The 2001 American film "A Beautiful Mind" depicts John Nash's life, a mathematician and economics Nobel Laureate. He is determined to make a difference in his study field by publishing an authentic idea but faces psychological issues that distract his course. Nash develops schizophrenia and experiences severe delusions, which affect the lives of his family, Alicia and the baby, and his friends.
Psychological Issues
In “A Beautiful Mind," the character with psychological issues is an undergraduate student at Princeton University, known as John Nash. Early symptoms of schizophrenia begin as soon as he joins the school and continues throughout his life. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that interferes with one's feelings, behavior and thoughts, causing them to live unrealistic lives (Correll & Schooler, 2020). The most common symptoms include delusional behavior, hallucinations, and focus difficulties. Nash hallucinates having a roommate, whereas his room is meant for one person. His delusions also cause him to see men in suits while giving a speech, and so he runs because he believes they are soviet spies sent to capture him.
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How the Movie Resolves
Nash's behavior leads to his admission to a psychiatric facility, whereby he learns that his roommate Charles, and Parcher, are not real. He receives insulin shock therapy and antipsychotic medication, which he stops consuming due to the side effects—consequently, delusions about his assignment from Parcher of the Defence Department and Charles return.
Solutions
Insulin shock therapy and antipsychotic medication align with Nash’s mental diagnosis. The former involves an injection of large insulin doses to induce daily comas, whereas the latter is a medication class for managing hallucinations and delusions experienced by schizophrenic patients. However, the United States stopped using insulin shock therapy in the 1970s. Antipsychotic medication is still effective in treating this psychological problem.
Conclusion
John Nash fits the criteria of a schizophrenic patient since he experiences severe delusions and hallucinations, which cause him to form friendships and work with non-existent people. He receives appropriate treatment but later discards it because to avoid the side effects.
Reference
Correll, C. U., & Schooler, N. R. (2020). Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: A Review and Clinical Guide for Recognition, Assessment, and Treatment. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment , 16, pp.519–534. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S225643
