Restless with a need for distraction, I stumbled into Hollywood Video last night to rent a movie. I wasn't sure what I wanted to see or even what there was to see. I browsed along the usual 'new releases' wall and quickly noticed "Canvas" amongst all others. I will admit that what initially attracted me to the title was from my friend and coworker Carol telling me about it months ago. At the time the movie was being filmed, Carol had been working at a hotel in Florida in the area where some of the cast and crew made it their temporary 'home' during production. Carol had the opportunity to talk with various actors, the director,etc and even got an extra copy of the script that they had. She had thought the movie was about autism, so I had a feeling it would explore some kind of mental disorder, however, when I started watching it I discovered it is about something far more devastating and troubling: schizophrenia.
When I was in graduate school, I learned the basics of schizophrenia, but I remember feeling frustrated by the lack of learning more in depth about it from professors and general reading material. It seems like such a mysterious and convoluted illness. I have wanted to know more over the years, but my curiosity quickly turns into a feeling of unmotivated futility. I have realized the best way to learn about it isn't through theory, but through the experience of real-life application. Interestingly, this movie reflected back to me certain characteristics I sometimes see in a client of mine who shows mild forms of schizophrenia. Funny enough, this individual was on my mind yesterday earlier in the day when I was at work...before I even came upon "Canvas." He was scheduled to have a counseling session with me and had not shown up. His wife (Carol's client) ended up coming in, eyes puffy from too much crying. Approaching my office, she told me he would not be showing up for his session today.....because his mental illness has been bad the last three days.
Over the course of his treatment with me (almost 3 years), he has been hospitalized 2 or 3 times. When he's doing well, he's fine. When he's not taking his medication, however, it's bad. I asked her if he needs to be hospitalized, but she says the problem is that whenever he goes into a hospital, he tends to become aggressive (ie, spit, kick,etc) with the staff members, making it difficult for them to want to re-admit him at the same hospital in the future. In the past, I may have challenged her response, but I have experienced verbal aggression from him firsthand as his counselor (he is the one I wrote about months ago that screamed at me over the phone and made semi-threatening comments, my most challenging client). I know how he can be. I asked her if she felt safe, as I know she had been crying and she wiped away a few tears as she spoke with me. He has not hurt her physically (as far as I know); it hurts her emotionally to see him in his schizophrenic episodes.
I cannot understand why he won't take his medications if he knows he is better with them than without, but that's a whole other potential topic for discussion....
Getting back to the movie.....if you want to understand more about the illness and most specifically how it affects the overall family, watch "Canvas." Very few movies have been done about schizophrenia. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was a great movie, but it seems a little stereotypical to me. "A Beautiful Mind" is also phenomenal, however, it seems to focus more on the 'genius' brilliance of the disorder more so than the everyday effects of living with someone who has schizophrenia. What I liked most about "Canvas" is how 'real' it feels. I found myself identifiying with and feeling compassion for all 3 of them. I feel sadness and confusion coming from Mary, who cannot make sense of how her disorder is affecting herself and her loved ones. I feel some alienation from her husband, who would rather sublimate his energies into building a boat than connect and offer emotional support to their young son. And I also feel anger and depression from their son, whose only relief from emotional distress comes in the form of spending quiet time alone at the beach and sewing patches on old shirts for his classmates. I could say more about the movie, but I don't want to ruin it because you really should see it.
For information on Schizophrenia, check out http://www.healthcentral.com/schizophrenia/causes-000047_4-145.html?ic=506019 (symptoms)
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