Mental illness touches everyone's lives, whether we want to admit it or not. And yet, mental illnesses like schizophrenia are rarely discussed publicly. That lack of conversation is what our guest is hoping to change. Meet Michelle Hammer, a mental health advocate, entrepreneur and graphic designer. She challenges the idea that schizophrenia should be hidden and hush-hush with bold eye-catching designs. Michelle shares her personal journey around mental illness, what it looks like to let everyone know you have schizophrenia and how she started her Schizophrenic.NYC to start conversations about mental illnesses. No topic is off-limits for this native New Yorker.

Schizophrenic.NYC: https://www.schizophrenic.nyc

Instagram: @schizophrenic.nyc

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR5_ez7c5rhC6mIpcs6tAWg

Twitter: @SchizophrenicNY

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MORE on the important distinction between identity-first vs. person-first language

Language Matters: Mental Health Commission of Canada (2020)

https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/wp-content/uploads/drupal/2020-08/language_matters_cheat_sheet_eng.pdf

Saying ‘person with schizophrenia,’ not ‘schizophrenic,’ can affect clinician beliefs, study finds

https://www.statnews.com/2021/09/22/person-first-language-schizophrenia-study/

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