New Issues About Schizophrenia Unveiled by Science

One of the groups most discriminated against but seldom discussed is the mentally ill. Drug problems and depression are widely discussed in the media but usually not the most serious problems.

Schizophrenia is seldom written about except to highlight some unusual case, usually criminal. The fact is that schizophrenics experience considerable discrimination in their lives, with many finding that family and friends almost disown them. A recent global study of schizophrenics shows the grief and difficulty this group has in the communities of the world. Many cultures find it difficult to assimilate schizophrenics in the workforce and the community. Schizophrenics widely experience discrimination and have come to expect it. Researchers involved in a study found the following results,

Negative discrimination was experienced by 47% of participants in making or keeping friends; by 43% of participants from family members; by 29% in finding a job; by 29% in keeping a job, and by 27% in intimate or sexual relationships. Positive discrimination was very rare (at less than 5%). Anticipated discrimination affected 64% of participants in applying for work, training or education (ie, they did not apply for a job because they expected to fail because of discrimination by employers), and 55% looking for a close relationship. Most participants (72%) felt the need to conceal their diagnosis. Over a third of participants anticipated discrimination for job seeking and close personal relationships when no discrimination was experienced.

Discrimination was found in most of the 27 countries studied that included Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Lithuania, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, UK, USA. Researchers maintain that this finding will allow them to properly orient people in educating different cultures about this serious mental illness. Despite counseling and support groups, including websites with comprehensive information, many people are misinformed about schizophrenia. The National Institute of Mental Health defines it as this:

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that affects about 1.1 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. People with schizophrenia sometimes hear voices others don’t hear, believe that others are broadcasting their thoughts to the world, or become convinced that others are plotting to harm them. These experiences can make them fearful and withdrawn and cause difficulties when they try to have relationships with others.

These relationship problems help create the discrimination investigated by the present research. Since discrimination with this group is such a widespread problem those involved in treatment hope to use these new findings to help educate people about the illness, the treatment and the support agencies. This will help uncover more of the mysteries of this illness and increase community understanding of it.