Portrait of Schizophrenia and Its Victims

I want to commend Patrick Mott for his article “Living on the Edge” (Sept. 15). The article presented a realistic picture of the illness, life, and hope for treatment and cure for people with schizophrenia.

As a faculty member at UCI Medical Center, I am involved in a longitudinal research study on schizophrenia. We are studying the lives, course of the illness and biochemical changes in brain chemistry of people with schizophrenia.

People with schizophrenia constantly battle the stigma of their illness, rejection and misunderstanding by friends and family, in addition to the symptoms of the illness. Your article emphasized the physical origins of the illness while clearly describing the symptoms and dispelling the myths that are often attached to schizophrenia.

Only through educating the public with articles like yours will we be able to convince the public and Legislature to prioritize funding for programs that provide community support, treatment and research into this devastating illness.

JENNIFER HAGMAN, M.D.,

Orange