Skip to main content

A Beautiful Mind- The Movie


Group sessions are going very well, we get participation from most of the group members. Last week we studied schizophrenia- what it is, its types, and symptoms. Moreover, we started watching the movie, A Beautiful Mind, with Russell Crowe. We plan on finishing the movie this week.

I highly recommend the movie because of its uniqueness, in that it shows how the person with schizophrenia views reality. I would tell you lots more, but I don't want to spoil it for those of you who have not seen it... Rent it, buy it, download it, etc.- it is a must see if interested in schizophrenia.



To learn more about schizophrenia visit Embracing My Mind, Inc. (EMM), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (Canada).

Comments

John Cadigan said…
Thanks Ashley. I also have schizophrenia and made a film for HBO about the 1st ten years of my recovery - "People Say I'm Crazy" - www.peoplesayimcrazy.org

Its so important for all of us to "come out" about our disease.

There's a researcher- Pat Corrigan - who studied all the ways to combat stigma & found that the BEST way to change a person's perception is for them to meet someone w/ schizophrenia.

So no matter who you are, if you have the illness, you CAN make a difference by being honest with everyone you meet.

And - our other family members can make a difference by not hiding our diagnoses.

I applaud this blog and all you're doing to make the world a better place for us all
March 15, 2010 at 1:29 PM
Unknown said…
Stigma is our biggest problem.

Just saw a documentary about how people used to blame moms for schizophrenia & how stigma messed up treatment. Then, because of that blame, when they shut down hospitals community care never fully got set up. So too many people are homeless or in jail now. Sucks.

Film is called When Medicine Got it Wrong www.whenmedicine.org

Glad I found you.
March 15, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Ashley Smith said…
Thank you John and Rebecca for sharing films of interest, I will definitely check it out.

John- Thanks for the compliment I am glad you find this blog resourceful.

Rebecca- When I was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2007, some of my relatives blamed my mother for my illness. This is absurd, I know, some people just do not know what schizophrenia is. Now, some of my relatives no longer blame my mother for my illness because of schizophrenia education.

I appreciate you both for the feedback, take care.

Ashley
March 15, 2010 at 1:51 PM
John Cadigan said…
Thanks Ashley. I also have schizophrenia and made a film for HBO about the 1st ten years of my recovery - "People Say I'm Crazy" - www.peoplesayimcrazy.org

Its so important for all of us to "come out" about our disease.

There's a researcher- Pat Corrigan - who studied all the ways to combat stigma & found that the BEST way to change a person's perception is for them to meet someone w/ schizophrenia.

So no matter who you are, if you have the illness, you CAN make a difference by being honest with everyone you meet.

And - our other family members can make a difference by not hiding our diagnoses.

I applaud this blog and all you're doing to make the world a better place for us all
March 15, 2010 at 1:52 PM
Ashley Smith said…
Rebecca, I meant to say that no one in my family blames my mother for my illness now.

Ashley
March 15, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

by A Guest Blogger: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life

If you’re struggling to maintain your sobriety, you aren’t alone. There are millions of fighters just like you working toward reclaiming their lives from drugs and alcohol. There are a few common traits that many successful recovering addicts share. Keep reading to find out what they are and how you can follow in their footsteps. They establish new patterns You can’t continue to live your life the same was you did when you were using. You must change and adapt to your newfound sobriety. Consider a career change; many recovering addicts find they have more success by starting their own business. One career that is easy to enter is dog walking. As a dog walker , you’ll reap many rewards including getting to spend time with dogs, which can actually boost your recovery efforts and stave off depression. Dogs have been used as part of a treatment plan for users as young as 11 and come with the added benefit of helping you stay physically active. Plus, being with ...
2 comments
Read more

What Is Remission?

Remission is the absence of symptoms for at least six months with the support of medication. In other words, a doctor who has never seen you before may not diagnose you as a person with schizophrenia anymore. Remission is also high functioning in several aspects of life, living independently, goinig to school or to work, and socializing with other people. However, this does not mean the patient is cured or the illness has went away, the illness is still present, however, under control. Remission is achieved with the assistance of medication. "Published studies suggest that 10% to 20% of people with schizophrenia have remission of their illness as they get older, 20% get worse, but in a large majority (60% to 70%), the course of illness remains relatively unchanged." To reach remission it is recommended that you aim for a stress-free environment. Therefore, do things to relieve stress such as journaling, exercising, talking to friends, listening to or creating music, making a...
9 comments
Read more

Religious Preoccupation

After a talk, a woman asked me if my faith contributed to my recovery because she noticed that I mentioned it throughout my speech. In addition to that, she told me that she observed people with faith as having a better outcome in their mental health recovery. First, I came from a family with Christian values. My faith in God started to get intense during the latter years of high school, which in my opinion, is when I started having symptoms. In my experience religion plays a major role in my mental health- its delusions, its coping skills, and in my recovery. In medical terms they call my religious rituals and delusions "religious preoccupation." Before I was diagnosed I was highly religious. In fact, I wanted to be an evangelist and to go to a Christian college. I would read my Bible for several hours a day throughout the day, listen to hymns, and meditate. Sometimes I would ignore people if they wanted my attention while I was meditating I was in such deep thought. Also, I...
15 comments
Read more