A Beautiful Mind is an emotional film directed Ron Howard and is based on a true story. This film tells the story a well known mathematician, John F. Nash Jr. The role is played by Russell Crow. John Nash was a very talented man who created his “game theory” known as “Nash Equilibrium” while schooling in Princeton. This was a major breakthrough in contemporary economics and it earned him a Nobel Memorial Prize in economics. Apart from having an extraordinary, Nash also suffered from a psychological disorder known as Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a brain disease that affects brain function; it is defined as a cluster of disorders distinguished by severely damaged cognitive processes, behavior disintegration, emotional instability and social withdrawal. It can prompt symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, inappropriate affect, speech, thought and movement disorganization, which are known as positive symptoms. This disease also has negative symptoms which include: alogia, flat affect and avolition.
As the film starts we see Nash beginning his career at Princeton University. He is a mathematics graduate student who is famous for his intelligence. He is however, a proud, awkward socially incompetent student who spends a lot of his time trying to discover a revolutionary mathematical equation. As the film continues the audience discovers half of the circumstances and places that take place in the film are just illusions within Nash’s Mind. It is at this juncture that the audience realizes that Nash is suffering from Schizophrenia. Nash has several imaginary characters in his mind. Charles, an English literature student, is Nash’s roommate and the first imaginary character in Nash’s illusions. There are different kinds of Schizophrenia: disorganized, residual, paranoid, catatonic and undifferentiated. Nash was diagnosed with paranoid Schizophrenia. This type is characterized by delusions and hallucinations that usually have the same subject matter. This type doesn’t have symptoms such as movement or speech disorganization.
The precise cause of schizophrenia is still not clear to scientist. However, several research materials established that people with this disease have different brains. Just like many other diseases such as cancer and diabetes, Schizophrenia is caused by a combination of factors such as environmental factors and genetic vulnerability that take place through the person’s development phases. Recent research indicates that certain genes increase the risk for developing schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is treated through a combination of therapies. Different approaches are selected to lessen the symptoms and decrease the chances of the symptoms recurring to the person with the illness. These therapies include: antipsychotic medication list, rehabilitation, medical treatment, psychosocial treatments, individual psychotherapy, self help groups, family education, community and social support and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.
Antipsychotic medications have been used for a long time. They decrease the symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia and help them function efficiently. These drugs do not cure schizophrenia but they lessen the symptoms of the disease. However, they also have side effects that are not pleasant, they cause muscle spasm, tremor, blurring of vision, restlessness, dry mouth and drowsiness.
Psychosocial treatment is meant for individuals who portray less severe symptoms of schizophrenia. It helps individual’s social functioning either at home, workplace of even in the hospital. This therapy is effective for people who have difficulties in self-care, maintaining relationships, motivation and communication. Rehabilitation is an intervention that is non-medical for individuals who suffer from schizophrenia. It consists of programs that influence the social skills and vocational training of the patient positively. Programs such as vocational counseling, social skills, job training, public transport and finance management help individuals recuperate to their original personality and be capable of functioning well in the society.
The most effectual form of psychotherapy when treating individuals with psychological problems has been known to be the cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Cognitive therapy is meant to teach individuals fresh and more adaptive approaches to thinking and acting; based on the postulation that thoughts happen amid events and our emotional response. Behavioral therapy is also combined with cognitive therapy to help an individual perform effectively in life by lessening the symptoms and focusing on the significant aspects of life.
The movie A Beautiful Mind, demonstrated different treatment approaches. Nash was admitted in a psychiatric hospital and was put on antipsychotic drugs. Insulin Shock Therapy was also administered to him towards the middle of the film. Nash gets into a world of ambiguity and imagination after he meets Parcher who requests to assist the pentagon with their code deciphering. Parcher is a new character in his mind. This new job stimulates his curiosity and he becomes a significant part of the government. Nash creates another situation in his mind were he has to find and impede the Russian nuclear bomb. All along he is not aware that all these situations do not exist.
Charles, the imaginary roommate introduces his young niece Marcie to Nash. Afterwards Nash proposes to one of his students, Alicia who he had met and liked. Though Nash continues teaching, he shows signs of being paranoid in class, as he keeps seeing men stalking him. Until this part of the film he is still not aware of his sickness. Nash’s wife gets pregnant and Nash is stalked by Parcher to decode the code or the Russians will come after his life. Nash sees men come in to the class when he was lecturing and he escapes. A psychiatric known as Rosen introduces himself to Nash but he escapes.
Rosen identifies that Nash is suffering from a mental condition and takes him to a psychiatric hospital. Nash gets difficulties coping with relationships. He is admitted to the hospital and the psychiatrist asks him to open up about the situations and people he was seeing. At some point he cuts his wrists with the idea that Parcher put an implant and he discovers that there is no implant. At this point the psychiatric diagnoses him with Schizophrenia and he is give insulin shock therapy for ten weeks.
Nash’s disease did not only affect him but his wife too. She tries to show Nash that he has hallucinations and delusions but this is not received well by Nash as he is angry that she doesn’t believe him. Schizophrenia makes people believe that what they are seeing is real and normal. Nash withdraws from Alicia but is there for him to assist him get through his illness.
Rosen prescribes antipsychotic drugs to Nash but he discontinues taking then hence his hallucinations start again. Nash puts his family in danger when he discontinues his medication. One day Alicia leaves him to watch the baby but in his hallucinations he assumes that Charles his roommate was watching the baby. This really frustrates Alicia and she asks Nash to go back to hospital. She calls Rosen about the same but Nash chases her and hurts her. Alicia tries to run away from their house but Parcher asks Nash to kill her. Nash sees Marcie again and realizes that she is not real as she never grows old, he runs to Alicia to tell her the same. At this point he awakes from his hallucinations and begins to seriously think about his sickness. This prompts him to go back to hospital and this time he signs papers of commitment to receive treatment.
When Nash gets full treatment he leaves the hospital and visits Martin, an old friend from Princeton. He requests Martin to allow his to work in the library. While working in the library he starts getting his hallucinations and Parcher is there with him. Martin is very kind and loyal as he stands up for Nash. Charles and Marcie also show up but at this point Nash has learnt how to ignore them. In spite of the illness and all the problems Nash had encountered he had endeavored to create a game theory that later won him a Nobel Memorial Prize in economic sciences.
As the film is ending Martin wonders is Nash still sees Parcher, Marcie and Charles. Nash’s reply is very positive and inspirational as he says “No, but I've gotten used to ignoring them, and as a result, they've kind of given up on me. I think that's sort of what it's like with dreams and nightmares. We've got to keep feeding them for them to stay alive.” This illustrates a great attitude in conquering troubles and indicates immense strength in Nash.
Schizophrenia is well portrayed in this film; Nash shows positive symptoms of this disease. The film doesn’t also portray any cause of the disease. Though we have discussed different treatments for schizophrenia, the insulin shock therapy given to Nash was not one of the treatments recommended for schizophrenia. The film also illustrates other types of treatment therapy such as antipsychotic drugs for reducing the symptoms of the disease. In general this film is exceptional for representing schizophrenia, and it covers all the aspects of the disease, and the treatment.
References
Feinberg, I. (2011). Corollary Discharge, Hallucinations, and Dreaming. Schizophr Bull 37(1), 1-3.
Howard, R. (Director). ( 2001 ). A Beautiful Mind [Motion Picture].
Strauss, J. (2011). Subjectivity and Severe Psychiatric Disorders. Schizophr Bull 38(1), 8-13.
Schizophr Bull. 2011 January; 37(1): 1–3.
Published online 2010 October 7. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbq115
PMCID: PMC3004198
Corollary Discharge, Hallucinations, and Dreaming
Irwin Feinberg*
Schizophr Bull. 2011 January; 38(1): 8–13.
Published online 2010 October 20. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbq116
PMCID: PMC3004181
Subjectivity and Severe Psychiatric Disorders
John Strauss*
