Sad Illness

It looks like this sad mental illness is beginning to get some public exposure. In the US, treatment for serious diseases often begins by clinical trials when medical research is conducted to look for cause and remedy.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social and occupational dysfunction. Stigma and discrimination against people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses was identified as the number one issue for families and societies.

Without treatment, social problems, such as long-term unemployment, poverty and homelessness, are common. Up to one third of the homeless you see in the streets of major US cities suffer from schizophrenia with or without being diagnosed as such. Many uninformed individuals mistake schizophrenia with paranoia. Unfortunately, schizophrenia is a much more severe mental illness. A very sad affliction for the human race.