Austin Mardon

Over the Edge and Into the Deep End Austin Mardon

Many people are familiar with the effects of physical illness, but until very recently, illnesses of the mind (i.e. mental illnesses) were very poorly understood. Only just recently has it begun to be understood that mental illnesses are both very real and very serious. In particular, those living with schizophrenia have often been ostracized and discriminated against by society as a result of poor understanding of their condition. While portrayed in the media as violent, individuals with schizophrenia are in reality more likely to experience violence against them. In an effort to bring attention to the little known details of schizophrenia, Over the Edge and Into the Deep End: Schizophrenia and the Bounds of the Human Mind presents psychological research on a variety of aspects of the illness as well as interviews with Dr. Austin Mardon, a decorated researcher living with schizophrenia and his wife, Catherine Mardon, who works as a lawyer specializing in cases involving mental illness. This collection of essays by Canadian university students explores questions such as: why does one person develop schizophrenia while another doesn't? What cognitive, biological, and sociocultural factors predispose one to the illness? What treatments are available and how do they work? What is the subjective experience of someone living with this condition and what discrimination to they experience day to day? And, finally, how does schizophrenia affect the spouse and family of the individual diagnosed? These questions and more will be answered in Over the Edge and Into the Deep End: Schizophrenia and the Bounds of the Human Mind.