WHAT IS SCHIZOPHRENIA? The modern definition of schizophrenia describes it as a long-lasting psychotic disorder (involving a severe break with reality), in which there is an inability to distinguish what is real from fantasy as well as disturbances of thought, emotion, behavior and perception (Cicarelli, p. 557). SYMPTOMS Schizophrenia includes several symptoms. A common symptom is delusions, which are false beliefs that the person has and which tend to remain fixed and unshakable even in the face of evidence that disproves the delusions (Cicarelli, p. 557). Other common symptoms include speech disorders, in which people with schizophrenia make up words, repeat words or phrases persistently, put words together based on sounds, and experience sudden interruptions in speech or thinking. The thought patterns of people with schizophrenia are also significantly disturbed, as they have difficulty connecting their thoughts together in a logical manner (Cicarelli, p. 557). Individuals with schizophrenia may also experience hallucinations, in which they hear voices or see things or people that are not really there. Hearing voices and emotional disturbances are key symptoms in making a diagnosis of schizophrenia. An emotional disorder known as the flat effect is a condition in which the person shows little or no emotion. For example, emotions may be excessive and/or inappropriate: a person may laugh when it would be more appropriate to cry (Cicarelli, p. 557). A person with schizophrenia may also exhibit disorganized and extremely strange behavior. For example, some forms of schizophrenia are accompanied by periods of complete immobility, while others may involve strange facial grimaces and strange gestures. The attention is all... in the middle of the paper... he suffers only from auditory hallucinations, not visual ones. There is also a scene in the film where Nash is presented with pens by faculty members. In reality, this custom does not exist. “A Beautiful Mind” is an extraordinary film that sheds light on a complicated and debilitating disorder, over which the person seems to have no control. It's enlightening and touching, I highly recommend this film. I have to admit that the first time I saw the film, I went into it knowing nothing about schizophrenia and when it ended, I still felt like I didn't fully understand the disorder; however, the second time I looked with the knowledge of what schizophrenia is and all the various symptoms, I found it amazing that Nash was able to overcome the disorder with sheer force of will over his own mind, as he chose to ignore the voices in his mind. Head.