Most often these families have absolutely no idea what this complicated illness is. There was one recent phone call that made me realize that society, in general, is unaware of what schizophrenia really is and, like these families, needs to be educated. It was a call from the mother of a young man who suffers from schizophrenia. This mother, devastated and angry at the cruelty and thoughtlessness of this T-shirt, abandoned her purchase and left the store. Not only is this T-shirt not at all humorous, it's not even accurate.
Schizophrenia has absolutely nothing to do with split personality disorder.
The retailer and manufacturer of the T-shirt should be aware that they are alienating the approximately 10,000 people in the Ottawa region who suffer from schizophrenia, not to mention their extended families and friends and anyone who understands that poking fun at mental illness is not funny at all. Over the past three years, I have been witness to the enormous progress we are making in medical research toward prevention and more effective treatment. But I've now come to the realization that we have an even larger barrier in front of us, that of an uneducated and uncompassionate society. I cannot believe that we live in a society where someone would find humour in the suffering of another. It is no different from wearing a T-shirt that makes fun of cancer or diabetes.