Just days before the shooting at the Capitol, Kareem was admitted to the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in his home town of Philadelphia after suffering his latest psychotic breakdown. The hospital and Kareem granted the NewsHour permission to tell his story. That story is typical. Kareem s disease was misdiagnosed for years after his first breakdown at age 15. Because he has been on and off medication, the roller coaster ride that has become his life has landed him in the hospital more than 10 times and nearly destroyed his family.
Schizophrenia is arguably the most terrible illness that has ever affected humanity.
Kareem's physician, Dr. Richard Petty heads the psychiatric inpatient unit at the university hospital. What other illness strips away the core of what makes you a human being. It takes away your understanding of where your limits are as a person. It interferes with your ability to rationalize, to socialize, to be a member of society. But the good thing is that if the patients can get and stay in treatment, we can put it all back together again.