In this session we asked the patients to describe, with their own words, their experience on stigma in mental
illness that they had faced up front. Patients stressed the limited availability of the general population and the need to
raise awareness about this disease and treatment in order to be seen as any other illness. As to how the disease has
affected them, they mentioned a limited impact due to taking the medication, which is reflected in the improvement
of symptoms, allowing a greater acceptance of the disease and improving the relationship level. Adherence to
medication is a contribution to the prevention of relapse. Estimates predict that 75% of the patients with
schizophrenia will become non-adherent to medication after two years of hospital discharge (Weiden & Zygmut 1997
mentioned by Cañas et al., 2013:98). Problems with adherence to medication are particularly common during the early
stages of schizophrenia, with reports of about 59% of patients becoming partially adherent or non-adherent in the 12
months following the first psychotic episode (Coldham et al ., 2002 mencioned by Cañas et al, 2013:98). The
treatment time to achieve remission increases continuously by each psychotic episode. Individuals vary considerably
its pattern of symptoms as the disease progresses. While most people will recover from the acute phase of the disease,
only 14 out of 20 % will recover. Many will improve, but will have several setbacks related to stress, adversity, social
isolation and poor treatment adherence (Wiersma et al., 2000). With regard to the concept of schizophrenia, patients
have indicated that it was a mental disease manifested by: hearing voices, rigidity on the limbs and tremor. One patient
claimed that the disease was related to poor mental health, while another said it was the result of a depression (with
specific attitudes and specific symptoms that should be monitored). People with schizophrenia have a fragmentation
between thoughts, feelings as well as individual and social reality (Neeb 2000:229). According to the DSM-IV
(1996:280) the "essential features of schizophrenia are a set of characteristic signs and symptoms (both positive and
negative) that were present during a major part of the time during a period of one month (or a shorter period in case
of successful treatment), some signs of the disorder persisting for at least six months