On Wed, 16 Jan 2002, Beth Benoit wrote: > > Just saw "A Beautiful Mind" - a pretty good flick, but I'm questioning one > part, where the main character, John Nash, is diagnosed with schizophrenia > and is treated with "insulin shock therapy." I know this movie was based on > real events in Nash's life, and I know they play a little loose with the > facts, but that's a cinema prerogative. > > My question: am wondering how likely it was that insulin shock therapy was > actually used on him. He was diagnosed in 1959. As far as I could > determine, insulin shock therapy wasn't used after the late 1940's.
I found Nash's Nobel autobiography (pointed out to us by Beth at www.nobel.se/economics/laureates/1994/nash-autobio.html) fascinating reading, and I look forward to the PBS special yet to come. Unfortunately, where I live, there's only a slim chance that I'll get to see the film, even on video. As for Beth's question, stimulated by her post I did a web search, and discovered a review of a book on Nash which must be the basis for the film (will have to order for our library). It's in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (at http://www.cma.ca/cmaj/vol-160/issue-6/0870.htm). It states there that after diagnosis in 1959, and after submitting to the usual psychotherapy claptrap that someone (in this case, his wife) was to blame, he then received insulin shock therapy. There are many things to wonder about in the case of John Nash. But certainly one of the most interesting is how he managed to recover from what I always understood was an incurable condition. -Stephen ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at: http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
