Understanding Schizophrenia: A Simulation Experience
Schizophrenia affects approximately 1 in 300 people worldwide.
Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics related to self-harm that may be distressing for some readers.
Comprehending our own mental health can be challenging, but truly empathizing with someone else’s struggles can be even more difficult. According to the Worldwide Mental Health Foundation, around 950 million people globally are impacted by some form of mental illness.
While conditions like depression and anxiety are increasingly discussed, schizophrenia remains less understood and often overlooked.
To raise awareness, a simulation video was created to help viewers experience what it might be like to live with schizophrenia, shining a light on this often-misunderstood condition.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes schizophrenia as causing psychosis and significant disability, affecting all aspects of life, including personal, family, social, educational, and occupational functioning.
The simulation begins with a first-person perspective of a man approaching a supermarket. As he enters, he starts to experience what professionals refer to as “positive symptoms” associated with schizophrenia, such as hearing voices.
Almost immediately, various voices echo around him, saying things like “this is pointless,” “even that kid knows you’re stupid,” and “don’t go in there” as he steps into the store.
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