The Stranger on the Bridge: My Journey from Suicidal Despair to Hope

by Jonny Benjamin

Firstly, contrary to commonly held beliefs, although ‘schizo’ means ‘split’, people with schizophrenia do not have a split personality: the split refers to gaps (or a splitting) in our ability to think and express emotions. Secondly,

many people falsely believe that schizophrenics are dangerous and need to be monitored at all times. This is arguably the most damaging misconception of all, and it is important to educate people that violence is not a symptom of schizophrenia – in fact, people with the illness are far more likely to be victims of violence, rather than the perpetrators.

These auditory hallucinations, which are far more vivid and ‘real’ than mere thoughts, can have a huge impact on our lives. They tend to torment and taunt us, telling us that we are not good enough, or that bad things will happen to us (in contrast to the stereotype that the voices are urging us to commit terrible acts). The voices are so loud that when we are unwell, we often struggle to bl...