People Quote by Elyn Saks
“Please hear this: There are not ‘schizophrenics,’ there are people with schizophrenia.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: 2012, “The Center for Mental Health”
Schizophrenia is a medical condition, not a label for identity.
In simple terms: Schizophrenia is a disorder, not a person.
Key Takeaway
Use respectful language for mental illness.
Themes
mental health
stigma
identity
language
Mood
empathetic
educational
Type
advisory
social
When to use this quote
- clinical settings
- public discourse
- education
Key Concepts
psychology
psychiatry
social justice
Questions to Reflect On
- How does language shape perception of illness?
- What can reduce stigma?
A Different Perspective
Stigma persists despite facts.
![“Portray [people with mental illness] sympathetically, and portray them in all the richness and depth of their experience as people, and not as diagnoses.” quote by Elyn Saks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/680/elyn-saks-31421_depth_portray-people-with-mental-illness-sympa_733702.jpg)
![“Some people still hold [the] view that restraints help psychiatric patients feel safe. I've never met a psychiatric patient who agreed.” quote by Elyn Saks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a2f/elyn-saks-31421_feels_some-people-still-hold-the-view-that-res_2567732.jpg)
