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The Role Of Schizophrenia In The Media

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Schizophrenia is a word, which makes many people uncomfortable. The media regularly uses this term inaccurately and unfairly to describe disturbance and violence in society. Many studies show that stigmatizing attitudes towards people with schizophrenia are widespread (Byrne, 1997; Link et al, 1997; Jorm et al, 1999 as cited in Crisp, 2000). The perception of dangerousness is closely associated with increased fear and anger, and decreased pity. People with schizophrenia are, by far, more frequently considered as dangerous and unpredictable. Public also appears somewhat more likely to identify symptoms of schizophrenia as an indication of mental disorder due to biological factors, which more often is thought of having inherited influence. These …show more content…
Many movies depict negative roles of schizophrenics, which in turn add a wrong image of schizophrenics in people’s minds, and since movies, anecdotal references, personal experiences etc. are the only source of information for the common man (Leiderman, 2010), the myth is maintained. This is what we clearly see in our society such that when most people are asked about schizophrenia, they answer with negative portrayal that the media or some anecdotal evidence has implemented in their minds. Violence and crime are the biggest misconceptions that the media relates to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is just a disease but the horrific twist the media places on it makes it seem ominous. The stigma is not there due to less knowledge of the disease (Crisp, 2000) but due only what is seen by them i.e. violence. However, only less than 10% of the crimes are committed schizophrenics (Angermeyer & Matchinger, …show more content…
People with schizophrenia frequently react to feeling of insecurity (Angermeyer & Matchinger, 2003), which in turn makes it insecure for the people around them. They mostly become a burden on their families and the people they live with. They are not even thought to be capable of doing daily chores. And the fact that it is tough for people with psychiatric history to get apartments or jobs (Wahl, 2012), they become needy (Angermeyer & Matchinger, 2003). And since they already have a hard time doing it, caretakers usually discourage schizophrenics from employment and schooling (Wahl, 2012), demotivating them to the most. Studies show that either male or female, both the members in the society are stuck to the stigma that pertains. Ages people posses more knowledge of the disease. But the major predictor variables of people who have knowledge about the disease are people who are more educated (Leiderman,

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