Article “Paranoid Schizophrenic Set Fire to Herself After Years of Suicidal Thoughts”
In the article, the woman was suffering from such symptoms as suicidal thoughts, delusions and hallucinatory experiences when she thought she had two sets of parents or that “her pet dog had been replaced by an identical animal”. (Paranoid schizophrenic set fire to herself after years of suicidal thoughts, para 3.). Moreover, she has pseudohallucinations, which are false auditory perceptions of a strange nature that were telling her to kill herself (Paranoid schizophrenic set fire to herself after years of suicidal thoughts). The official diagnosis reported in the media was paranoid schizophrenia accompanied by psychotic episodes.
The report creates an impression of the woman being completely inadequate and dangerous. It highlights moments like the one when the woman poured wax on her head and tells nothing about days when she did not have psychotic episodes (Paranoid schizophrenic set fire to herself after years of suicidal thoughts). The article tries to bring home to the reader the idea that the woman was also suffering from an emotional-volitional defect, which manifests itself as a lack of strong-willed qualities and complete indifference to the outside world. This was expressed by the loss of the ability to show tenderness, affection, sympathy, affection, tact to her family who kept her out of madhouse. The woman showed neither gratitude to her parents nor compassion when she tried to kill herself many times knowing what anguish her death would be to her family.
In the textbook, paranoid schizophrenia is described a little differently. While it is mentioned that the person has auditory hallucinations, it is said that these are centered around the themes of grandeur or prosecution (Coon & Mitterer, 2013). In addition, it is said that when a paranoid schizophrenic does not have psychotic episodes, he or she has no more propensity for violence than ordinary people. Thus, the description in the media is consistent with the textbook only partially. While auditory hallucinations are described in both sources, the article concentrates around abnormal and dangerous behavior of the woman and tells nothing about quieter episodes described in the textbook.
Article “Twitter Sends Support to Mariah Carey, Who Opens Up About Her Mental Disorder”
In this article, the symptoms the pop-diva include severe mood swings when the mood for several months, weeks or for a few hours “goes to extremes” — it becomes too cheerful and too bad. The singer has mentioned “sharp switches of mood from euphoria or irritability to depression, as well as insomnia, weight loss or gain, and suicidal intentions” that bother her (Twitter sends support to Mariah Carey, who opens up about her mental disorder). Moreover, the article highlights the singer’s “inconsistent performances and her relationship troubles” (Twitter sends support to Mariah Carey, who opens up about her mental disorder) that she has had over the last fifteen years. The singer was even accused of sexual harassment of her bodyguard. The mentioned symptoms are consistent with the bipolar II disorder – a diagnosis mentioned in the media. However, while there are certain similarities between this description and the one provided in the textbook, there are certain differences as well.
The report creates an impression of a person whose emotions are amplified: joy — to euphoria, irritation and resentment — to aggression, suspicion — to paranoia. Physical activity also increases: the singer almost does not want to sleep. The singer’s behaviour can be characterized as impulsive, reckless, sometimes even adventurous and eccentric. Another sign of bipolar disorder described in the media is that the pop-diva has had depression, from mild short-term to severe long-term.
The description is partially consistent with the one provided in the textbook. Thus, bipolar disorder is described as episodes of depression, mania, hypomania and mixed episodes (Coon & Mitterer, 2013). According to the textbook, bipolar II disorder, specifically, is the feeling of “fatigue and emptiness” that periodically lapses into cheerful and energetic mood (Coon & Mitterer, 2013, p. 505). While the media mention insomnia as a symptom of bipolar II disorder, in the textbook it is attributed to bipolar I disorder. Thus, the portrayal of the disorder in the media is the mix of symptoms that belong to bipolar I and II disorders in the textbook. Coon & Mitterer (2013) state that variations of certain conditions of bipolar I and II disorders can be diverse, including the intensity of manifestations of symptoms, the course of the disease, changes in episodes. At the same time, depression and mania in the clinical sense are understood as opposite to each other “peak” affective states. They can last quite a long time, occur with a regular frequency and be of various “depths”. The portrayal of pop-diva’s life and character when she has been involved into different scandals in consistent with this description. Thus, her mood changes have led to conflicts in the family, at work and in society.
The portrayal of mental disorders in the media differs from the one presented in the textbook. While Coon & Mitterer (2013) are objective describing positive as well as negative symptoms of mental deceases, the media tends to demonize mentally ill people, speaking about their misconduct, strange ideas or perceptions. To make media coverage more objective, the society should work towards elimination of stigma towards mentally ill people in all spheres of life.
References
Paranoid schizophrenic set fire to herself after years of suicidal thoughts (2018).Sputnik International. Web.
Twitter sends support to Mariah Carey, who opens up about her mental disorder (2018). Sputnik International. Web.
Coon, D., & Mitterer, J. O. (2013). Psychology: A Journey (5th Edition). Cengage Learning US. Web.
Appendix A
Paranoid Schizophrenic Set Fire to Herself After Years of Suicidal Thoughts
15:51 GMT 28.08.2018 (Updated: 16:09 GMT 28.08.2018)
The London Fire Brigade said there was little that could have been done to prevent her death, bar banning the sale of petrol in cans.
Lynsey Russell, 47, died of burns and inhaling toxic fumes after bursting into flames yards from a school in the affluent suburb of Richmond, south west London, on March 12 this year.
Sixth form students at Christ’s School are believed to have witnessed the tragedy from the upstairs windows of classrooms.
An inquest at West London Coroner’s Court heard Lynsey was so badly burned her father, Chris Russell, was asked to identify her from CCTV footage at a nearby Shell petrol station, where she had bought the fuel in a can only moments earlier.
Bus Driver Tried To Save Her Life
Darren Woodhams, the lead fire investigator from London Fire Brigade, told the inquest a bus driver had spotted Miss Russell on fire by the side of the road and had doused the flames but it was too late to save her life.
“Miss Russelll was seen on CCTV at a petrol station at 1pm buying a petrol can and filling it with petrol…Ten minutes later CCTV at a local school showed off screen a flash of flames and a few minutes later the bus driver saw a person in flames. He extinguished her. Fire crews and paramedics arrived but her injuries were too severe and life was pronounced extinct at 1.41pm,” Mr. Woodhams told the inquest.
“Is there anything anybody could have done?” asked the Assistant Coroner, Catherine Wood.
“No. I know there were questions brought up about the sale of petrol can but I don’t think anything could have been done,” replied Mr. Woodhams.
“Are there not restrictions on the sale of petrol canisters?” asked Ms. Wood.
“There are age restrictions…but as long as you’re old enough you can walk in and buy and fill a petrol container. There are legitimate reasons doing so,” Mr. Woodhams said.
Diagnosed With Paranoid Schizophrenia
The inquest heard Miss Russell had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia many years ago and had suffered from suicidal thoughts for almost 20 years.
A statement was read to the inquest by a mental health nurse who had seen her regularly.
“Miss Russell had taken several overdoses and had poured paraffin over her head in 2004. In August 2017 she was found unresponsive after taking a significant overdose but was taken to hospital….In December 2017 she reported acute suicidal thoughts and planned to buy petrol from a petrol station to kill herself,” Ernestina Mabunyunyu said.
Ms. Mabunyunyu said Miss Russell suffered from severe psychotic episodes which included thinking she had two sets of parents and believing her pet dog had been replaced by an identical animal.
The nurse went on annual leave on March 8 and was due to see Miss Russell again on March 15.
Carer Was Running Late
She said carers visited Miss Russell three times a day but on March 12 the deceased left home before a carer, who was running late, arrived.
Dr. Olaf Biedrzycki, the forensic pathologist who carried out the post mortem examination, said Miss Russell’s body showed no sign of natural disease and there were signs of any injury aside from the burns.
“The fact that soot was found below the vocal cords suggested the deceased was alive when she was set on fire,” said Dr. Biedrzycki in his report, which was read to the inquest.
Dr. Mary Howlett, a consultant psychiatrist who had Miss Russell under her care since 2001, said she was a very difficult patient to treat as she did not respond to antipsychotic medications and had refused to take them because of the side effects.
Heard Voices Telling Her to Kill Herself
Dr. Howlett said Miss Russell’s symptoms “fluctuated” and there had been times when she had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act due to severe auditory hallucinations in which she heard voices telling her to kill herself.
“Would she not have been better off in a hospital environment?” asked the coroner.
“It was explored a number of times. It was discussed in February 2018 but she did not want to be in hospital and her parents supported her in that and it was decided to work with her at home,” replied Dr. Howlett.
Ms. Wood, recording a narrative verdict, said in the absence of a suicide note she was unable to say definitely Miss Russell took her own life.
“She died as a result of her own actions, the intention being unknown,” said Ms. Wood.
She praised the bus driver who had doused the flames and said she hoped Miss Russell’s parents would somehow be able to “move on” from the tragedy.
Miss Russell’s parents are understood to have been too distraught to be able to attend the inquest.
Appendix B
Twitter Sends Support to Mariah Carey, Who Opens Up About Her Mental Disorder
09:42 GMT 12.04.2018 (Updated: 12:03 GMT 06.08.2022)
The pop star, who had previously been slammed for diva-like behavior and several scandals, speaks out about her struggle with bipolar II disorder, which has lasted for nearly two decades. Twitter praised the revelation, expressing support and gratitude for her bravery.
US pop music star Mariah Carey revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, otherwise known as maniac depression in 2001, in an interview with People magazine. The celebrity, who is in therapy and takes medication now, decided to share the story of her battle with the public in order to help eliminate the stigma people with this mental illness endure. The pop-diva herself came out after many years of living in “denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” she admitted in the interview. 17 years ago, she experienced what was described as a physical and mental breakdown when her acting debut in the film “Glitter” failed.
“Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” she admitted in the recent cover story for the US outlet. In her shout-out to those suffering from the disorder and those near and dear to them, she stated that bipolar disorder “does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me.”
According to Mariah, what she believed to be a sleeping problem, turned out to be the onset of bipolar II disorder; symptoms include sharp switches of mood from euphoria or irritability to depression, as well as insomnia, weight loss or gain, and suicidal intentions. Carey, who has been in the spotlight for nearly three decades as one of the world’s biggest pop stars, has made headlines not only for her shows and songs, but also a trail of scandals. However, over the past 15 years she got more media coverage for inconsistent performances and her relationship troubles.
The recent uproar came less than a year ago, when the 47 year old popstar was reportedly accused of calling her former bodyguard a white supremacist. The lawsuit also alleged that she sexually harassed him.
​Carey’s revelation came hot on the heels of other stars’ sharing their stories about struggles with mental disorders. Selena Gomez told Vogue about her anxiety and depression, while Chrissy Teigen wrote an essay about her postpartum depression and anxiety after she gave birth to her daughter. Specifically Bipolar II disorder has also been an issue for Demi Lovato, Stephen Fry and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who publicly announced that they were afflicted.