Psychiatry in the Film Industry
Introduction
Cinema is a medium used to entertain people. It portrays many issues about the society, science and various myths. It depicts different psychiatric disorders such as suicide and drug abuse to schizophrenia and personality disorders. Gone are the days when films were used to negatively portray psychiatric conditions. Nowadays films are used for educational purposes as well as to change the negative attitude towards people with psychiatric conditions. Film portrays that even psychiatric people are geniuses and that they can solve complex problems. Mental conditions are portrayed in different ways in the film industry. Film is used to educate medical and psychiatric students on certain psychiatry aspects (Ciccarelli, & White, 2012). By watching the students can learn how to check a mental patient, how to reach a mental analysis. Story-telling is the most preferred mode of teaching from childhood to adulthood.
At childhood stage it lays foundation for communication as well as understanding. Through case presentations in documentary films one can learn on how to manage different mental disorders. Film is a very powerful tool used to positively change attitudes of viewers towards psychological conditions. By watching films viewers can clearly understand the perspectives of mentally disordered person. He can also understand personal ad social aspects of a mentally disorder patient. The main aim of this paper is to discuss the mental illness Schizophrenia and how to deal with it. The behavioral changes of a schizophrenic person e.g. violence, the symptoms and the stigma psychiatric patients face. How the society can help psychiatric patients recover from a mental condition. The topics I have discussed on the paper are; Schizophrenia and stigma faced by psychiatric patients. I would like to shape the attitude of people towards mentally disordered patients.
Movie synopsis
The movie/book, "A Beautiful Mind", narrates the story of Nobel Prize winner John Nash who tussles with schizophrenia. Nash joined Princeton University in 1948 as a graduate student where he met his best friend Charles who was his roommate according to Grazer& Howard (2002). He spent most of his time trying to come up with unique mathematical formulas. John soon becomes a lecturer at M.I.T where he meets his future wife Alicia. Eventually he starts to lose his mind and is diagnosed with schizophrenia. He starts to withdraw from the rest of the society and becomes antisocial and paranoid. In the 1970's he goes back to the world of academics and research where he wins a Nobel Prize in Economics. He's able to solve complex problems that puzzled the most intelligent people and makes amazing discoveries in his profession. At Princeton University he makes a break through discovery which earns him earns him the Nobel Prize Grazer& Howard (2002).
After graduating from college he starts teaching at M.I.T he enters into a sexual relationship with his student who later becomes his wife. Meanwhile the state consults him to help in hacking the soviet codes, which later lands him in trouble according to Grazer& Howard (2002). Nash becomes more paranoid until a mental condition turns his whole life upside down. The novel continues to describe the journey of Nash from the point he is unconscious of his mental disorder to the point where he and his wife discover a way to manage his illness. The film also describes the symptoms of schizophrenia, treatment for schizophrenia, the life of a schizophrenic person and life the life of the victim's family. The author succeeds in explaining the behaviors that characterize a schizophrenic person, the challenges of managing and treating schizophrenic person. He clearly communicates the crucial factors that led to Nash recovering and becoming an intellectual person with the help of his wife.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a complex mental dysfunction that makes it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy, it makes one not to think in clear way, act abnormally in social situations and have abnormal emotional responses. According to mental health experts Schizophrenia genes can lead to Schizophrenic condition. A victim might develop Schizophrenia if a member of the family suffers from the disease. Also certain events trigger the development of Schizophrenic condition especially if it is in the genes. Abuse of drugs such as cocaine and Amphetamine can lead to this mental condition Schizophrenia affects both genders, it starts at teenage hood or young adulthood however, and it can begin later in one's life. In women Schizophrenia tends to begin at a later life and it is more trivial. Schizophrenia in children begins at the age of five years onwards though it is hard to tell from other mental diseases like autism, though it is a rare condition in children.
Schizophrenia symptoms may vary, at times a person can have many symptoms and at other times he/she may have few symptoms. Schizophrenic people have a problem of keeping friends. They end up withdrawing from their friends since they prefer being alone. They are always anxious, depressed and have suicidal behaviors and anticipations. Early symptoms are insomnia, loss of concentration and irritability (Ciccarelli, & White, 2012). At a later stage Schizophrenic persons have trouble when it comes to thinking; they can't think clearly. They also trouble with eventual change in behavior s and emotions such as; hallucinations e.g. false images, isolation, delusions, emotionless and they tend to behave in a strange way. The symptoms of this mental disorder depend on the type of Schizophrenia one has. There are different types of Schizophrenia which include; Paranoid schizophrenia, disorganized schizophrenia, Catatonic schizophrenia and undifferentiated schizophrenia. The symptoms for paranoid schizophrenia are anxiety, anger and untrue beliefs that there are people who are after harming you. Someone with disorganized schizophrenia tends to behave like a child, show little emotions and is unable to think clearly.
Schizophrenia cannot be diagnosed medically unless one is examined by a psychiatrist based on an interview about the schizophrenic person and his family members. Brain scan and blood tests are performed to rule out other disorders which have related symptoms. In order to treat schizophrenia Antipsychotic medications are administered to a patient. These medications control schizophrenic symptoms by balancing the chemicals in the brain. However, they have side effects such as sedation, dizziness, restlessness, increased weight and slow movements. Long-term use causes a condition called tardive dyskinesia whereby a person has movement disorder e.g. repeated movement of the mouth. Schizophrenia managed by a patient undergoing therapy such as soft skills training and job trainings. Family members can also contribute to treating the individual on how to do certain things by himself e.g. how to take medication; travel by public means. This disease is a life time disease whose symptoms can only avoided by taking the medication. The symptoms of the disease recur if one fails to take their medication. This mental condition can lead to other complications such as; alcohol/drug abuse, physical illness which is caused by the medications and inactive daily life. In the novel ‘A Beautiful mind John Nash suffers from paranoid schizophrenia whose symptoms include, hallucinations e.g. false voices and visual hallucinations delusional thinking and lack of differentiation between reality and fantasy, delusion e.g. having an imaginary room-mate (Charles) and covering his office walls with newspapers cut-outs.
In addition, these symptoms impact Nash's relationship with his family and friends. He has trouble relating with people, and finds it more comfortable with his career than with people. He even fakes a relationship with his student which leads to marriage. He even hears voices telling him to harm his loved ones (the voice of Percher). When hallucinating Nash finds it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy. For example in the novel Nash meets Charles' daughter (Mercie) and he believes that she never ages, (her age is always constant). When he comes back to reality he becomes very remorseful about the situations he has been hallucinating. He also behaves in a bizarre way such as writing mathematical formulas on window panes. He always walked around dressed in an old hat. He is later treated using the Antipsychotic medications and insulin shock which bring about various side effects to his body. Nash secretly stopped taking the medication which led to his mental condition worsening, at some point he hurts his wife.
Stigma
Schizophrenia is a complex mental dysfunction that makes it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy, it makes one not to think in clear way, act abnormally in social situations and have abnormal emotional responses. According to mental health experts Schizophrenia genes can lead to Schizophrenic condition. A victim might develop Schizophrenia if a member of the family suffers from the disease. Also certain events trigger the development of Schizophrenic condition especially if it is in the genes. Abuse of drugs such as cocaine and Amphetamine can lead to this mental condition Schizophrenia affects both genders, it starts at teenage hood or young adulthood however, and it can begin later in one's life. In women Schizophrenia tends to begin at a later life and it is more trivial.
Schizophrenia in children begins at the age of five years onwards though it is hard to tell from other mental diseases like autism, though it is a rare condition in children. Schizophrenia symptoms may vary, at times a person can have many symptoms and at other times he/she may have few symptoms. Schizophrenic people have a problem of keeping friends. They end up withdrawing from their friends since they prefer being alone. They are always anxious, depressed and have suicidal behaviors and anticipations. Early symptoms are insomnia, loss of concentration and irritability. At a later stage Schizophrenic persons have trouble when it comes to thinking; they can't think clearly. They also trouble with eventual change in behavior s and emotions such as; hallucinations e.g. false images, isolation, delusions, emotionless and they tend to behave in a strange way. The symptoms of this mental disorder depend on the type of Schizophrenia one has. There are different types of Schizophrenia which include; Paranoid schizophrenia, disorganized schizophrenia, Catatonic schizophrenia and undifferentiated schizophrenia (Ciccarelli, & White, 2012). The symptoms for paranoid schizophrenia are anxiety, anger and untrue beliefs that there are people who are after harming you. Someone with disorganized schizophrenia tends to behave like a child, show little emotions and is unable to think clearly. Schizophrenia cannot be diagnosed medically unless one is examined by a psychiatrist based on an interview about the schizophrenic person and his family members. Brain scan and blood tests are performed to rule out other disorders which have related symptoms.
In order to treat schizophrenia Antipsychotic medications are administered to a patient. These medications control schizophrenic symptoms by balancing the chemicals in the brain. However, they have side effects such as sedation, dizziness, restlessness, increased weight and slow movements. Long-term use causes a condition called tardive dyskinesia whereby a person has movement disorder e.g. repeated movement of the mouth. Schizophrenia managed by a patient undergoing therapy such as soft skills training and job trainings. Family members can also contribute to treating the individual on how to do certain things by himself e.g. how to take medication; travel by public means. This disease is a life time disease whose symptoms can only avoided by taking the medication. The symptoms of the disease recur if one fails to take their medication. This mental condition can lead to other complications such as; alcohol/drug abuse, physical illness which is caused by the medications and inactive daily life. In the novel ‘A Beautiful mind John Nash suffers from paranoid schizophrenia whose symptoms include, hallucinations e.g. false voices and visual hallucinations delusional thinking and lack of differentiation between reality and fantasy, delusion e.g. having an imaginary room-mate (Charles) and covering his office walls with newspapers cut-outs. These symptoms impact Nash's relationship with his family and friends. He has trouble relating with people, and finds it more comfortable with his career than with people. He even fakes a relationship with his student which leads to marriage. He even hears voices telling him to harm his loved ones (the voice of Percher). When hallucinating Nash finds it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy. For example in the novel Nash meets Charles' daughter (Mercie) and he believes that she never ages, (her age is always constant). When he comes back to reality he becomes very remorseful about the situations he has been hallucinating. He also behaves in a bizarre way such as writing mathematical formulas on window panes. He always walked around dressed in an old hat. He is later treated using the Antipsychotic medications and insulin shock which bring about various side effects to his body. Nash secretly stopped taking the medication which led to his mental condition worsens.
Conclusion
I think the film addressed the issue of Schizophrenia very well, despite the exaggeration of some parts of the film (the symptoms). Maybe the purpose of this was to communicate Schizophrenia condition in a clear way. The purpose of this paper was to inform those people who discriminate the mentally disordered; that schizophrenia is a condition which can be dealt with, medication only plays a role in diminishing its symptoms. We play a great role in helping people recover from mental illness. This involves how the community takes care and treats an individual suffering from this mental condition. How the community tolerates John's behavior in the university played an important role in his recovery and led to the use of his talents. By watching the film I also realize that faith and hope can contribute to a psychiatric patient recovering. In the film Alicia believes that one day his husband will be cured. She hopes that the cure for her husband will be cured. The government should come up with policies to include mentally disordered individuals in the entire areas of the community. Everyone should avoid blaming the mentally disordered for being stigmatized. We should firmly stand up against stigmatization by challenging those who stigmatize others. We all need to change these negative beliefs towards these people and I believe we can do it.
References
Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, J. N. (2012). Psychology Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White. (3rd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education.
Spring Harbor Laboratory. (n.d.). DSM-IV Criteria for Schizophrenia: DNA Learning Center. DNA Learning Center. Retrieved March 20th, 2013, from http://www.dnalc.org/view/899-DSM-IV-Criteria-for-Schizophrenia.html
Grazer, B., & Howard. R. (Producers), & Howard, R. (Director). (2002). A beautiful mind [DVD]. Universal City, CA: Universal
