Are people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia considered dangerous and crazy?

Answer 1

People with Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are generally considered "crazy" or "insane". Schizophrenia is the archetypal "insane" disorder, and bipolar disorder is similar to schizophrenia. Crazy is a politically incorrect term.

People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are often thought to be dangerous. People with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia do have a higher than average rate of violence, mostly associated with substance abuse

Some terms need to be clarified first:

• crazy, a popular term meaning you cannot understand someone else's behavior or thinking. this term is frequently used derogatorily to put another down or to discriminate against them.
• insane, a legal term meaning unable to tell right from wrong and thus cannot be held responsible for their actions. a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity in a criminal trial is basically admitting to committing the crime one is charged with, but claiming you cannot be held responsible and punished for it because you did not know the crime was wrong.
• psychotic, a medical term meaning a break with reality usually involving hallucinations and/or delusions. this is a collection of medically treatable symptoms.
• dangerous, a legal term meaning likely to do harm to property, others, or themselves.
• mood, a medical term meaning an internal subjective emotional state.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder. Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder. There is no such thing as an insane disorder.

Reliable studies have shown that people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are no more dangerous than people in the average population. In many cases they are actually more likely to be victims than perpetrators!