Are People with Schizophrenia Dangerous and Unpredictable

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There is a worldwide presumption of the negative implications that are associated with schizophrenia for both the sufferers and the general community they are in. The myth that is particularly prominent in modern day society, despite an increase in education over the years, is that people diagnosed with schizophrenia are dangerous and unpredictable. This stigma has been proved through many studies conducted in different countries and cultures and the perception of schizophrenic patients is at a disadvantage to the way media portrays it in fiction and real-life events. In addition to this, presumption of the dangers of schizophrenia can create a powerful culture of fear that makes a powerful platform for the stigma to be built on. These assumptions about schizophrenia can and will adversely affect those suffering from the disorder and their families indefinitely unless there is a more rigorous education afforded to the public.

Over the years, there have been several studies conducted to analyse the way the public perceives people with schizophrenia. Stigma is something that follows mental illness everywhere, whether it is the general population shaming those who suffer from it or discrediting it as an illness at all. Because of the perception of schizophrenic sufferers being dangerous and unpredictable, the myths surrounding this illness is harsher than that of more common mental illnesses. A study in Germany carried out in 2001 showed results from a survey carried out comparing 5000 individuals attitudes towards depression and schizophrenia. According to the survey, people found sufferers of schizophrenia twice as dangerous and unpredictable as those with major depression and from this, the respondents felt positively reactions t...

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... of the public towards the mentally ill in developed Asian country. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42(9), 734-739. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/68198586?accountid=10382

Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2012) The Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness Persists. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 26(2), 435-436. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10/1016/j.apnu.2012.10.001

Leiderman, E. A., Vazquez, G., Berizzo, C., Bonifacio, A., Bruscoli, N., Capria, J.I., Ehrenhaus, B., Guerero, M., Guerero, M., Lolich, M., Milev, R. (2010) Public knowledge, beliefs and attitude towards patients with schizophrenia: Buenos Aires. . Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 46, 281-290. doi:10.1007/s00127-010-1096-0

Wahl, O. F. (2012) Stigma as a barrier to recovery from mental illness. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16(1), 9-10. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2011.11.002

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