ESP Biography

What really is schizophrenia? To many people who don’t know very much about the specifics of mental illness, schizophrenia is the disease whose symptoms are most predominantly stereotyped as characteristics of “crazy” or “insane” people. People often confuse schizophrenia with Multiple Personality Disorder. However, schizophrenia actually involves a disconnect between thought, emotion, and behavior. 50% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have not received treatment. Schizophrenia can affect anyone, no matter their age, talent, and social status. In this class, we will learn about the subtypes and symptoms of schizophrenia and focus on understanding what it means to live with schizophrenia.

Did you know that mental health issues affect one in every five American families? Mental health is often a difficult subject to speak openly about. This may be for several reasons, including the unwillingness and fear of individuals to see themselves or others close to them as “diseased”, the lack of a culturally sensitive, mainstream vocabulary for the discussion of mental health issues, and the stigma of seeking aid or treatment for psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, by not speaking openly and competently about these issues, we as a society risk leaving many individuals untreated, endangering their lives and damaging their communities and families, and holding back on potential advancements in care. The aim of this class is to promote more open and informed conversations about mental health issues and their impacts with your friends, families, schools, and the larger community. We hope to shed some light on different types of mental health disorders, their current care and treatment methods, and perhaps most importantly, how we as students can serve as allies to those who seek to make mental health a priority in their lives and to those who are struggling with mental health issues.

Did you know that mental health issues affect one in every five American families? Mental health is often a difficult subject to speak openly about. This may be for several reasons, including the unwillingness and fear of individuals to see themselves or others close to them as “diseased”, the lack of a culturally sensitive, mainstream vocabulary for the discussion of mental health issues, and the stigma of seeking aid or treatment for psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, by not speaking openly and competently about these issues, we as a society risk leaving many individuals untreated, endangering their lives and damaging their communities and families, and holding back on potential advancements in care. The aim of this class is to promote more open and informed conversations about mental health issues and their impacts in the larger community. We hope to shed some light on different types of mental health disorders, their current care and treatment methods, and perhaps most importantly, how we as students can serve as allies to those who seek to make mental health a priority in their lives and to those who are struggling with mental health issues.

What really is schizophrenia? To many people who don’t know very much about the specifics of mental illness, schizophrenia is the disease whose symptoms are most predominantly stereotyped as characteristics of “crazy” or “insane” people. People often confuse schizophrenia with Multiple Personality Disorder. However, schizophrenia actually involves a disconnect between thought, emotion, and behavior. 50% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have not received treatment. Schizophrenia can affect anyone, no matter their age, talent, and social status. In this class, we will learn about the subtypes and symptoms of schizophrenia and focus on understanding what it means to live with schizophrenia.

Did you know that mental health issues affect one in every five American families? Mental health is often a difficult subject to speak openly about. This may be for several reasons, including the unwillingness and fear of individuals to see themselves or others close to them as "diseased", the lack of a culturally sensitive, mainstream vocabulary for the discussion of mental health issues, and the stigma of seeking aid or treatment for psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, by not speaking openly and competently about these issues, we as a society risk leaving many individuals untreated, endangering their lives and damaging their communities and families, and holding back on potential advancements in care. The aim of this class is to promote more open and informed conversations about mental health issues and their impacts in the larger community. We hope to shed some light on different types of mental health disorders, their current care and treatment methods, and perhaps most importantly, how we as students can serve as allies to those who seek to make mental health a priority in their lives and to those who are struggling with mental health issues.