The NIMH Schizophrenia Pamphlet

For six years I worked as a mental health case manager. Most of the clients that I worked with were diagnosed with Schizophrenia. During those years I had a difficult time explaining my job to people. (Few understood why I had to manage other people's disability checks - that is, manage their money - or how hard it could be to find some clients an appropriate place to live.)

Unfortunately, way too many Americans are in the dark about what Schizophrenia is. But fortunately, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has created a pamphlet about this debilitating and fairly common mental illness. This pamphlet is available at the Fond du Lac campus (in the Pamphlet file which is located near the reference desk).

A basic definition of Schizophrenia is provided on the first page:

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has been recognized throughout recorded history. It affects about 1 percent of Americans.

Another very important paragraph follows:

The pamphlet goes on to describe the symptoms and treatments of Schizophrenia and it also addresses some common misconceptions, such as the idea that Schizophrenics are especially prone to violence. Whether you need to understand Schizophrenia for a class or for more personal reasons, I highly recommend this pamphlet.