World Schizophrenia Day observed on May 24

Key facts

• World Schizophrenia Day is observed annually on May 24 to educate people about the disorder and combat associated stigma and misconceptions.
• The day was first declared by the National Schizophrenia Foundation in the late 1990s, when it was known as National Schizophrenia Awareness Day.
• The date honours Dr. Philippe Pinel, a French physician who ordered the unshackling of psychiatric patients in a Paris asylum on May 24, 1793.
• Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterised by episodes of psychosis, with major symptoms including hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and confused thinking.
• The book A Road Back from Schizophrenia: A Memoir is written by Arnhild Lauveng.