Documentary shows positive outcome of mental treatment
Business major Julissa Martin watches the film “So Your Going Crazy” during the mental health workshop (event) in room LLRC-107 in in the Library Resource Center on Tuesday . The film focused on taboos of mental health in society and stressed that things can get better for those suffering from mental illness and that help is available.
Oct 21, 2016
The documentary “So You’re Going Crazy: Living With a Delusional Disorder” was shown in LLRC-107 on Oct. 4.
Health and human services department Chairperson Aminta Mickles, who presented the movie, said, “A conversation about (mental illness) needs to happen on campus.”
The film is directed by Hilary Dean, who also stars as the main speaker in the documentary, which features speakers who have suffered from various degrees of mental illnesses during their lives. Dean provides a detailed description of the hallucinations, disturbing life situations and struggles brought on by her mental disability.
In the film Dean says, “I would see demon people who would tell me to kill myself.”
She said she was able to find help before her delusional disorder caused her or others any harm.
Despite the serious subject matter and the hardships those portrayed in the film go through, the speakers present their information in a lighthearted manner to break the taboo of speaking about mental illnesses.
In the documentary a man says, “I relate a lot to Luna Lovegood from the ‘Harry Potter’ series. Even though everyone thought she was crazy, she actually did see things that others did not see.”
As the film reaches its conclusion, the speakers share their ways of dealing with their disabilities and how they get through their day.
In her final words, Dean says the speakers had to wait and go through hard situations but “everyone that is in my film is alive. They made it. It is difficult, but it is important for us to talk about these subjects.”
Following the movie, Mickles gave the 11 students attending the documentary screening the opportunity to have a short discussion.
“Did you know Contra Costa College has programs to help people deal with mental illness?” Mickles asked the students.
“When you judge, you do not listen. When you do not listen, you do not help. We have to use these things (motioning to her ears) to help people.”
Nursing major Leamsi Amaya said, “With what I learned from this movie I feel I can help someone who has depression or at least be able to talk to them about it.”
Many of the other students agreed that the movie gives hope to those going through mental illnesses.
“I have seen a lot of documentaries about this type of stuff, but I really like this one because it shows that you can overcome it,” business major Jullisa Martin said.
