Your Health

Bringing a Mental Illness Out of the Shadows

Posted 11/12/2010

Schizophrenia can affect an individual’s ability to distinguish fantasy from reality. The condition can have a serious impact on the person’s family as well.

(NAPSI) - There is hopeful news for families dealing with a particular type of mental illness of a loved one. The disease, schizophrenia, is soon to be the focus of a television documentary which was developed to help destigmatize the disease and create better awareness. The film tells the true story of a daughter who tries to reconnect with her father who has the disease, and examines the condition and how it can affect families.

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that interferes with the ability to think clearly, see reality from fantasy and make decisions. While the illness affects individuals, it can also have serious consequences for those who love and care for them.

Typically, it begins in late adolescence or early adulthood. Symptoms can include hallucination, delusions, paranoia and withdrawal from family and friends. It affects more than 2.4 million people in the United States and touches many others including the families, friends and communities of those afflicted with the illness.

Even though its effects are felt by many, persistent social stigma and misunderstanding still surround the disease. This stigma, fueled by misinformed characterizations of mental illness seen in the movies on television and in sensational media stories, can cause families dealing with schizophrenia undue stress.

Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia is a look at one woman’s personal journey to reconnect with her father, who has been living with schizophrenia since his 20s, after more than a decade of hiding from him and unlisting her phone number. Delaney Ruston brings a unique perspective into the myriad ways schizophrenia impacts individuals and families. In addition to being the daughter of someone with the disease, she is also a doctor and a filmmaker.

Haunted by questions about why she isn’t closer to her father and whether it’s possible to now have a meaningful relationship, Ruston sets out to get to know her dad and help him get the quality care he needs.

“Unlisted is an examination into the nature of responsibility—of parents and children, of physicians and patients, and of society towards those affected by severe mental illness,” says Ruston. “Through increased awareness and understanding, we can help lessen the stigma that causes deep isolation and delayed medical intervention for individuals in greatest need of ongoing support and care.”

“By giving us such a compelling and human story, Unlisted makes an incredibly important contribution to our understanding of mental illness and the challenges we face in confronting it,” says David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former U.S. Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary of Health.

The public television broadcast of the film is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. It premieres on local stations nationwide beginning in October 2010. To find a list of broadcast dates and times, visit UnlistedFilm.com.

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