May 24, 2003 National Schizophrenia Awareness Day Philippe Pinel (1745-1826), one of the founders of modern psychiatry, was a major figure in early efforts to provide humane care and treatment for the mentally ill. Appointed chief physician at Bicetre, the men’s “insane” asylum in Paris, Pinel was horrified to see patients restrained to walls by chains. Although warned against it, Pinel took a bold and unprecedented move to remove the chains from the patients on May 24, 1793. Now, more than 200 years later, we’reseeking to remove the chains still restraining persons experiencing the most debilitating of all mental disorders. Today’s shackles include STIGMA caused by ignorance, fear, and apathy. SCHIZOPHRENIA… is a chemical imbalance which affects normal brain function can feature symptoms of paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, etc. affects at least one percent of the general population does not involve multiple personalities is not contagious For information about schizophrenia-related disorders, or the Schizophrenics Anonymous (SA) Self-Help Network, call the National Schizophrenia Foundation at (800) 482-9534, or visit the following Web sites: www.NSFoundation.org / www.SAnonymous.org Sponsored by the National Schizophrenia Foundation Supporting agencies include the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (FFCMH), the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services (IAPSRS), the Mental Health Association in Michigan (MHAM), the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), the National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health (NACBH), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the National Mental Health Association (NMHA). Corporate supporters include Janssen Pharmaceutica, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.