"If you talk to God, you are praying. If God talks to you, you have schizophrenia"

This quote by Thomas Szasz is a humorous way of highlighting the difference in between speaking to God and having a mental illness. Szasz is suggesting that if you are talking to God, then you are engaging in a spiritual practice referred to as prayer. However, if God is speaking with you, then you might have a mental illness known as schizophrenia. Szasz is stressing the value of distinguishing between spiritual practices and mental disorder. He is also suggesting that if somebody thinks that God is speaking to them, then they should seek professional help to determine if they have a mental disorder. This quote is a pointer that mental disorder ought to be taken seriously and that it is necessary to seek help if you are experiencing signs.