Politico (1/5, Ehley) reported on efforts by mental health advocacy groups to lobby Congress to “get schizophrenia classified as a brain disease like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, instead of as a mental illness, a move that could reduce stigma and lead to more dollars for a cure.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “genetics, environment and an imbalance in brain chemistry all contribute to the risk of developing the condition, which may afflict upward of two million Americans,” Politico wrote. Currently, the NIMH rates schizophrenia “among the top 15 causes of disability worldwide and estimates serious mental conditions like it can reduce the average lifespan by 28 years.”
Related Links:
— “Health advocates say schizophrenia should be reclassified as a brain disease, “Brianna Ehley, Politico, January 5, 2019