The Collected Schizophrenias

Wang presents a view of schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia from the inside looking out. How do Wang’s views and experiences of psychosis compare to what is commonly depicted in popular culture and believed by the general public? What examples does Wang use to illustrate how these disorders are portrayed and interpreted, and what other examples could further add to this?

What is the history of schizophrenia, its definition, diagnosis, and treatment? Have views of the disorder improved or changed since the early 1900s when the disorder was first named? Why or why not?

How does Wang explore The Interweaving of Mental Illness With Identity? How do one’s disorders affect both who they are and how they fit into society as a whole? How does Wang feel about the fact that she is, in some ways, defined by her disorder?

What evidence does Wang cite to support her argument exposing How Institutions Fail to Treat and Prevent Mental Illness, including psychiatric institutions, universities, and non-governmental organizations? Along with this evidence, what experiences shed further light on this problem?

In what ways does Wang demonstrate her hope and perseverance regarding her life and mental illness? How does the collection of essays in itself represent this perseverance?

How did your opinions, insight, and knowledge of disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder change during and after reading The Collected Schizophrenias? Why might it be important for people with these disorders to tell their stories in honest ways like Wang?

How do Wang’s essays demonstrate the intersectionality of mental health and quality of life?

In her essays, Wang explores several potential correlations and causes of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, including genetic inheritance, viral infections, autoimmune disorders, stressors during pregnancy, spiritual causes, and trauma. Choose one or two of these factors and research their relationship to schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and compare this research to Wang’s beliefs and interpretations of her illness.