Emily Kraft, RN
“Silver Linings Playbook” Review: Family Dynamics
Trocaire College
Everybody has a little bit of crazy in them right? The film Silver Linings Playbook is the perfect example of this statement. The movie was released in 2012 and was based on the novel The Silver Linings Playbook. The film was a blockbuster in the theaters along with winning countless Academy Awards and Golden Globe nominations. The Solitano family had many issues that were portrayed over time such as marriage problems, gambling, losing jobs, lying, mental problems, relationship problems; you name it and they had it. If it weren't for everyday common struggles among the average American family, people wouldn't know how to fight for their families or
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Meanwhile, desperate to contact his ex-wife, he meets a woman named Tiffany Maxwell, who happens to play a huge role in Pat's future. Pat had been invited to an old friend's house for dinner where he met her; Tiffany's sister was a good friend of Nikki. In a round about way, the main character, Pat, uses Tiffany to reach out to Nikki through means of a letter, but not without agreeing to be a partner in an upcoming dance competition. In the end Pat and Tiffany fall in love. No one on earth is perfect or without flaws. We all struggle daily with internal and external conflicts. Some of us just know how to handle and cope with situations a little better than others. These are vital mechanisms needed in order to live a mentally healthy lifestyle. When people do not know how to control their reactions and cope, many terrible things can arise such as mental illness.
Pat was a former teacher, whom being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder really set his life back in a negative way for a while. Bipolar Disorder is an illness that is associated with mood swings that range from the lows of depression to the highs of mania. Without medication and treatment by a psychiatrist, it is highly unlikely for a person to lead a normal life. In the first moments out of the mental hospital, Pat menti oned that he did not like how the medication made him feel, but after many run-ins with the
Based on class lectures (Trainor, 2014), I would diagnose Pat with Bipolar I disorder. The main requirement for this diagnosis is a Manic episode. One manic episode is described when Pat caught his wife and another man having an affair. He beat the man, and then he was arrested and taken to the hospital. He remained in the hospital for several months. Prior to this event, he felt that his wife and the
The movie ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, filmed in 2012 and directed by David O. Russel, follows the life story of Pat Solitano, a former teacher who is released from a mental insituation and places significant importance on his getting his life back togther. Over the film’s course, it becomes apparent that Pat suffers from Bipolar Disorder.
Patrick Solitano Jr., better known as Pat, is a white male of about 35 years of age who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is undergoing treatment. He was released from a mandatory hospitalization in a detention facility after eight months on the premise that he would continue taking medication, attend therapy, and comply with his restraining orders. He was also assigned a parole officer.
If we are not doing well in how we think, it will eventually affect many, if not all, aspects of our lives. Having a mental disorder or illness has a domino effect. For example, if a person goes through an event that makes them have low self-esteem, they will believe they are not good enough. If not dealt with, this could affect the work and school performance, which can affect grades and finances, which can turn into worry, which can turn into health problems. Everything is linked to our minds and it is important to make sure we are aware of how we handle situations so we do not negatively affect ourselves.
Mental well-being can be very unstable thing and it can be tipped either way at any time by trauma or excitement.
The narrative of Silver Linings Playbook is formed in the heart of Philadelphia around a middle class family at it’s breaking point. Pat’s, the protagonist, family has very much shaped his current situation; he has clinical bipolar disorder and struggles with stress-induced manic outbursts. After Pat’s release from a mandated rehabilitation center, he handles the next recuperating stage of his life in a similar way as a quarterback looking to make the next big play on the field; watching for possible blitzes and passes, anything to get the ball into the end zone, or in Pat’s case, to get in position for his life to get back on track, and
As individuals are all different, they can respond to the same situation differently. In the same way, individuals can view and cope with their mental well-being and mental health differently. Someone with a negative view of their own situation may feel that they are to blame or not accept the consequences of their actions, they may find it difficult to deal with their own mental health and well-being. A positive individual may cope better with factors affecting their mental health and well-being. They may deal with their mental state in a more pragmatic way.
He asks the secretary to turn it off, but she does not have the control to do so. Pat starts to get extremely upset and starts throwing objects aside to find the speaker. The song acts as a trigger for Pat’s mood to accelerate into rage. However, Pat refuses to take medication because he does not like the side effects, including a “foggy” mind. It is during this session that Pat discusses his father also has issues with rage, describing an incident in which his father got kicked out of a football stadium for beating up Eagles fans; Pat refers to his father as the “explosion guy”. While his father has not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it seems probable that Pat inherited his father’s mood disorder. Bipolar disorder tends to run in families. Some research has suggested that people with certain genes are more likely to develop bipolar disorder than others (Bipolar Disorder in Adults).
Another man told of his horrible experience with Prozac in an anonymous letter to Ann Tracy, Ph.D., who was doing research on the adverse affects of Prozac. He was taking Prozac for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and had been using it for a year; "I quite liked the unsought-for increase in confidence, sociability, etc." However, after he stopped taking it he began to experience what he called "a whole host of mental problems that I'd never experienced before." He described a lack of emotional response that soon became a full-blown depersonalization disorder, which was accompanied by episodes of derealization, extreme experiences of mental impairment, and loss of short-term memory. He went to seven of Los Angeles's top psychiatrists, each one telling him the same thing. They claimed that it wasn't the drug and would prescribe him higher doses of Prozac and other mind-altering drugs. He began to experience "nauseatingly violent dreams with a constant state of unremitting depersonalization . . .to the point where I could barely function." It got so bad that he began to consider suicide.
The issue of humanity’s mental health is something our species has dealt with since the beginning of our existence – even if it wasn’t publically acknowledged. Mental health is generally defined as a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being: a disorder of thought or mood which significantly impairs the judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life resulting in possible harm to themselves or others. The World Health Organization, also known as WHO, has defined mental health as “a state of well-being that enables a person to cope with the normal stresses of his or her life, do productive work, contribute to the community, and otherwise realize his or her potential” (WHO, 2014). What we as humans face, is the overwhelming struggle to attain a proper state of psychological and emotional well-being – which can be more difficult than commonly thought in today’s society all around the world.
The film I chose to analyze is Silver Linings Playbook because I was interested in the story when I read the synopsis of the movie. I thought that this would be a simple movie where the main characters would help each other because they had something in common. Reading the synopsis, I also thought that Pat would be back together with his wife, but at the end he found another love. In the next paragraphs I will show my knowledge on what I have learned this semester. On my analysis of Silver Linings, I will give examples that has the concept of language, nonverbal communication, listening, emotions, conflict, and close relationships.
Many people have mental issues nowadays. Whether they weren’t whooped enough as a child or if they really do need help. Mental illness are believed to be biologically based. Anxiety, major depression, obsessive compulsive
Pat was diagnosed with Bipolar one disorder shortly after arriving at the mental institution. I agree with this diagnosis for many reasons. I believe that it would have to be Bipolar one because Pat displays manic episodes. With Bipolar two disorder, there has never been a manic episode. Bipolar two disorder also must display at least one major depressive episode. From the information from the movie, Pat didn’t really display a depressive episode. Pat demonstrates several symptoms of Bipolar one disorder, many falling into the mania category. His manic episodes cause a great deal of distress in his life. Before the incident with his wife’s lover even occurred, Pat was having severe delusions. He told the school board that his wife and the history teacher were plotting against him. The delusions did not stop once he was out of the mental institution. When pat caught, his wife cheating on him their wedding song was playing. Now every time Pat hears the song he goes into some kind of psychotic episode and puts everyone around him in danger of becoming his next victim. As I mentioned earlier Pat does not take his medication as it is prescribed. He said it makes him too foggy. This could be due to the fact that he enjoys how his mania makes him feel. Throughout the movie, Pat refers to his ex-wife as his wife. He is obsessed with this delusion and honestly believes that he will win her back over. Even though she has made it perfectly clear
As per the requirements in the DSM-V, in order to diagnose someone with Bipolar I, they need to have had at least one manic episode (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). A manic episode is one that lasts for a minimum of one week would require hospitalization or have psychotic symptoms. This is differentiated from a hypomanic episode in that, for hypomania, the symptoms last four or fewer days, doesn’t require hospitalization and does not include psychotic feature. I will distinguish between the two using the presence of psychotic symptoms. Pat’s psychotic symptoms can be seen as both delusions and hallucinations (Cohen et al., 2012). His delusions are shown very early on in the movie; he is completely
At dinner with his friends, Pat meets Veronica 's sister Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). It’s evident that sparks fly between Pat and Tiffany and she tries to connect with him but Pat’s only focus is getting back together with Nikki. Tiffany tries to get closer to Pat and even offers to deliver a letter to Nikki, but only if he will be her dance partner in an upcoming dance competition. He agrees to this as he believes the competition will be a good way to show Nikki that he has changed. The two begin a rigorous practice regimen over the following weeks.