A Westchester author with schizophrenia is hoping to raise awareness of the disorder and dispel misconceptions it for World Schizophrenia Day.  

Self-proclaimed “poetic madman” Timothy Brown is from New Rochelle. The 58-year-old was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was a teenager.

Since then, he’s authored five published books about the illness in hope of breaking what he says is often the stigma of violence that's associated with the condition. 

“I want people to know how we really think, how we really feel. Our real experience. The way we emote. The way we process information is different," said Brown. "It’s not bad, it’s just different.” 

The World Health Organization says schizophrenia is characterized by significant impairments in the way reality is perceived and changes in behavior that can cause delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking.

People with schizophrenia often experience discrimination causing social exclusion and difficulty accessing general health care, education, housing and employment, according to the WHO.

Click here for more information on Brown and his works. 

If you or someone you know needs help with mental illness, contact the Mental Health Association of Westchester at 914-266-2922.