The Quiet Room: A

Journey out of the

Torment of Madness
Amy Akerley,
Jenna Bohr, Kirsten Krause,
Maggie Ziko
https://youtu.be/afbKXWCQMvE
 Summary
Overview: Published in 1994, The Quiet Room details the story of Lori Schiller, who was
diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her journey of living with her illness.
Where is Lori Now?
● She teaches three classes at the New York Hospital:
○ One for patients and families on what it feels like to experience
schizophrenia
○ The second is on clozapine (a medication)
○ The third is how to stay well after discharge
● The Voices have receded into background static
● Lori lost the weight she had gained in the hospital and reconnected with old
friends
● At the age of 42, Lori married Steve Baach
 “If my life and my experiences can help other people find their own ways out of
darkness, I will know that I have not wasted the great gift I have been given: the chance
to begin life again.” -Lori Schiller

How Lori Schiller courageously shatters the

misconceptions surrounding:

-schizophrenia
-drug abuse
-depression
-anxiety
-suicide
-hospitalization
-intervention
-recovery
All can be mended by hope.

“The Quiet Room”

True or False
 About 25% of people with
schizophrenia exhibit physical
changes in their brains that
can be seen on CT scans. (“Facts”)
True
 In the US, approximately
2.2 million (1.1%) adults 18
years or older have
schizophrenia. (“Schizophrenia Facts”)

True
42% of people who suffer from
Schizophrenia will engage in
criminal behaviors. (“Schizophrenia
Facts-Top”)

False; only 5-10% engage

in criminal activity
 Approximately ⅓ of individuals suffering
from Schizophrenia will attempt suicide and
1 out of 10 individuals will succeed in taking
their own lives. (“Burden”)

True
Women are more likely than men to receive
an earlier diagnosis of schizophrenia. (Javed)

False; Men are likely to receive

diagnosis between 21-25 years old
whereas women are usually diagnosed
between 25-32
Drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines,
and marijuana worsen the severity of
existing schizophrenic symptoms.
(“Brichford”)

True
 People with schizophrenia are less
likely to suffer from substance abuse
than the rest of the population.
(“Schizophrenia and”)

False; Those with schizophrenia are four

times more likely to suffer from substance
abuse than the larger population
Questions to Consider Before Watching…
➢ How do the clips shown in the news story either exacerbate or defy
the stigma of individuals with schizophrenia?

➢ Are there any patterns in the clips shown of Rebecca’s behavior that
could potentially lead to false generalizations about individuals with
schizophrenia?

➢ What was the purpose of the coverage of Rebecca’s story? Is there

evidence of underlying intention to address stigmas, or was it only
meant to be a captivating story?