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!