THREE CENTURIES AGO / EUROPE
First, they called them witches.
Across the witch hunts of the 1400s–1700s, about 30,000–60,000 people were executed in Europe, most of them women. Some burned alive. Others were hanged or killed before their bodies were burned. Think of the fear—and the pain. [1][2]
Now we fly drones. We know more. But have we learned what happens when a label is treated as proof?
FIVE WORDS. FIVE QUESTIONS.
Everyday life ≠ a diagnosis of schizophrenia.Believe
One prays to Jesus. Another believes Zeus came from space. Different beliefs are not diseases.
Mishear
A car horn seems meant for us. We hear the wrong word. We fear a stranger. Minds make mistakes.
Hallucinations
Experiences like hearing something with no outside sound. Mishearing a real sound is not the same. [3]
Lose words
We stumble, choose the wrong word, or cannot explain a thought. Speech is not a competition.
Disorganized speech
Serious, repeated breaks in connected speech that make communication hard. [3]
Go quiet
Loss, debt or grief may leave us still, silent and exhausted. Pain can stop us in our tracks.
Disorganized / catatonic behavior
Marked problems in movement or response. Sadness and tiredness alone are not catatonia. [3]
Lose energy
When a rich person stays home, speaks little and avoids company, it is a “choice.” When a poor person does the same, is it suddenly a “negative symptom”? Is money the best shield against a psychiatric diagnosis? Lord, have mercy on us.
THE DISTINCTION: These everyday examples are not clinical schizophrenia symptoms. Diagnosis requires a pattern of specific symptoms, time, impact on life and checks for other causes. [3] But a wrong label can still hurt a real person.
Treatment is not harmless. Antipsychotics help some people [7], but can also cause loss of sex drive, erection problems, reduced fertility, weight gain or diabetes, involuntary movements and, rarely, dangerous reactions. Effects vary by drug and person. [5][6]
This is not literal “castration.” The risks are serious enough without exaggeration. We ask for clear evidence, informed consent, monitoring and the right to question. Never stop prescribed treatment suddenly without medical advice. [7]
THEN A LABEL COULD LEAD TO THE FIRE. NOW IT MUST NEVER BECOME A SLOW PUNISHMENT.
SOURCES · READ THEM. QUESTION US TOO.
[1] English Heritage, Witchcraft: Eight Myths · deaths, methods, women.
[2] HISTORY, Were Witches Burned? · burning alive vs hanging.
[3] Merck Manual, Schizophrenia (2026) · five clinical terms and diagnosis.
[4] WHO, ICD-11 Clinical Guide (2024) · culture and context.
[5] UK MHRA, Sexual Adverse Effects · hormones, fertility, sex.
[6] NHS RDaSH, Antipsychotic Side Effects · movements, metabolism, rare severe risks.
[7] NHS, Psychosis Treatment · benefits, risks, stopping treatment.