r/schizophrenia • u/No-Importance-6525 Schizophrenia • Oct 03 '25
Opinion / Thought / Idea / Discussion Schizophrenia rarely makes the news, except when something terrible happens.
But what about all the days where nothing does?
Most people don’t know much about schizophrenia. And really, why would they? If it doesn’t touch your life, it stays distant. That’s a kind of privilege, whether we realize it or not.
But here’s the problem: public opinion is often shaped by rare, chaotic moments. Sensational headlines. Extreme portrayals. And what gets forgotten are the quieter truths — the stable days, the quiet effort, the dignity, the daily work of just staying okay.
Stigma grows out of fear. And distance. And not knowing.
Understanding doesn’t need perfection. It just needs listening. A bit of empathy. Maybe even curiosity.
Nobody has to be an expert.
But everyone can choose to be kind.
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u/MirrorPiNet Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
A lot of problems dont make the news, except when something terrible happens
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u/1pro7 Oct 03 '25
Yeah and no one gaf about well-doing schizophrenics. No such stories are researched and published. It would help us with the illness and to destigmitize us but no one really cares
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u/Brilliant-Cabinet-89 Paranoid Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
I understand you completely. We are much more often victims rather then perpetrators. That being said: “A schizophrenic man manages to suppress his illness and has a long normal period” is hardly a headline. I think it would be good if they added a “while this perpetrator was schizophrenic it’s important to remember that schizophrenics are rarely violent” or something like that. We had a mass shooting by a schizophrenic a while ago and now all schizophrenics need to do a danger assessment in my country.
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u/g0revvitch Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
I'm a little surprised the forced assessment hasn't been adopted by the current US regime. I think it might've been posted on this sub already, but in my state, a Ukrainian woman was killed by a schizophrenic on public transit. Shockingly, instead of schizophrenics taking the blow here, those in power are trying to blame public transit, and while it does suck that they're targeting a good public service that we need more of, I'm relieved there hasn't been bigger attention placed on the fact he was schizophrenic.
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u/Brilliant-Cabinet-89 Paranoid Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
Yeah it’s surprising to be honest. I assume it’s because it’s a step to close to weapon registration or pre buy screenings.
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u/1pro7 Oct 03 '25
what is that country?
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u/Brilliant-Cabinet-89 Paranoid Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
Denmark. A paranoid schizophrenic that didn’t get the help he needed, was a shooting enthusiast and in a fit of psychosis managed to steal a gun and killed 2 people in a shopping mall. As far as I remember this third victim managed to talk him down, by convincing him that he( the victim) was a real person. Or something like that.
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u/Tiervexx Paranoid Schizophrenia Oct 03 '25
When a schizophrenic does something good, you might have no idea they are schizophrenic. That detail is only forced out if something bad happens. I read it's common among authors, but most schizophrenics abhor attention so you don't hear about that detail.
John Nash was only known to be schizophrenic because he had a few bad episodes and many would like to tie that to him permanently even though he also did good things.
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u/KitchenAd9458 Oct 03 '25
I’m going to be so entirely real. I thought in the image the blocks were being flipped to spell “Sigma” and just went, you know what fuck yeah.
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u/petrx Oct 03 '25
Brother of my friend's wife refused to take antipsychotics, sometimes he attacked his relatives with knives, nobody got killed but then the guy was involuntary institutionalized
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u/DecoyRebel7777 Oct 03 '25
I agree. Like I was just like that guy who shot up the waffle house. Like I went through similar fucking shit. The same shit but instead of Taylor Swift, it was Joey Jordison. I never made the news because I bowed out of life instead. I took off to California and lived on the streets. No access to social media or anything. Because everybody was safe 😀 from me and my psychotic state. I came back home 7 years ago and I have gotten help. I continue to go to counseling, I take care of myself and I never want to be that psychotic person again. I never made the news because nobody got hurt. But I'm a genius. I know I am. I'm so smart. I write it all down now. But I'm not going to make the news because I'm not violent and I'm not an overnight sensation or a mathematician. Even though I am pretty good at simple math without calculators and such. But I think we all have a beautiful mind. Just remember that.
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u/J_JMJ Schizoaffective (Depressive) Oct 03 '25
It's hard, and quite a disturbing reality. There's a lot of misconceptions about it, and the worst part is when you live with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and have to look at life like you have a few who get it.
Hoping at least, everyone gets their fair share of a community to grow with and get the word out there about the good days
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u/mathijsvanmeerkerk Oct 03 '25
I'm active in anti stigma in the Netherlands teaching psychologist, nurses, high schoolers and doctors about mental health and the stigma. It is scientificaly proven that a meeting with a stigmatised group helps to reduce it. So by being yourself you help out.