Among the grimmest of mental health diagnoses, schizophrenia — which afflicts some 2.6 million Americans — has long been thought to portend a life of institutionalization, homelessness, or, at best, menial labor. Medications can help control hallucinations and delusions, but there are no good treatments for other symptoms, such as slowed thinking, difficulty interacting, and a flat affect that strips emotion from the face and the voice.
In recent years, patients and psychiatrists have begun to recognize that many people with schizophrenia can nonetheless function at a high level and even excel in demanding jobs.
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