Panel 1
Title: Schizophrenia: Insider’s Point of View
Panel 2
(Crass introduces herself.)
Crass: Hi my name is Crass, and I’m a schizophrenic
Panel 3
Crass: But since I’m schizophrenic, I’m misunderstood, stigmatized, and just plain invisible. This is about how it impacts me.
Panel 4
Text: Media makes us into killers and crazies.
Panel 5
(Crass turning off the TV)
Crass: How many times is the killer schizophrenic? How many schizophrenic protagonists have you seen that were realistic?
Panel 6
(Crass talking to a guy who is disgusted by her)
Text: And this is the only idea of schizophrenia people have to go off of.
Crass: I’m schizophrenic.
Panel 7
(Crass reaching out to the guy)
Crass: I’m not a killer, and I’m not crazy!
Panel 8
(Crass tearing down the crazy schizophrenic image)
Crass: I’m tired of this being the only image of schizophrenia.
Panel 9
(Crass and the guy walking away from each other)
Text: The way media portrays us further isolates us.
Panel 10
Text: We have to act neurotypical, even on bad days.
Panel 11
(Crass talking to friend)
Text: Most days I can blend – pretend to be social, have conversations I don’t want to have, and appear neurotypical – even though I’d prefer to be left alone.
Panel 12
(Crass standing on the floor, surrounded by lava)
Text: But some days are bad. Sometimes everyone doesn’t feel real. Sometimes the world is warped.
Panel 13
(Crass scared of friend on her phone)
Text: Sometimes I’m so hyper-aware of other people’s actions I jump to conclusions and get too paranoid to be around others.
Panel 14
(Crass wrapped in blankets)
Text: I’ll neglect cleaning the house, I’ll neglect friendships, and I’ll neglect myself. Sleeping and eating are all I can manage some days.
Panel 15
(Crass and friend texting)
Title: For friends of schizophrenics: Understand we may need a lot of space, but it isn’t personal. Trying to act neurotypical is exhausting. We’re happy you’re patient with us.
Panel 16
Text: There is more to hallucinations than voices. Some are good, some are bad.
Panel 17
(Crass experiencing hallucinations)
Text: There are smell, taste, sight, and touch hallucinations, too. I have random tingles and see birds that aren’t there. And it’s totally fine.
Panel 18
(Crass writing a list)
Text: I have voices, too. Some are my friend’s voices. Some are random. They mostly say gibberish or remind me of things I need to do.
Panel 19
(Crass standing with another friend and hallucinating)
Text: Symptoms and severity vary from person to person. But hallucinations are a symptom that is not accepted by the neruotypical.
Panel 20
(Crass sitting with friend still hallucinating)
Text: Even if people empathize, they still don’t know what it’s like.
Panel 21
(Disorders people relate to: depression and anxiety. The word “schizophrenia” is covered up.)
Text: Lack of understanding make schizophrenics feel unheard and invisible.
Panel 22
Text: We have to come out to people. It isn’t always pretty.
Panel 23
(Crass upset by ignorant person)
Text: It’s not just people’s judgments.
Person: You’re a crazy person.
Panel 24
(Crass behind bars)
Text: I could get fired/ not hired or even unfairly incarcerated.
Panel 25
(Cop yelling at a flustered Crass)
Text: Police officers are not trained to deal with potentially schizophrenic people.
Cop: Give me your name!
Crass: I can’t! I’m scared!
Panel 26
(Cop sees violent stereotype of schizophrenic)
Text: And thanks to our only image, police assume we are violent. The reality is that a majority of schizophrenics are non-violent.
Panel 27
(Unknown hero silhouette)
Text: Where are the positive schizophrenic role models? For our sake and for the sake of educating the neurotypicals.
Panel 28
Text: Tips for the neurotypical
(Crass and friend)
Text: Our behavior can change. We have good days and bad days. Be patient.
Panel 29
(Crass chases bird hallucination)
Text: Don’t judge anyone that is behaving strangely. You are not experiencing what they are. Just listen!
