Anderson Cooper tries a schizophrenia simulator
Anderson takes part in an experiment to help understand how people live with mental illness
Mental illness often makes headlines after tragedies like last week's deadly shooting at Seattle Pacific University. A number of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, can cause auditory hallucinations. It's important to know that only a tiny number of people who hear voices engage in violence of any kind. Anderson took part in an experiment to help people understand how others live with mental illness experience everyday. Anderson wore headphones that simulate hearing voices while trying to do everything from puzzles to simply interacting with people in the street.
Clinical psychologist Pat Deegan designed the experiment. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager.
source with video of an interview with the psychologist who designed the experiment
souce
it seems like her little brother is schizophrenic too. here's her dad's blog
http://janifoundation.org/blog/
Edited at 2014-06-12 03:48 am (UTC)
Edit: I know they were saying that Jani's starting to do better but they really need to be okay with regular use of respite care. It's one thing to have a severely mentally ill child but adding another one to the mix is going to do them in if they don't pull in extra support.
Edited at 2014-06-12 09:16 am (UTC)
I also think there is something seriously up with the mother. She seems constantly high-strung and full of excessive energy, always speaking and interrupting others as if she might explode if she tried to hold back or keep mum.
It doesnt even come across as her being rude; it legit looks like she genuinely cannot control herself/outbursts.
i saw horrible things when i was in the midst of psychosis 8 years ago :/
Edited at 2014-06-12 10:31 am (UTC)
I have auditory hallucinations with my sleep paralysis and they're still terrifying but know why they're happening and that it will be all ok when I actually wake up does help. I don't know if I could handle having them awake.
Edited at 2014-06-12 03:50 am (UTC)
It's like that one white girl who put on a Niqab to experience what it's like to experience the discrimination Muslims face
Or wearing a fat suit.
Or pretending to be homeless.
Like people's experiences are only valid when they experience them.
I took part in a simulation for dementia because I was sitting in with nursing students and they deal with dementia patients all the time and it gave me a much better awareness of how they (the patients) experience things and why they can get so easily frustrated, can't do "basic" tasks, why they seem so "out of it" etc.
Just hearing someone tell me about it and explain it wouldn't have given me the same insight.
But I also see this as a tool, you are right in suggesting talking about the experiences, the simulation is not a replacement for building relationships and acknowledging personal experiences.
unless he's cut (which he is) in which case it's beautiful
Also...Anderson looks really thin.
i apologize if that's a messed up thing to say. but i had auditory and visual hallucinations plus paranoia