Introduction
Ron Howard produced A Beautiful Mind, a documentary film released in 2001. Critics welcomed it well, and psychiatrists started to utilize it for educational purposes. A real story inspires the film. It tells the story of John Nash, a famous mathematician who has paranoid schizophrenia. The central protagonist is truly brilliant yet does not rule out the possibility of mental disorder. He has schizophrenia and is suffering from some of the signs related to it, such as paranoid impulses, nightmares, psychotic disorder, and a skewed perspective of reality. This condition has a massive effect on John’s daily life, relationships with family and friends, and career.
The Relevance of Themes to Your Own Experience
Persistence is one of the relevant themes in my own experience. John may be obstinate, hostile, withdrawn, and lonely, but no one can claim he does not throw his heart and soul into a mission. When he is working on his graduate studies, he is so concentrated on proposing a unique concept that he does not have a moment for anything else, and it rewards off in the end. He discovers a massive, innovative theory that would someday earn him the Newbery Medal when he is much older. When he is diagnosed with a brain tumor, he must find a way to keep working and caring for his household while attempting to recover.
The second relevant theme, in my perspective, is wisdom and knowledge. Because most of the film takes place at or nearby Princeton and MIT, it is purely a conceptual story. John is a brilliant scientist who earns a living researching and concocting huge ideas. Nothing is more essential to him than being intellectual and contributing to scholarly sense perception (Howard, 2001). He values knowledge and education so much that he can’t bear it when his medications hinder him from functioning, so he stops taking them, even if it puts him in danger.
Love and sex have been important topics in my life. These are not John Nash’s inherent areas of expertise. When it comes to the ladies, John is routinely and excruciatingly inept. It is partly because he is such an intelligent guy, as he tells his mate, Charles. He is just more at ease with figures and concepts than with individuals. If one has begun dating, the person is well aware that coping with affection and love is a great lesson in interacting with customers. Finally, madness has been a recurring feature in my very own life. The film uses a variety of cinematography approaches to depict psychiatric disorders sympathetically. The spectator gets a glimpse into what goes on within a person’s memory when they will suffer from a debilitating sickness that plagues Nash’s life and how he overcomes it to enjoy a prosperous life.
Significant lessons learned
One of the lessons gained was maintaining continuous concentration and exploring new ideas. Nash enters as a founder of the renowned Carnegie Scholarship at Princeton University, where the film begins. Nash is under pressure from his professors and his colleagues to submit articles and get them published as soon as possible, but he is not willing to cease on his goal. He refuses to accept what he views as unoriginal or progressive works, even when it means losing a placement opportunity. He remains committed to his aim and writes a renowned article on match negotiation, earning him a spot at MIT.
To be successful, one must learn not to leave any questions unanswered. When Nash was at Princeton, he did not get along with Martin Hansen, the Carnegie fellow’s co-recipient. But, knowing how important it is for Nash to get out of the house, Alicia proposes that he visit with his former nemesis Hansen, now the director of Princeton’s Department of Mathematics, and request a license to practice out of the bookstore and audio lectures. Nash is not optimistic, given their former antagonism and his current psychological condition, but he is surprised to learn that Hansen has always treated him as a colleague. Nash’s desires are granted, but he is allowed to continue despite a disastrous first day.
It is important to surround one with individuals who will support them even when they are at their worst. When Nash finds himself in a psychiatric ward, his career appears to be ruined, but he has his family as his only source of support. Luckily, he had selected the special person in Alicia, who backed him and persisted with him despite the indicators of mental disorder and understanding how uncomfortable he could be. When Nash nearly drowns their child and then accidentally pushes her to the floor, she figures out a way to care for him, inspire him, and become the cornerstone he requires, despite the doctor’s prescription.
Another lesson in the film is that there may be more than one way to solve problems. As bright as he was, Nash was not a particularly gregarious person. When he was giving a presentation one day and found the industrial noise outside distracting, he closed all the windows, although it was extremely hot. He ignored the pupils’ pleas to maintain at least one panel open and continued his lesson, completely oblivious to their distress. One of the pupils, Alicia, stands up, actually opens, and politely asks the men out to work somewhere else.
Movie Symbols and Their Meanings to You
In his film A Beautiful Mind, Director Ron Howard uses things to signify and reveal a deeper significance than they seem in their original state. Nash’s high level of intellect is presented at the beginning of the film through the usage of a glass prism. Nash places the colorful in the sunlight, which causes light waves to reflect on his mate’s tie. Howard’s use of the optical prism alludes to Nash’s IQ being superior to that of the average person.
Nash banging his forehead on the window in his bedroom is another scenario in which Howard uses symbolism to illustrate a hidden significance. The window in the movie could be interpreted as a figurative impediment to accomplishing his major advancement thesis. The use of a glass panel represents the fragility and vulnerability of the pane, where he can reach a groundbreaking thesis with his intellectual ability.
As the film progressed, an unforeseen storyline twist occurred, introducing the possibility that Nash had schizophrenia. The audience picks up on the sense of an unreliable narrator. The significance of truth vs. illusion, as well as approval, is discussed. Nash suffers due to his inability to distinguish whether or not a person is real. Nash’s delusions about stopping the Russians and his inability to recognize his illusion cause him significant stress. As a result, he will aim to support the US in its fight against the Russians. Nash finally learns to disregard his delusions after many unsuccessful attempts at accepting the truth.
Emotional Reactions to the Specific Scenes/Moments of the Movie
I get emotional breakdowns whenever I watch the episode or hear the music. James Horner’s song is both lovely and deep and dark at the same time; thus, it is extremely accurate to the movie. I can pay attention to creating governing dynamics and instantly feel uplifted and cheerful. However, when I watch the car chase and Alicia notices Nash’s dark biosphere, I shiver, and my skin gets chilly. The part where John is restrained and given therapies while Alicia stands by and watches him makes me cry. Every time I see the movie, I find myself in tears. Acknowledging that Nash’s best buddies are not real makes me cry.
Aspects of the Movie That Influence Your Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors
People’s ideas, attitudes, and behaviors influence their perceptions of normal and deviant conduct. Alicia believed that their relationship’s success hinged on their willingness and ability to see John in a positive light. Nash became a professor because he believed in teaching and perseverance. Because of Nash’s behavior, he once decided not to take treatment, which led to severe mental illness. Nash’s perseverance and faith in his job are unquestionably factors contributing to his success.
What the Film Is Saying or Educating About Psychological Illnesses
There is no instant treatment for mental disorders is a lesson learned regarding psychological illness. It looked like John only stayed in the hospital for a brief time, receiving medical treatment and taking the necessary medications, before returning to his study, which is incorrect. Schizophrenia is a chronic illness that necessitates ongoing counseling and medication to assist the patient modifies and dealing with the affliction.
How Preconceived Ideas about People with Psychological Illnesses Influenced Your Response to the Film
The film A Beautiful Mind influenced my response to psychological illness. Traditional techniques of medicine result in realities of severe mental disease and hence should be avoided. Even though medication is not a cure for schizophrenia, it is an unavoidable part of treatment and should be strictly followed. Furthermore, people should take long–the term effects of caring for those with mental illness and stop rushing on quick medication.
Possible Diagnoses from the DSM-IV Identified In This Film and Symptoms Seen
If significant hallucinations or delusions have been maintained for at least one month, schizophrenia can be diagnosed. This dimensions-based strategy is likely to be the most probable method for resolving illness mixtures. The symptoms seen are hallucinations and delusions, affecting the protagonist Nash. Disorganized speech, Catatonic or grossly disorganized behavior are also symptoms that are also observed. In addition, negative symptoms such as alogia, flat affect, and avolition are identified.
Conclusion
In “A Beautiful Mind,” Nash is depicted as a skilled constructor of reality. He is trying to make a living in a complicated world full of conceptual, symbolic representations invisible to inexperienced eyes. Nevertheless, the uncertainty does not imply that the actuality Nash attempted to depict does not exist. Nash’s struggle with schizophrenia improved symptoms that prompted him to stop taking his medications. According to him, ignoring narcotics resulted in 25 years of largely delusory thinking. Although Nash achieved a stable state without treatment, his schizophrenic signs did not fully vanish, but they did lessen in severity.
Reference
Howard, R. (2001). A beautiful Mind [Video]. United States, Universal Pictures.