Schizophrenics Anonymous is a self-help group

Self-help group

Self-help group may refer to:*Support group, group in which members provide each other with various types of help for a particular shared characteristic...

 to help people who are affected by schizophrenia

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...

 to cope with the disease.

History

The program was established in the Detroit area in 1985. The founder was Joanne Verbanic,and the co-founder was Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D, PhD. who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1970. Shortly before forming SA, Verbanic had publicly disclosed her diagnosis and had discussed her illness on national television programs in an effort to challenge the stigma associated with schizophrenia by educating the public. She has continued to be active as a spokesperson for persons with schizophrenia and other mental illness and was a 2006 recipient of a Lilly

Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...

 Reintegration Award in recognition of her lifetime contributions to the mental health

Mental health

Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...

 community.

By 2007, there were more than 150 local SA groups in 31 U.S. states and groups in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, and Venezuela

Venezuela

Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...

.

Technical support for Schizophrenics Anonymous had been provided by the National Schizophrenia Foundation (NSF) until 2007 when NSF ceased doing business. In response to an "outcry" at the loss of a national organization supporting people with schizophrenia and related disorders and Schizophrenics Anonymous, a committed group of consumers, family members, and mental health providers came together to form a national 501(3)c not-for-profit organization, Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA).

SARDAA promotes hope and recovery for persons with schizophrenia and related disorders and envisions a future in which every person with a schizophrenia-related disorder will have the opportunity to recover and live a life free from stigma and discrimination.

SARDAA provides technical support for Schizophrenics Anonymous and its leadership.

Program principles

The SA program is based on a twelve-step model

Twelve-step program

A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...

, but includes just six steps. The organization describes the program's purpose as helping participants to learn about schizophrenia, "restore dignity and sense of purpose," obtain "fellowship, positive support, and companionship," improve their attitudes about their lives and their illnesses, and take "positive steps towards recovery."