"if you toughen up and get out into the the real world it will sort out your schizophrenia"

"get a meaningful relationship-that will fix you up"

"If you weren't such an introvert you wouldn't have this problem"

All these were said with the best of intentions. Usually if I get the opportunity I give these and other people I meet a little info pack on Schizoaffective disorder, if the MI stuff is raised. Most read it.

For those I don't know much I offer to send them some info or give them an information website. I have had a couple ring me up and say they read it.

Mostly I don't get worried by ignorant observations or advice. The main one that gets to me is "whats it like to have a split personality" because that is such a warped stereotype.

My experience is though that whatever education we provide to these people has very little effect in the bigger picture of things. If multi million dollar education campaigns dont work whatever we try only has a very minimal localised effect.