Every year, World Mental Health Day shines a light on psychiatric disorders that affect millions of people around the world. Schizophrenia is one of them. Many associations are trying to break the taboo around this disease.
This Sunday, October 10 celebrates World Mental Health Day. An international event since 1992, to raise public awareness on this still taboo subject. Among the various mental disorders, schizophrenia is very present and affects 1% of the world population. To fight against the stigmatization around this disorder, certain personalities are engaged with associations. Sponsor of the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM), Thierry Lhermitte is a great financial aid to develop research and cure patients. Asked by CNews this Sunday, October 10, the emblematic actor recounted his recent meeting with researchers specializing in the study of this pathology.
“The main symptoms are hallucinations, visual and auditory, and cognitive deficits. Schizophrenia is also characterized by a motivational deficit, a disinterest in the things of life”, explained Thierry Lhermitte. Although this mental disorder has been studied by physicians since 1911, many elements are still unexplained. Schizophrenia is nevertheless increasingly under control: “For now, we cannot cure it, but we can control the disease by taking antipsychotic drugs”, he added. According to a study relayed by CNews, 44% of French people are “afraid” of this pathology. A figure that the member of the Splendid troop deplores: “It is not what you think. There is no reason to be afraid of this disease.” The media appearances of the 68-year-old actor allow the Foundation to collect numerous donations.
“A taboo subject still today”
Schizophrenia usually starts in adolescence. A major problem because the mental disorder is sometimes confused with a simple adolescent crisis. Cynthia, 21, confided in our colleagues from Simone Media, this Sunday, October 10. The young woman has been affected by this mental disorder since the age of 15 and is confronted with her demons on a daily basis. After refusing the disease, the young woman finally accepted her condition by learning to live with: “I started to dialogue more and more with caregivers and patients and I understood that the disease was not a defect”, she said. Even if all of her entourage accepts her mental disorder, Cynthia assured that the voice around schizophrenia was not yet released: “All psychiatric illnesses are still a taboo subject today”, she concluded.