Destigmatization

The Media spreads misinformation…

There is the misconception of schizophrenia and violence, that schizophrenic people are inherently aggressive. Sadly, in the stigma that schizophrenia patients and their families are battling constantly, the news media and the entertainment industry need to take considerable responsibility. Both sectors have caused great harm to the effort to minimize the shame associated with mental illness by sharing and encouraging misconceptions about schizophrenia and abuse.

Instead of spreading misconceptions of schizophrenia (violence and crime), film and news media must work to minimize unfounded fears about mental illness. Profits and sensational media make it possible for the stigma around schizophrenia to remain strong. There’s a popular saying in new media: “If it bleeds, it leads.” This is a reference to the often manipulative tactics of advertisements used by the media to raise newspaper ratings and subscriptions to newspapers. Such reports and news teasers, riddled with hyperbole and prejudices reinforcing the stigma of schizophrenia, are often impossible for the general public to disregard.

It only takes a little effort to refute the myth of schizophrenia and aggression. Numerous, scientific research studies indicate that people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and are receiving proper treatment pose no greater danger to the safety of the general population than anyone else. Nonetheless, people with untreated schizophrenia do have a growing susceptibility towards aggressive behavior. The first psychotic episode, which signals the beginning of schizophrenia, frequently triggers irrational and violent action by the patient. The truth is that most people who battle with schizophrenia do not commit violent or aggressive crimes against others. Studies show that as a typical person diagnosed with schizophrenia, people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol or even recreational users are twice as likely to be involved in acts of violence and crime.

APA Reference: Gluck, S. (2012, April 20). Stigma of Schizophrenia: Myths About Violence and Crime, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2019, December 15 from

Myths about Violence and Crime

NAMI- National Alliance on Mental Illness:

NAMI is an organization that is committed to providing research on mental health. NAMI is an excellent resource providing national support programs for individuals diagnosed with mental illness, their caretakers, and the general public. Here are some links for NAMI efforts to destigmatize mental illness in the United States:

NAMI- Combatting Stigma NAMI- 9 Ways To Fight Stigma