[Bruce]

Can anyone tell me what the present social outlook concerning Epilepsy and schizophrenia are?

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Name : Bruce, Gender : M, Age : 44, City : Temple, State : TX, Country : United States, 

[Dan27350]

Common misconceptions about schizophrenia are that it means ‘multiple personalities’ or ‘psycho’. In reality it’s a chemical imbalance. I see more and more people coming to realize this. The stigma is slowly but surely shifting from ‘lunatic’ to ‘neurologically ill’. But still those who don’t no any better are hostile towards or afraid of people with symptoms. There has been a shift from institutionalization to ‘community immersion’, where they are taught how to interact and take their meds and what have you. Unfortunately, this has caused countless numbers to become homeless because some refuse to cooperate for various reasons, and many die on the streets when they could at least be fed, sheltered, and medicated in a hospital. But I think things are better in most areas than a number of years ago, back in the days of rampant ECT, instant institutionalization, lobotomies, and other monstrousities.

User Detail :  

Name : Dan27350, Gender : M, Disability : PDD, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal Christian, Age : 21, City : L.A. area, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : student/dishwasher, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Ed H.]

When my wife was a child, she had what they called ‘convulsions’. As a young woman, her condition was called ‘epilepsy’. Now, years later, she is said to have ‘a siezure disorder’. All one and the same. We believe there is still a stigma attached to the word ‘epilepsy’. Some people still think the condition is contagious and can be contracted through the patient’s saliva. The general public doesn’t seem to grasp the knowledge that epilepsy comes in many different forms and manifestations, none of which could ever be contagious. I, too, have siezures caused by a severe blow to the head way back in 1969. I was not diagnosed until 1998! My opinion is that the general public is in the dark about epilepsy and most people are actually harboring a nonsensical fear of the condition.

User Detail :  

Name : Ed H., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : spinal cord injury, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 58, City : Airway Heights, State : WA, Country : United States, Occupation : Retired Marine, Education level : High School Diploma, 

[Eric25209]

I have epilepsy, work in the Information Technology field as an underpaid systems administrator, it has impeded my career without the ability to drive where I couldn’t take jobs like field tech. I second guess my educational career constantly, focused on computer hardware and networking rather than programming. Socially, I hate answering questions on why I don’t have a car and not being to get out on weekends. Outside of a horrid social life and short periods of unemployment. I could otherwise live a normal life.

User Detail :  

Name : Eric25209, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : Epilepsy, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Kansas City, State : KS, Country : United States, Occupation : Systems Administrator, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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