Question 1
In the movie ‘Whose life Is It Anyway’, numerous psychological issues are brought to light regarding disabled individuals and their ability to cope with disability. In the movie, the main character who is a sculptor is bed ridden, paralyzed from the waist down. He cannot cope with the pressures of disability and adjustment to the complications of the life of a disabled person. He decides to go to court to file a case to grant him the right to extinguish his own life (mercy killing). The psychological trauma associated with disability is often ignored. In the movie, the author brings out the different facets of the process towards full acceptance of the notion of disability and how when this process fails, many slip into depression and eventually develop suicidal tendencies.
Question 2
- Depreciation Approach: Check for Suicidal Tendencies
Through psychiatric evaluation and sessions, a professional psychiatric nurse can be able to identify behavior, actions and emotions associated with depression.
- Humanitarian or Moral Approach: Institutionalization
Through institutionalization of individuals found with psychological problems that may amount to depression and eventual development of suicidal tendencies, the safety of a patient can be assured, preserving their life.
- Deinstitutionalization
This is more than just simply administrative discharge of patients. It entails implementation of a complex network of options outside of the mental hospitals.
Question 3
There are numerous preventive measures that can be put in place.
- Institutionalization
- Regular psychiatric sessions
- Ensuring the patient is occupied with activities that enhance emotions and feelings of joy, happiness and completion.
Question 4
Problem
Constant sloganeering and pressure from the community is a huge problem, it is even seen from the nurses themselves.
KEM Hospital
Question 5
The movie is of great social and educational benefit. The educational benefits are boundless as the movie gives insight to the life, world and mind of a disabled individual who is on the verge of depression. It gives a clear image of how to manage an individual with depression and disability and the common mistakes made when handling such individuals.
References
Darke, P. A. (1999). The cinematic construction of physical disability as identified through the application of the social model of disability to six indicative films made since 1970: A day in the death of Joe Egg (1970), The raging moon (1970), The elephant man (1980), Whose life is it anyway?(1981), Duet for one (1987) and My left foot (1989) (Doctoral dissertation, University of Warwick).
