Unpacking the Stigma of Schizophrenia

Inside Schizophrenia

The main three stigmas of schizophrenia are:

1. People with mental illness are violent and need to be feared.
2. They have childlike perceptions of the world that should be marveled.
3. They’re responsible for their illness because they have weak character.

Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard, explore the stigma of mental illness and share their personal experiences. Guest expert Brandon Kohrt, MD, PhD, a psychiatrist and anthropologist joins to discuss stigma surrounding mental illness around the world and ways different countries have approached solutions.

Guest Bio

Brandon Kohrt, MD, PhD, is a psychiatrist and anthropologist who has worked for 25 years to improve mental health services in countries affected by war and political violence, disasters, and other forms of adversity. Kohrt is the director of the Global Mental Health Equity Lab at George Washington University. Kohrt has sought to combat the stigma associated with mental illness through work with The Carter Center Mental Health Program, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and more. Kohrt developed the “RESHAPE mental health” intervention to reduce mental illness stigma among healthcare providers.

About the Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Host

Rachel Star Withers creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage, and let others like her know they’re not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written “Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids” and a tool for schizophrenics, “To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal.” Learn more at RachelStarLive.com.

About the Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Co-Host

Gabe Howard lives with bipolar disorder and is a nationally recognized speaker and podcast host. He is the author of the book, “Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations,” available from Amazon; signed copies available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit gabehoward.com.

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