How do I explain the illness to family, close friends, and others?
First, decide who you want to tell (family and close friends who will be supportive and understanding, who might be involved in the recovery process) and who you need to tell (doctors, school administrators, employers). Not everyone needs to know, and for the most part you can be as discriminating as you wish about how much you disclose. Once you’ve decided to tell someone about the illness, be proactive about providing information – books, articles, internet links – that will help them understand. Know that some people will be sympathetic and supportive, and some will not. Schizophrenia is a hard disease to deal with and understand, and some people are just unable to empathize. Some members of schizophrenia.com suggest distancing yourself, to a degree, from relatives and friends who cannot seem to understand or be helpful. It’s important to you and your ill family member that you both stay as positive and as hopeful as you can about the illness. Our online PDF reference library contai
