Elyn R. Saks has a mental illness called schizophrenia, which is usually described as a long-term mental disorder that involves a breakdown (Elyn Saks 0:14). Usually, one diagnosed with schizophrenia may be suffering from inappropriate feelings, actions, and delusions (Donegan and Lodge 262). In the journal, “Rhode Island Medical Journal: Brain Week RI speaker shares lifelong struggles with schizophrenia” by Mary Korr, we receive Saks’ journey with her mental illness. She is universally known, because of her drive to accomplish everything she hoped, even after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. A few of her accomplishments include: Orrin B. Evans professor of law, psychology, and psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the University of …show more content…
The most fearful stage of going through any illness is when one does not know anything about it or why it is happening. Saks was a scholar at Oxford University when she had her first incident. In the journal of Rhode Island Medical Journal, Saks describes her first serious manifestation of the illness like so: “I was in terrible shape...I heard voices in my head. I wandered the campus thinking about ways to commit suicide. At the same time, I had no awareness of the severity of my condition.” (Korr 51). This quote gives us an insight of the terrifying thoughts that can go through the mind of somebody who is unaware of having a mental illness. Schizophrenia in her own words is being described like a complete nightmare, almost unimaginable. Furthermore, Saks said the acceptance of mental illness and the therapeutic value psychoanalysis was like daylight dawning (Korr 52). This quote helps the reader imagine exactly how relieving the acceptance and psychotherapy was for her life. When she describes that it was “like daylight dawning”, the reader can understand how psychotherapy played a great deal in her wellness. Psychotherapy alone might’ve helped relieve some symptoms, but it was the combination of a couple things that allowed her to be as successful as she is, like the mixture of psychotherapy and