Following a diet for ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) can help minimize symptoms and promote healthy brain function. Unfortunately, many individuals are unaware of the role of food and proper diet plays when it comes to their ADHD.

Diet for ADHD: Part of Overall Treatment Plan

ADHD is a brain disorder characterized by a pattern of inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity.  ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders in the United States. In 2016, more than 6 million children and teens (ages 4 to 17) were diagnosed with this disorder.  Although typically diagnosed in childhood, ADHD can affect individuals of all ages.  And diagnoses are certainly on the rise, increasing 42% in the past 8 years (Danielson, et. al., 2018).  With the pervasiveness of this disorder, researchers are looking to new methods of managing ADHD symptoms, including exploring the importance of diet for ADHD.

Diet and ADHD: Which Foods Help with ADHD Symptoms

When it comes to identifying a diet for ADHD, studies have shown the significance of incorporating certain foods and avoiding others.

Foods to include in a diet for ADHD:

• Protein – protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, nuts, eggs, beans, and low-fat dairies have shown beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms. Protein assists in overall brain function and helps the brain in making neurotransmitters (which enable our brain cells to communicate with one another).  Protein also helps prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can help manage hyperactivity.
• Zinc, Magnesium – consuming adequate levels of zinc and magnesium can help manage ADHD symptoms.  Magnesium increases the brain's ability to make neurotransmitters, which can increase attentiveness and focus. Zinc regulates and improves dopamine levels in the brain (Schnoll, Burshteyn, & Cea-Aravena, 2003).
• Omega 3s – diet and ADHD research show incorporating Omega 3 fatty acids can have significant effects on concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.  Including Omega 3’s into a diet for ADHD can be done in numerous ways, including fish, flax seed, chia seed, walnuts, or an omega 3 nutritional supplement.
• Ginkgo Biloba – for decades, gingko biloba has been recommended for those looking for a natural remedy to improve memory and mental acuity.  In recent years, diet and ADHD research has shown improved symptoms for those using gingko biloba as part of their ADHD management.

When determining a healthy and effective diet for ADHD, it is essential to know which foods may aggravate ADHD symptoms. This can allow individuals to make educated choices regarding foods to steer clear of (or at least decrease consumption of).

Foods to avoid on a diet for ADHD:

• Sugar – an individual with a high sugar diet and ADHD may notice an increased occurrence of hyperactivity.  Yet there is an important distinction between what one might refer to as “good” and “bad” sugars; the “bad” meaning refined sugars.  The refined sugar is that which is found in many packaged cookies, candies, and soda. Consuming refined sugar causes a flood of glucose to the brain, which can lead to the “crash” that often follows a sugar high. Long-term consumption of refined sugar can lead to problems in memory and information processing (ADHD and Sugar: How Sugar Affects Your ADHD Child’s Behavior).
• Caffeine – caffeine is a stimulant, which means it arouses the central nervous system and increases dopamine in the brain. For some, this surge in dopamine aids in fighting the effects of fatigue and increases energy. While caffeine elevates energy levels, it can also have a substantial effect on sleep.  Individuals with ADHD who experience sleep deprivation may also notice forgetfulness, difficulty managing emotions, and increased irritability. Eliminating caffeine is an essential part of a diet for ADHD (ADHD and Caffeine: The Effects of Caffeine on ADHD).
• Frozen fruits and veggies – although fruits and vegetables are an integral part of any healthy diet, many frozen fruits and vegetables have been treated with pesticides or other forms of insect control, which have been shown to increase neurologically based problems seen in those with ADHD.
• Artificial additives and colorings – some studies have identified a connection between artificial food dyes and ADHD hyperactivity.  Most food items have these in the ingredients listed on the package.  Unfortunately, items like toothpaste, vitamins, fruit snacks, cake mixes, and gelatin powders may not have the artificial colorings listed, yet still may contain them.

Although diet alone is not the sole driving force behind the many symptoms of ADHD, it plays a substantial role. Following a diet for ADHD may help decrease difficult symptoms and contribute to overall well-being and quality of life.

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Positivity for depression may seem like an oxymoron, but it is possible to be happy and depressed at the same time. In fact, increased feelings of positivity during depression can lessen depressive symptoms and help you fully engage and connect with life.

It isn't easy to conjure up good thoughts when you're depressed, however. Some days it will feel impossible, and that's okay. It's okay to feel negative emotions and to have bad days. It's okay not to be okay sometimes. But by committing yourself to a healing journey, you can approach positivity for depression one small step at a time and eventually reap the rewards.

Positivity for Depression: Steps to Take

There are many ways to marry positivity and depression to help you see your illness in a more compassionate, optimistic light. These include:

• Limiting negative media consumption: Many of us feel like we're pulling the wool over our eyes when we switch off the news or take a break from social media, but we must do this occasionally if we're to survive a hyperconnected world (Positive News: How It Affects You and Where to Find It). Instead, focus your attention on books, TV shows and movies that make you feel good about yourself, and about life. If you can't focus your attention on reading or following a plotline, you can listen to a soothing audiobook or podcast.
• Following a routine: Many people find sticking to a routine to be integral to living with depression. The structure can help you keep focus during your day and help you take care of the basics, such as good hygiene and healthy eating habits.
• Practicing positive rituals: It can be helpful to incorporate positive rituals into your daily routine, so you always have something to look forward to. Positive rituals can be anything from taking a short walk in the morning to meditating in the afternoon or making yourself a nourishing lunch. If you find it hard to follow a routine, try setting the alarm on your phone to remind yourself to eat, shower or take a break. Alternatively, you can write a "wellbeing list" and tick off items as you go; doing this will help you feel a sense of accomplishment when participating in life feels like a struggle.
• Turning your depression into something positive: By starting a depression support group in your community, keeping a blog or reaching out to others, you can re-frame your experience into something positive. Just don't give yourself a hard time if you're not there yet. Depression requires strength we don't always have, and your first responsibility is to yourself. If you don't feel ready to help others yet, don't worry – your time will come.

Positivity and Depression: Can They Ever Co-Exist?

People often assume that only pessimists and people with problems get depressed, but this is a misnomer. Depression is an illness. It doesn't discriminate according to money, life circumstances or personality traits. Of course, some people are more prone to depression than others (whether for genetic or situational reasons), but the reality is, it can strike any of us at any time.

Depression, therefore, like any other illness, doesn't care how naturally optimistic you are or what you have going on in your life. However, depression does, by nature, make you see the world in an unfairly negative light, which can be self-perpetuating.

Some describe it as a "black cloud" hovering over them or a dark veil in front of their eyes, tainting everything they see. The former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, once described it as his "black dog." The black dog became a famous analogy for depression because it was an image so many of us can relate to: no matter how hard we try to find positivity during a period of depression, the black dog is often hard to shake off.

It's important to remember, though, that negativity is a symptom of depression. It isn't you. Practicing positivity for depression can help you overcome this all-encompassing negativity, just like physical therapy can help rehabilitate you after a bodily injury.

Positivity for Depression: A Key Takeaway

It's oversimplified and misinformed to say that positivity is always a choice, but there is some truth in that notion. Many of us are grappling with severe mental health conditions that are complex to treat, and accessing positivity about life isn't easy.

However, by committing yourself to healing, and by taking small steps in the right direction, you can set yourself up to work through the world more positively. You may just find that glimmer of light you've been looking for.

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Paranoid schizophrenia represents the most common of the many sub-types of the debilitating mental illness known collectively as schizophrenia. People with all types of schizophrenia become lost in psychosis of varying intensity, causing them to lose touch with reality. Untreated, people with psychotic disorders lose their ability to function in daily life.

Paranoid Schizophrenic – Drowning in Suspicion and Obsession

Typically, a paranoid schizophrenic experiences auditory hallucinations along with deluded thought processes and beliefs. They often believe others plot and conspire against them or their family members. People with paranoid schizophrenia tend to fare better than those suffering from one of the other subtypes. They experience fewer issues with concentration, memory, and emotional apathy, allowing them to function better in everyday life.

Paranoid Schizophrenia Symptoms

Patients often describe life with paranoid schizophrenia as a dark and fragmented world – a life marked by suspicion and isolation where voices and visions torment them in a daily waking nightmare.

Common paranoid schizophrenia symptoms may include:

• Auditory disturbances – hearing things that are not real (more on hallucinations and delusions)
• Unexplained anger
• Emotional disconnectedness
• Severe anxiety and agitation
• Argumentative behavior
• Violent tendencies (more on violent behaviors and schizophrenia)
• Delusions of grandeur – self-importance and believing he or she possesses special powers
• Frequent suicidal thoughts and behavior

While all the above symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia can occur across the different types of schizophrenia, two, in particular, set it apart from the other sub-types – paranoid delusions and auditory disturbances.

Paranoid Delusions – When suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, you feel that others are conspiring against you. As these paranoid thoughts intensify, you may behave aggressively or commit violence in self-defense against those you believe plan to cause harm to you or a loved one. You may also think you possess special powers, such as the ability to breathe underwater or fly like a bird. You may believe you’re famous or that a famous person wants to date you. Even though others present contrary evidence, you hold onto these beliefs anyway.

Auditory hallucinations that are unpleasant and cruel – Imagine sitting in your living room. You hear voices in the room, but no one else can hear them. You might hear one person’s voice or two or more people conversing. They may talk to you or about you amongst each other. They criticize you; cruelly poke fun at your real or perceived flaws. Suddenly, one of the voices orders you to hurt someone else or yourself. Although not real, to you they absolutely are.

Causes of Paranoid Schizophrenia Symptoms

Researchers do not have a clear understanding of the causes of paranoid schizophrenia symptoms or those associated with any of the sub-types. Although experts believe that brain dysfunction has a role in causing the onset of most types of the disorder, they don’t know what causes the dysfunction initially. Research indicates that both genetics and environmental triggers work together to trigger the onset.

Think of any genetic predisposition for developing psychotic disorders as rows of levers or switches. People and events represent your environment. If a person, event, or combination of these flips your switches at certain of times and in a particular order, you develop signs of paranoid schizophrenia. These initial signs signal the onset of the disorder. Research studies indicate that an imbalance of brain chemicals contributes to the onset of the first psychotic episode, leading to paranoid schizophrenia symptoms.

Risk factors that increase chances of a paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis include:

• family history of psychotic disorders
• exposure to a viral infection in the womb
• fetal malnutrition
• stress in early childhood
• sexual or physical abuse
• older parental age
• use of psychoactive drugs during adolescence

Treatment of Paranoid Schizophrenia

Treatment of paranoid schizophrenia involves a lifelong commitment; no cure for schizophrenia exists. Treatment, essentially the same for all types of the disorder, varies based on symptom intensity and severity, patient medical history, age, and other individually relevant factors.

Treatments for paranoid schizophrenia require a team of medical and mental health professionals as well as social workers. Treatment strategies may include one or more of several options: antipsychotic medications (both traditional and atypical), psychotherapy for schizophrenia for patient and family, hospitalization, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and social skills development training.

For psychotherapeutic and other non-pharmaceutical interventions to work, doctors must first control paranoid schizophrenia symptoms. They accomplish this by prescribing one or more antipsychotic drugs. For the drugs to do their work effectively, the patient must comply with the physician orders by closely adhering to dosing instructions and schedule.

Medication non-compliance represents a significant problem in the efficacy of treatment and eventual recovery of paranoid schizophrenic patients. A high percentage of patients choose to stop taking their medications during the first year of treatment, allowing psychosis to return and the debilitating clutches of the disorder to take over once again.

The High Personal and Collateral Costs of Paranoid Schizophrenia

Untreated paranoid schizophrenia can lead to a continual worsening of symptoms and a total loss of touch with reality. Suicidal thoughts and actions commonly plague those with paranoid schizophrenia and the other types as well. If you suspect a family member is showing paranoid schizophrenia signs and symptoms, urge him or her to seek help immediately. If necessary, check into the necessary steps required have your loved one evaluated involuntarily by a psychiatrist. (Help for family members and schizophrenia patients.)

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The myth of schizophrenia and violence, that people with schizophrenia are inherently violent, persists. Unfortunately, the news media and the entertainment industry must take considerable responsibility in the stigma that schizophrenia patients and their families battle daily. By spreading and promoting myths about schizophrenia and violence, these industries have caused great damage to the struggle to reduce the shame associated with mental illness.

Myths About Schizophrenia Violence and Crime

Rather than promoting myths about schizophrenia violence and crime, the movie and news media should work to stop unfounded fears about mental illness. Sadly, this is rarely the case (Schizophrenia Movies).

Profits and yellow journalism cause the stigma schizophrenia patients deal with to remain strong. There’s a popular saying in the news media, “If it bleeds, it leads.” This slogan speaks to the often-sensational reporting tactics employed by the media to boost viewership and newspaper subscriptions. The general public often finds it difficult to ignore these headlines and news teasers, filled with hyperbole and myths that perpetuate the stigma schizophrenia has attached to it.

Schizophrenic Crime: A Fear Unfounded

Debunking the myth of schizophrenia crime only takes a little research. Numerous, fastidiously-conducted research studies indicate that people with schizophrenia, and undergoing treatment, pose no greater danger to public welfare than anyone else in the general population.

People with untreated schizophrenic illness do, however, have an increased tendency toward violent behavior. Frequently, the initial psychotic episode, indicating the onset of schizophrenia, causes the patient to act out in bizarre and violent ways.

The truth is, most people struggling with the torment of schizophrenia don’t commit violent crime or aggressive acts against others. Studies show that people with drug and alcohol addictions, or even recreational users, are two times more likely to participate in acts of violence and crime than a typical person diagnosed with schizophrenia.¹

Movies: A Powerful Tool for Ending the Stigma Schizophrenia Holds

In the past decade or so, the mainstream movie industry has stepped up and produced some powerful movies that serve to lessen the stigma schizophrenia holds for those suffering with the illness. A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe, follows the true-life struggle of John Nash, an exceptionally talented mathematician and musical prodigy who suffered greatly with the ravages and darkness brought by schizophrenia. Nash came out on top of the fight, winning the Nobel Prize for economics and experiencing triumph over the destructive and chaotic forces that plagued his mind.

Many other documentary and educational films, as well as reality-based fictional films,  are available for those wishing to raise their awareness of the dark and chaotic place visited by those suffering in schizophrenia’s clutches. Check the PBS.com website for titles as well as Films.com, using keyword schizophrenia in the search box.

Don’t forget your local library. Libraries represent a budget-friendly resource for those wishing to learn how to debunk schizophrenia myths. Doing nothing lends power to the problem. Educate yourself with accurate information and become part of the solution.

Read also: Famous People and Celebrities with Schizophrenia

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Research identifies three phases of schizophrenia: prodromal, acute or active, and residual. Although it may seem like people suddenly develop the serious mental illness, known as schizophrenia, this simply isn’t so. You don’t just wake up one day in the throes of full-blown psychosis. Instead, a period of decreased function frequently precedes obvious psychotic symptoms. Once psychotic symptoms begin to emerge, the schizophrenic exhibits a distorted way of thinking and relating to others.

Phases of Schizophrenia

Prodromal Schizophrenia

The first of the three phases of schizophrenia, prodromal schizophrenia, or prodrome, occurs when a person just begins to develop the disorder (What Are the Early Symptoms of Schizophrenia). The term, prodrome, refers to the period of time from when the first change in a person occurs until he or she develops full-blown psychosis. In other words, it’s the time span leading up to the first obvious psychotic episode.

Imagine that you begin to withdraw socially, little by little, with no apparent triggering event present. You become uncharacteristically anxious, have difficulty making decisions and start to have trouble concentrating and paying attention. You could be entering schizophrenia prodrome.

Since these and similar symptoms occur in several other mental conditions, people may not recognize prodromal schizophrenia as such. Especially since the onset of the illness most frequently occurs during the teen years or early twenties, people may take the symptoms as indicating attention deficit disorder or a similar mental condition. They may also just attribute the symptoms to "teenage behavior."

Significance of Schizophrenia Prodrome

Researchers and mental health professionals consider schizophrenia prodrome very important because, if recognized and treated early on, the person may not always continue on to develop full-blown schizophrenia.

Active and Residual Phases of Schizophrenia

The active and residual phases of schizophrenia represent the periods commonly associated with the mental disorder by others viewing the person. The active phase, also called the acute phase, is characterized by hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and extremely disorganized speech and behaviors. During this stage, patients appear obviously psychotic. If left untreated, active psychotic symptoms can continue for weeks or months. Symptoms may progress to the point where the patient must enter the hospital for acute care and treatment.

The residual stage of schizophrenia resembles schizophrenia prodrome. Obvious psychosis has subsided, but the patient may exhibit negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as social withdrawal, a lack of emotion, and uncharacteristically low energy levels. And, although frank psychotic behaviors and vocalizations have disappeared, the patient may continue to hold strange beliefs. For instance, when you’re in the residual phase of schizophrenia, you may still believe you have supernatural intelligence, but no longer think you can read people’s minds word-for-word.

Recovery and the Phases of Schizophrenia

It’s impossible to foretell who will recover from a psychotic episode and break free of schizophrenia. Some people experience only one full-blown period of psychosis, but most go on to have several distinct psychotic episodes. Further, while some recover completely, others will need mental health support and medication for the rest of their lives to avoid relapses.

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Mental illness and drugs are linked and schizophrenia and substance abuse particularly so. While most researchers believe that substance abuse does not cause schizophrenia, people with schizophrenia are much more likely to suffer from drug abuse.

• About half of those with schizophrenia may abuse drugs and alcohol

Not only is substance abuse inherently problematic in the schizophrenic’s life but substance abuse can also negatively affect how prescription drugs for schizophrenia work. It has also been shown that people with schizophrenia who abuse drugs are also much less likely to stick to a treatment plan. Many street drugs like cocaine and meth are known to worsen schizophrenia symptoms. And while scientists believe there is drug-induced psychosis, it’s unlikely that there is drug-induced schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia and substance abuse is more common:

• Among men
• Among those in institutional settings like hospitals, jails and homeless shelters

The above correlations are not confined to those with schizophrenia, however.

Schizophrenia and Alcohol

Schizophrenia and drug abuse are common. Alcohol is the drug most commonly abused, aside from nicotine, with possibly more than one-in-three people with schizophrenia being an alcoholic at some time in their life.¹

People with schizophrenia likely use alcohol for the same reasons everyone else does but they have additional biological, psychological and environmental factors weighing on them making schizophrenia and alcoholism more prevalent.

Additional factors that may affect schizophrenia and alcohol abuse include:

• Self-medication of the symptoms of schizophrenia and related life factors with alcohol
• Encouragement of alcohol use and abuse due to abnormalities in the schizophrenic brain
• Easier development of the behaviors that lead to substance abuse due to cognitive impairment typical of schizophrenia
• Use of alcohol to create a social circle

Unfortunately, schizophrenia and alcohol are correlated with poorer treatment outcomes. People who are known to have schizophrenia and substance abuse issues have:

• More schizophrenia symptoms and symptom recurrence
• Social and life instability, including homelessness
• Other substance use disorders
• Issues with violence
• Legal problems
• Medical problems
• More time spent in institutions like jails and hospitals

Schizophrenia and Smoking

Smoking is the most common substance abuse problem in people with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia are addicted to nicotine at three times the rate of the average person:

• 75% - 90% of people with schizophrenia are addicted to nicotine compared with 25% - 30% of the general population²

The relationship between smoking and schizophrenia is complex as nicotine acts on various chemical messengers in the brain that affect schizophrenia and psychosis. It is thought this may make smoking more pleasurable and more addictive to a person with schizophrenia. However, nicotine may negatively impact schizophrenia medication (antipsychotics).

Quitting smoking can be very difficult for someone with schizophrenia because nicotine withdrawal can cause a temporary worsening of psychotic symptoms. Nicotine replacement withdrawal strategies may make it easier for a person with schizophrenia to quit abusing nicotine.

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Movies about schizophrenia and other mental illness abound in both the independent and major filmmaking industries. These movies provide exposure to the public about the realities of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia, which helps reduce the persistent, strong stigma surrounding these disorders.

Check out these schizophrenia films, featuring characters dealing with the disorder and its impact on those around them:

1. A Beautiful Mind – Ron Howard directs and Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly star in this Oscar-winning movie telling the true story of Nobel Prize Winner, John Nash’s struggle with schizophrenia. The film journeys through his battles, ending in Nash’s eventual triumph over the devastating effects of the illness.

2. The Soloist – A screen adaption of the true-life story of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (played by Jamie Foxx), a previous student at the Julliard School of Music, who plummets into the dark world of schizophrenia. A reporter, Steve Lopez (portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr.), befriends Ayers, changing the course of their lives forever. This schizophrenia film accurately depicts the still-present ethical issues regarding the treatment of and attitudes toward those with mental illness.

3. Revolution #9 – A schizophrenia film that accurately depicts the torment experienced by a young man, Jackson, as he descends into the depths of the devastating mental disorder. Jackson has paranoid delusions that his girlfriend’s nephew is communicating with him by sending mysterious and disturbing messages via the Internet. Once diagnosed, the man insists that everyone in his life, including his doctor, have collaborated in a conspiracy to destroy him. He refuses to take his medication and rejects those who love and care for him.

4. Benny & Joon – This 1997 film, starring Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson, tells of the positive possibilities available to those suffering from schizophrenia. Unlike similar movies, this film has an underlying theme of happiness, love, and independence. Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik.

5. Through a Glass Darkly – An award-winning Swedish film dating back to the mid-1960s, stars Ingmar Bergman with schizophrenia. One of the first movies to mention schizophrenia by name, the story tells of the young woman’s plight and relates the strange family dynamics in which she exists. The format is black and white with English subtitles.

6. Donnie Darko – A group of adolescents, including Donnie who takes medication for a mental illness, presumably schizophrenia because of the delusions he experiences throughout the film, ends inconclusively. Only those over the age of 18 should view this film, which includes very mature themes and scenery.

7. Angel Baby – A brutally realistic film, shot in Australia, tells of a romantically involved couple, both of whom suffer from schizophrenia. People who have had experience with schizophrenia should probably avoid seeing this movie as the sadness and realism may prove too disturbing for them to handle. Due to very mature and disturbing scenes in the film, those under the age of 18 should not view it.

The selected schizophrenia documentaries and educational films listed below represent only a few of the numerous quality, journalistic movies about schizophrenia available.

1. People Say I’m Crazy – A movie that offers a unique viewing experience when it comes to schizophrenia documentaries. This film begins by documenting a college senior’s treacherous battles with schizophrenia. The student, John Cadigan, experiences a psychotic breakdown, indicating the onset of the disorder and causing him to drop out of school. This movie about schizophrenia is the first of its kind, shot and produced by a person actively dealing with the illness and depicting the chaos inside his mind.

2. The Torment of Schizophrenia – This poignant video represents a more scholarly and academic look at the disorder, amidst the sea of schizophrenia films more appropriate for the layperson. The video reveals the ever-persistent therapeutic treatment challenges faced by psychiatric physicians giving care to these tormented patients. Appropriate medical doctors and non-doctoral healthcare professionals down to the layperson with a working knowledge of the illness, the film discusses warning signs, available treatments, psychotic episode phases, and various professional approaches to helping patients to function independently.

The Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) educational programmers have produced several informative and educational schizophrenia documentaries, available at most public libraries. Titles include West 57th Street, A Brilliant Madness, Secret Life of the Brain, and The Teenage Brain: A World of Their Own. People wishing to purchase these films can do so at the PBS Web Store.

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You may think that the terms, schizophrenia and famous people, do not belong together, but think again. A number of famous people with schizophrenia have gone public with their illness in an effort to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness. Their courageous choice to speak openly about the challenges they face with schizophrenia helps others feel less alone in their struggles, reducing stigma and shame.

Celebrities With Schizophrenia – Coming Out to Help Others

You won’t hear too much about celebrities and schizophrenia in the mainstream news simply because the disorder generally presents during a person’s late teens and twenties. Most celebrities and other people of note gain their notoriety during these youthful years. Those with schizophrenia spend these years dealing with the challenges of the illness rather than pursuing stardom.

Read below for a list of famous people with documented cases of schizophrenia, and several that experts strongly suspect have dealt with the disorder in the past or currently suffer from it.

Famous People With Schizophrenia – Confirmed Cases

Bettie Page – Playboy magazine Miss January 1955 pin-up model.

John Nash – Nobel Prize-winning mathematician, portrayed by actor Russell Crowe in the movie, A Beautiful Mind. The movie details Nash’s 30-year struggle with this, often debilitating, mental illness and its eventual, victorious culmination when he won the Nobel Prize for economics in 1994.

Eduard Einstein – Son of Albert Einstein. The world knows Eduard’s famous father best for conceptualizing the Theory of Relativity (E=MC2), developing the atomic bomb, and pioneering numerous other scientific breakthroughs. Records note Eduard’s high intelligence and natural musical talent as well as his youthful dream of becoming a doctor of psychiatry. Schizophrenia struck Eduard during his 20th year in 1930. He received psychiatric care at an asylum in Zurich, Switzerland.

Tom Harrell – Superstar jazz trumpet musician and composer, Harrell continues to produce and compose music, releasing his 24th album earlier in 2011. He speaks openly about his struggles with the illness in hopes of helping others cope with their own challenges. He claims music and medications with helping him persevere well into his 60s while remaining at the top of his craft.

Elyn Saks – A law professor, specializing in mental health law, Saks authored her memoirs, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness, where she openly talks of her decades-long battle with schizophrenia. Honored as a legal scholar and peerless authority on mental health law, Saks accepted a $500,000 genius grant from the MacArthur Foundation in 2009.

Lionel Aldridge – Aldridge played as a defensive end for the Green Bay Packers and coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960s. During this time, Aldridge played in two Super Bowls, but schizophrenia knows all men as equals -- regardless of talent, fame, and fortune. Aldridge was struck with the illness soon after his football career ended and spent two and a half years alone and homeless – a celebrity athlete on the streets. Once he found help for his struggles with the disorder, he dedicated his life to delivering inspirational speeches about his battle with paranoid schizophrenia and his ultimate victory over its ravages. He died in 1998.

Many more well-known musicians, actors, authors, and artists have openly spoken out about their mental disease in efforts to reduce stigma.

Famous People With Schizophrenia – Strongly Suspected

Mary Todd Lincoln – wife of President Abraham Lincoln has received a historical diagnosis of schizophrenia from experts who studied her and the president’s writings about her behaviors and struggles.

Michaelangelo – Anthony Storr, the author of The Dynamics of Creation, writes about reasons to suspect that this, one of history’s greatest geniuses of creative talent, legendary artist suffered from schizophrenia.

Vivien Leigh – actress who played the impetuous Scarlett O’Hara in the film, Gone With the Wind, suffered from a mental illness resembling schizophrenia, according to biographer Ann Edwards.

Despite a massive effort to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness in America, strong negative attitudes persist in U.S. culture about schizophrenia and other debilitating mental diseases. Perhaps sharing the stories of celebrities and other famous people with schizophrenia can help change these damaging attitudes, so others do not have to suffer in silence.

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Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia - many people confuse these two mental illnesses. Likely, this is due to misinformation about both disorders. Bipolar and schizophrenia, though, are two completely different psychiatric disorders and are even in two different classes of mental illness.

Mood Disorders vs. Psychotic Disorders

Bipolar disorder is what’s known as a mood disorder, or an affective disorder. The primary symptom in mood disorders, as the name suggests, is a disturbance in mood. In bipolar disorder, the symptoms surround mood swings wherein a bipolar episode can be either of a very low mood (bipolar depression) or a very high mood (mania). While schizophrenia can affect mood, mood disturbance is not its primary symptom.¹

Schizophrenia is known as a psychotic disorder. The primary symptom in psychotic disorders is psychosis or the inability to tell reality from fantasy. Delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (perceiving things that aren’t there) are common in schizophrenia. While psychosis may be part of a manic or depressed episode in bipolar disorder, those are not the primary symptoms.² (more on schizophrenia and psychosis)

Bipolar and Schizophrenia – Similarities

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are both episodic in nature, meaning that some of the time a person is symptom-free while other times they are in a symptomatic episode. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder also both impact everyday functioning, relationships, work, and home life; however, they may do so in different ways.

Other ways in which bipolar and schizophrenia are similar includes:

• Symptoms starting between age 16-30
• Can both experience the symptoms of psychosis
• Can both experience the symptoms of depression
• May be treated with the same medication (antipsychotics)
• Can be successfully treated
• Associated with drug and alcohol abuse
• Neither is a "split personality"

More on schizophrenia diagnosis criteria here.

Bipolar vs. Schizophrenia – What’s Different?

The primary difference between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia is the prevalence and severity of different symptoms. These symptoms are the way in which each disorder is separately diagnosed. For example, bipolar disorder is diagnosed primarily by the presence of periods of both mania and bipolar depression, whereas schizophrenia is diagnosed largely based on symptoms of psychosis.

Other ways in which schizophrenia and bipolar disorder differ include:^3,4

• People with schizophrenia may appear to have a “flattened” mood (not happy or sad), whereas people with bipolar often appear moody
• People with bipolar disorder may have psychotic symptoms that are related to mood – such as being Jesus when happy – whereas people with schizophrenia tend to have psychotic symptoms that aren’t related to mood
• People with schizophrenia may have trouble understanding information and using it to make decisions (executive functioning)
• People with schizophrenia may stop talking in the middle of a sentence and feel the words were just "taken out of their head"
• People with schizophrenia have a greater tendency to be suspicious and paranoid

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