Schizophrenia in 'The Soloist': Psychiatric & Neuroscience Perspectives

This assignment focuses on analyzing the portrayal of schizophrenia in Joe Wright's 'The Soloist' movie (2009), drawing insights from various psychiatric and neuroscience studies. Key contributors include E. Sekar et al. ('Schizophrenia risk from complex variation of complement component 4', Nature, 2016) and S. Ripke et al. ('Genome-wide association study identifies five new schizophrenia loci', Nature Genetics, 2011). Additionally, psychoanalytic perspectives like those of L. Davidson ('The Soloist', Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry, 2010) and E.S. ASTININGSIH ('Schizophrenic Obstruction to Success in Joe Wright’s The Soloist Movie', PhD Thesis, 2011) are considered.

Mental health-
nursing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
3 biopsychosocial risk and 3 biopsychosocial protective factors..........................................1
Literature review............................................................................................................................1
Discussion......................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Mental health illness refers to emotional, psychological and social distress an
individual is suffering from. There are various factors which causes mental health issues
in a human being. In the following essay, the three biopsychosocial risk and three
biopsychosocial protective factors will be identified with reference to “The Soloist”. After
that, with the help of relevant literature, detail analysis of one biopsychosocial risk and
one biopsychosocial protective factor will be evaluated. Eventually, how the risk and
protective factors contributed to the protagonist’s experience of mental ill health and
well-being will be identified.
3 biopsychosocial risk and 3 biopsychosocial protective factors
3 biopsychosocial risk 3 biopsychosocial protective factors
1. Diagnosed Schizophrenia 1. Gifted Musically
2. Estrange from biological sister 2. High Functioning
3. Homeless 3. Support from Lopez
Literature review
According to Insel, (2010) schizophrenia refers to the mental disorder that
appears in late adolescence or early adulthood. It is characterised by delusions,
hallucinations and other cognitive difficulties. It can often become life long struggle for
an individual. In the movie “The Soloist”, Nathaniel Ayers suffered from schizophrenia
where he often hears voices that distracts him from reality. Sekar et al., (2016) said that
schizophrenia is one of the most disabling of all psychiatric disorders. Approximately 51
million people have been found suffering from schizophrenia with over 10 per cent
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people were either living on streets or found in prisons. From the movie, it can be clearly
understood that schizophrenia appears in men in their late teens and later in women.
The hallucinations and delusion in movie were dramatic symptoms of schizophrenia but
far from the only one. Schizophrenia greatly impacts on person ability to think and make
precise decisions. Ripke et al., (2013) elaborated that people who suffers from
schizophrenia were likely to become victims of violence due to their strange act, look
and frightful behaviour. People who suffered from schizophrenia faced numerous
adversities and pain while living in the society. This idea is similarly depicted in the
movie where Nathaniel Ayers experiences pains and suffering in the streets such as got
hit by cars while picking up litter (Davidson, 2010). Due to lack of care and proper
treatment, these people often commit suicide. Scientists believed that schizophrenia
sometimes runs in genes or families.
Though, there were many cases identified where individual suffered from
schizophrenia who don’t have a family member with disorder. Uhlhaas & Singer, (2010)
said that if the person suffering from schizophrenia has been provided with proper
treatment with appropriate care than there are possibilities that his or her mental
disorder can be eliminated. This idea has been exemplified in the movie where
Nathaniel Ayers gets helps from Steve Lopez a journalist working for The Los Angeles
Times in the movie. Steve shows compassion towards Ayers and jotted down an article
on him (Nicolas & Farhadian, 2013). After reading the articles people send Nathaniel
musical instruments as Nathaniel has passion for music. In this context, Rahmatullah,
(2016) said that if people suffering from schizophrenia has been provided with effective
care and moral support than their suffering and disorder can be minimised.
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As in the movie, it has shown that psychiatrists told Steve that his friendship and
compassion is the only remedy which can give balance to mental health of Ayers life. It
implies that strong bond affection and compassion can be core remedies for treatment
of schizophrenia. In the movie it was depicted that Nathaniel Ayers frequently goes into
flashback where he found himself in the school playing cello for her teacher. Sekar et
al., (2016) elaborated that person suffering from schizophrenia often sees hallucinations
and delusions which takes them far away from the reality. These episodes occur when
something preciouses or prominent has been attached to suffered has been taken away
or left. This idea has been exemplified in the movie where Nathaniel Ayers sister left
him and he got flashback while performing at recital (Puspitasari, 2014). Compassion,
friendship and social care are considered as protective factors which helps
schizophrenic to have mental stability. Support from Lopez was considered as boon to
Nathaniel Ayers as it was shown in movie. Lopez made enormous efforts to bring
Nathaniel Ayers life to improvements and show the world about his talent. At the shelter
where police were taking away homeless and drugs addict, Lopez got anxious and
search for Nathaniel Ayers in every hospital. Lopez even provided him the apartment in
which he can live efficiently.
Andreasen et al., (2012) elaborated that showing compassion to sufferer can be
great help in order serene the mental disorder. Scientists believed that there is no
appropriate remedy for treating individual suffering from schizophrenia. In the movie it
was identified that Nathaniel Ayers refused to get treatment as he dislikes doctors and
their process of treatment. He shows symptoms of resisting behaviour which infuriate
Lopez sometimes. Lopez didn’t gave up on Nathaniel Ayers and helps him every time in
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order to improve his life and suffering effectively and efficiently. In one scene, Nathaniel
Ayers got violent after reading the forms which tells him about his schizophrenic state of
mind Astiningsih, (2011). Schizophrenic patients often get violent when somebody tells
that they are suffering from mental health disorder. At its core this film also explores the
role of kindness and compassion in the treatment of those suffering from chronic
psychotic illnesses and the power of the social environment to aid recovery in such
disorders.
The Soloist examines the effect of a stable, consistent friendship in supporting
and promoting recovery in an individual with schizophrenia. It shows that a trusting
relationship must be developed before any attempts can be made to engage Ayers in
any treatment services (in this case, the acceptance of shelter rather than living on the
streets). The film highlights Ayers’ loss of contact with his family when he became
unwell, his relocation far away from the family home, and the subsequent alienation he
experienced (Davidson, 2010). But more than anything, the film teaches an important
lesson about how individuals living in the society suffered from schizophrenia has their
own personal story. How caring and compassion, faith and relationship, hope and trust
can help in improving the mental health status of one. Frith, (2014) explain that through
efficient care, compassion, love and support one can easily treat an individual suffering
from schizophrenia. This idea can be exemplified from the movie at numerous times
Steve Lopez made efficient efforts either through his articles or by any other means try
to give a life Ayer deserve to live.
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Discussion
After viewing “The Soloist”, it can be understood that people suffered from
schizophrenia lives a terrible and frightful life. The protagonist of the movie Nathaniel
Ayers was a great musician who can play instruments like cello and violin efficiently. He
was dropped out from school of Julliard and suffered from mental health disorder. He
was found by local journalist name Steve Lopez playing violin on the streets. Steve
identified that Ayers suffered from schizophrenia and was a great musician (Nicolas &
Farhadian, 2013). He made all the attempts to help him and eventually got succeed in it.
From the story it can be understood that schizophrenia is the mental disorder where
people can see hallucinations and delusions and these can affect their mental stability
greatly. schizophrenia is one of the most disabling of all psychiatric disorders.
Approximately 51 million people have been found suffering from schizophrenia with over
10 per cent people were either living on streets or found in prisons. From the movie it
can be clearly understood that schizophrenia appears in men in their late teens and
later in women. The hallucinations and delusion in movie were dramatic symptoms of
schizophrenia but far from the only one (Hummel & Stivers, 2015). Schizophrenia
greatly impacts on person ability to think and make precise decisions. It can be genetics
or either appear in the person who has been suffering from traumatic situations. In the
movie Ayers sister left him after he dropped out from school which impacts on his
mental stability.
Though there are numerous factors due to which schizophrenia can be evolved
in human being. These factors are also known as biopsychosocial risks (Ripke et al.,
2011). It is the combination of biological, psychological and social factors that influences
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the mental stability of individual. Scientists believe that there is no permanent solution of
this illness but through effective care, compassion and love the problem can resolve to
certain extent. As in movie it was exemplified that Steve Lopez gave all the support and
care to Ayers and provided him cello and other musical instruments so that he can
recover from schizophrenia effectively and efficiently (Puspitasari, 2014).
Conclusion
From the above study, it can be concluded that mental health illness is the
disease which can affects an individual emotional, mental and other cognitive ability.
With the reference of movie “The Soloist” the essay able to identify the three
biopsychosocial risk suffered by the protagonist of movie and three biopsychosocial
protective factors that helps him in order to cope up with schizophrenia. It was further
identified that due to effective care and compassion, individual suffering from
schizophrenia can be protected.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Andreasen, N. C., Berrios, G. E., Bogerts, B., Brenner, H. D., Carpenter, W. T., Crow, T.
J., … Klimke, A. (2012). Negative versus positive schizophrenia. Springer
Science & Business Media.
ASTININGSIH, E. S. (2011). SCHIZOPHRENIC OBSTRUCTION TO SUCCESS IN
JOE WRIGHT’S THE SOLOIST MOVIE (2009): A PSYCHOANALYTIC
PERSPECTIVE (PhD Thesis). Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
Davidson, L. (2010). The Soloist, by Steve Lopez. Berkley Books, New York, 2008, 286
pp., $15 (paperback). Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and
Dynamic Psychiatry, 38(3), 548–551.
Frith, C. D. (2014). The cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia. Psychology press.
Hummel, R. P., & Stivers, C. (2015). Life Has a Mind of Its Own. In The Future of
Scholarly Writing (pp. 147–154). Springer.
Insel, T. R. (2010). Rethinking schizophrenia. Nature, 468(7321), 187.
Nicolas, M., & Farhadian, S. (2013). Movie Review: The Soloist. Mental Health
Clinician, 3(2), 108–109.
Puspitasari, E. C. (2014). Language Production of a Schizophrenic Character in the
Soloist Movie. Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa FIB, 4(2).
Rahmatullah, S. (2016). A COMPREHENSION DISTURBANCE ANALYSIS OF JOHN
NASH AS A SCHIZOPHRENIC CHARACTER IN “A BEAUTIFUL MIND” MOVIE
(PhD Thesis). UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
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Ripke, S., O’Dushlaine, C., Chambert, K., Moran, J. L., Kähler, A. K., Akterin, S., …
Fromer, M. (2013). Genome-wide association analysis identifies 13 new risk loci
for schizophrenia. Nature Genetics, 45(10), 1150.
Ripke, S., Sanders, A. R., Kendler, K. S., Levinson, D. F., Sklar, P., Holmans, P. A., …
Andreassen, O. A. (2011). Genome-wide association study identifies five new
schizophrenia loci. Nature Genetics, 43(10), 969.
Sekar, A., Bialas, A. R., De Rivera, H., Davis, A., Hammond, T. R., Kamitaki, N., … Van
Doren, V. (2016). Schizophrenia risk from complex variation of complement
component 4. Nature, 530(7589), 177.
Uhlhaas, P. J., & Singer, W. (2010). Abnormal neural oscillations and synchrony in
schizophrenia. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(2), 100.
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