FRS 002K - Sec. 001 - (2 units) - CRN 93014 - W 2:10 – 4:00 pm - 111 Wellman
Experiencing Psychosis Through Autobiography

Instructor: Eva Schepeler, Department of Psychology, College of Letters and Science

Description: In this seminar, students will learn about psychosis, a mental condition in which a person loses contact with reality, experiences hallucinations or delusions, and may suffer a disintegration of thought processes, speech, defense mechanisms, emotions, behavior, and personality. We will concentrate primarily on schizophrenia and manic-depressive affective disorder. By reading autobiographies of individuals who were diagnosed with these disorders, students will be allowed a rare "inside look" at what it is like to experience psychosis first-hand. This approach is intended to (a) teach students more vividly than through the traditional textbook approach, (b) increase students' empathy and respect for people suffering from psychotic illnesses through gripping identification with a protagonist, and (c) reduce fears of, and misconceptions about, people suffering from severe mental illnesses. The instructor will provide students with information on the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and current research concerning psychotic disorders. Brief video clips will be used for illustration.

Format: Students will meet in weekly two-hour blocks. They will be expected to read about four paperback autobiographies, or their equivalent that will be made available through a photocopied Reader. The required readings will include Kay Redfield Jamison's "An Unquiet Mind" (1996) and Ken Steele's "The Day the Voices Stopped" (2001). Students will be asked to watch the video "A Beautiful Mind" on their own for discussion in class. Weekly response papers will be assigned with the dual purpose of (a) stimulating class discussion and (b) helping students clarify their thoughts and practice expressing themselves in writing. Grading: Grading will be based on the weekly response papers, a 1 5-minute oral presentation on an assigned topic related to the readings, and participation in discussions. Students are given the opportunity to write an extra credit paper on a pre-approved topic of their choice.

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