A Beautiful Mind

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In his film, a beautiful mind, Ron Howard narrates a story of a prominent mathematician who has a mental illness called schizophrenia. At the onset of the movie, John Forbes Nash begins his career at the University of Princeton where he Majors in Mathematics.[1]

Nash is seen as socially withdrawn and arrogant person, who spend the majority of his time designing new mathematical formulas and equations. As the movie progresses, Nash begins to experience illusions and other fanatic events. Meanwhile, a severe and uncommon mental condition presumed to be Schizophrenia yet to be unleashed. He begins to develop an imaginary audience including Charles Herman, who was his roommate.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that manifests itself through disorderly reasoning, interrupted thoughts and unruly emotional behaviors. In the Film, Nash exhibits critical delusions and hallucinations which are possible symptoms that cause Paranoid Schizophrenia. He goes through challenges including inability to cope up with other people. For example, when Alicia told him to take care of the child, he assumed that Charles was looking at the baby, resulting into quarrels and violence[2]. Also, Nash is unable to maintain his initial relationship with others. For instance, at the university library, he ignores his friends and admits that he is used to it. Later he undertakes a government task to stop the Russian bomb which is unreal and pure imagination[3]. This indicates some of the symptoms of the Schizophrenia mental disease that can be summarized into Delusions, Hallucinations, Disorganized speech frequent derailment or incoherence speech.

Even though the movie did not confirm the causes of this mental ailment, scientists indicate that its origins are multifaceted, having been triggered by the genetic makeup and the environmental factors as the child undergo developmental changes. Specific genes increase the risk of developing Schizophrenia in adulthood.

Moreover, Nash goes through hardships as he tries to cope up with the disease. For instance, He could not perform well in his duties; when he was teaching, he could see men from outside stalking him. Again, Nash was unable to behave appropriately in social settings such that he ran away after the arrival of psychiatrist Rosen[4]. These are but few effects of schizophrenia on the overall behavior and health of the patient.

Later, Nash was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with Schizophrenia and is prescribed for the insulin shocks for ten weeks[5]. However, the treatment of this problem may involve other antipsychotic medications to reduce the severity of the disease and to improve the patient’s symptoms. Concurrently, the film emphasizes on the antipsychotic drugs but also cautions on their adverse effects, which include drowsiness, restlessness, tremor, or blurring of vision.

In conclusion, it is evident that the film, A Beautiful mind’ portrays the Mental health condition of the paranoid schizophrenia in the same manner psychologists have assessed it. Nash shows all the positive symptoms of the disease. The film also demonstrates the diagnosis and some of the best treatment interventions of schizophrenia. However, the film emphasizes the importance of using antipsychotic medications to relieve the main symptoms. Generally, the movie has demonstrated the mental illness dramatically and excitingly and also noting the important aspects of the disease and its therapy.

Notes

1. Howard, Ron. “A Beautiful Mind.” Youtube.Com