenia as frightening, dangerous, and different (Miller and Mason 55). Most

mental illnesses are more understood than schizophrenia because they are more common. Due to

the bizarre behaviors by people afflicted with this disorder, many still believe that they are

dangerous.

4
 R-5-5

The perception of schizophrenics as dangerous people while natural to assume, is far

from reality. In fact, schizophrenics are more likely to be victims themselves than to cause you

harm. Persons with schizophrenia are undoubtedly at increased risk of becoming victims of

violence in the community setting, with risks up to 14 times the rate of being victimized

compared with being arrested as a perpetrator (Carpenter). Historically, mentally ill persons

contribute a very minor percentage of crime relative to all other perpetrators of crime. Most

persons with schizophrenia are not dangerous at all, and I would far rather walk the halls of any

mental hospital than walk the streets of any inner city (Torrey 55).

The second largest myth in public perception is that schizophrenics can be labeled by

their perceived negative behaviors, and therefore do not have any hope of joining mainstream

society. Common stereotypes depict people with schizophrenia as retarded, drug addicted,

homeless, dangerous, crazy, evil, not normal, bad, weak, different, or having multiple

personalities (Miller and Mason 58). Many of us believe that labeling an entire group helps us

understand them better. There is also a common belief that mental illness indicates lower

intelligence which allows normal people to feel superior to those who are troubled with

schizophrenia.In fact, those with mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and

even depression are often thought to be less capable than others of managing their lives. Such

attitudes often, subconsciously held, can influence the way members of the public deal with

people with many types of problems and disabilities (Jones and Hayward 39).

As humans, our natural instinct is to group and label objects and behaviors to organize

ourselves and communicate easily with others. But we know that labels and stereotypes can have

negative consequences. These labels are hard to live with especially because they are no more

5
 R-5-5

true for people with schizophrenia than for other people (Miller and Mason 58). Generalizing

schizophrenia is inaccurate because there are multiple forms of this illness including the paranoid

type, disorganized type, catatonic type, undifferentiated type, and residual (Miller and Mason

53). The outcome following a diagnosis of schizophrenia is very variable: many sufferers either

recover completely or suffer only with residual symptoms that can be controlled through

medication and psychological techniques. Sufferers go on to hold good jobs, marry, have

children, live normal lives (Jones and Hayward 41). Therefore the myth that people with

schizophrenia can be labeled by their perceived negative behaviors and can not join mainstream

society is inaccurate.

The third myth in public perception is that mental institutions are the same as prisons.

In the nineteenth century other inhumane forms of treatment and control, such as the

straitjacket, were also used. All this created an image of mental health treatment that was both

frightening and barbaric (Jones and Hayward 42). During this time period mental illness was a

new concept to everyone and they thought that brutal methods would fix them. This created an

image that institutions were abusive and detrimental to those afflicted with mental illness.The

old images of mental health treatment are not useful guides as to what happens today (Jones and

Hayward 42).

Given the publics perception about the first two myths, that schizophrenics are

dangerous and share a common stereotype, it is not surprising that the public also believes that

institutions for schizophrenics are essentially prisons. Feeding this belief is the historical reality

of how mental patients were treated during the last centuries as well as how psychiatric

institutions have been portrayed in the media. There have been a lot of advancements made in

6
 R-5-5

the mental health field. The development of antipsychotics, at the end of the nineteenth century,

has been a major breakthrough for those with schizophrenia and has proved to be extremely

helpful. This medication allows for those afflicted to have a chance to reduce their symptoms.

Unfortunately, images like these still influence the way many people think about mental health

treatment today. In fact, there has been a complete revolution in all areas of treatment for mental

and psychological problems (Jones and Hayward 42). In an interview with Kevin Davis, a

former psychiatric technician, he explained how patients were grouped in institutions, I would

say they were probably grouped by severity. The only reason they can be put in a hospital is if

you are a danger to yourself or other people or severely disabled, meaning they cannot function

in life.

My own personal experience supported this reality. As part of the workshop I visited

John George Psychiatric Hospital in Piedmont. As I entered, my nose was filled with the smell of

disinfectant. This aroma calmed me and made me feel safe as I was greeted by the director. I

entered the hospital and my first reaction to this place was that it was not what I expected. I was

greeted by calm caregivers who helped us through the entrance and the security door. The cold

metal doors were unlocked by one guard and we entered the long term psych ward. I thought

that all these patients would be locked in their rooms and restrained to the bed, but as we started

walking I noticed that I was very wrong. The patients were all in one room doing crafts and other

things. I pictured prison cells but I saw small homey comfortable rooms. Nurses went from room

to room to give medication and I expected them to force them to take the pills but I noticed how

compliant the patients were. I was amazed to see how caring the nurses were and how calm and

safe they made the patients feel. I was reminded once more how inaccurate our perceptions are.

7
 R-5-5

Now that we understand what schizophrenia really is and the myths that surround the

disorder it is important to discuss the consequences of these public perceptions. Of these, the

most important consequence is that those who are mentally ill will not want to seek help due to

the stigma that surrounds mental illness as a whole (Jones and Hayward 158). If a person with

schizophrenia does not seek or comply with treatment due to the stigma of their mental illness

they will be more likely to suffer from the positive and negative symptoms associated with the

disorder. This noncompliance can result in increases symptoms leading to an outburst. The

outbursts can be violent which could result in their arrest by law enforcement and incarceration

in a real prison. Approximately 6% of those afflicted with schizophrenia are incarcerated

(Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics). Prisons do not provide these people with the proper

resources for them to understand and treat their condition before being released back into

society. Incarceration also reinforces the myth that they are all criminals and dangerous. If

they were given the resources before and were not afraid to confront their symptoms, then they

may not have had their violent outburst.

Compounding this are labels and stereotypes that we place on those suffering with

schizophrenia which adversely affects their integration into society. We generalize their disorder

and therefore make assumptions that are untrue to everyone afflicted with schizophrenia. It is

often detrimental to individuals with schizophrenia to stereotype them and not view them as

individuals with specific sets of symptoms. These generalizations make the patients feel like they

are being put into a box and categorized and as a result they may be more reluctant to seek help.

And like any label or stereotype, the individuals themselves feel ashamed and stigmatized and

may not want to discuss their symptoms with their family members or doctors. Finally given the

8
 R-5-5

public perception of how schizophrenics are treated when committed to institutions, family

members may be reluctant to admit them to any institutions for fear that they are similar to

prisons. And schizophrenics themselves hesitate to admit their symptoms condition due to their

similar fears regarding how institutions are perceived as prisons.

Reflecting on all this I realize that as a child I knew nothing about schizophrenia which

made it very easy for me to make uninformed judgements. It was not until I was exposed to

information about schizophrenia during my summer class experience at Samuel Merritt

University that I learned the truth. I quickly realized that much of what I thought I knew was

wrong and I had believed the myths of this disorder like so many other people. I began to

understand that schizophrenia is not what everyone thinks it is. I had believed all my life that

these people were so dangerous, but in reality they are outnumbered by criminals many of whom

are much more dangerous. By doing this assignment I have learned that in combination, these

three myths sustain conditions that prevent the public and families from reconciling to the reality

that this is a human condition and the victims should be supported and given our empathy not

fear and isolation. The best way to reintegrate them into society is with our love and support.

9
 R-5-5

Works Cited

Print

Jones, Steven and Peter Hayward. Coping with Schizophrenia. Oneworld, 2004

Miller, Rachel and Susan E. Mason. Diagnosis Schizophrenia. Columbia University Press, 2002.

Torrey, E. Fuller. Surviving Schizophrenia. 3rd ed., Harpercollins, 1995.

Electronic Sources

Carpenter, William T & Wehring, Heidi J. Violence and Schizophrenia. Oxford Academic:

Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 37, no. 5, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbr094.

Accessed 10 February 2017.

Delusion vs. Hallucination. Diffen.com, 23 Apr. 2017,

http://www.diffen.com/difference/index.php?title=Delusion_vs_Hallucination&oldid=41

489. Accessed 20 April 2017.

Mandal, Ananya. What is Delusion? News Medical Life Sciences, 8 Oct. 2014,

http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Delusion.aspx. Accessed 20 April 2017

National Institute of Mental Health.Schizophrenia. National Institutes of Health, n.d.,

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia-booklet/index.shtml

Accessed 20 April 2017.

Schizophrenia Facts and Statistics. Schizophrenia.com, 2010,

http://schizophrenia.com/szfacts.htm. Accessed 19 March 2017.

Primary Sources

10
 R-5-5

Davis, Kevin. Personal interview. 7 March 2017.

Rubcich, Deidre. Personal interview. 17 March 2017.

Works Consulted

Print

Gottesman, Irving I. Schizophrenia Genesis.W.H Freeman and Company, 1991.

Electronic Sources

Brekke JS, Prindle C, Bae SW, Long JD. Risks for individuals with schizophrenia who are

living in the community, Psychiatric Services, vol. 52 (pg. 1358-1366), 2011

http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ps.52.10.1358. Accessed 20 February

2017.

11