Ordinary People Movie Essay

767 Words2 Pages

Movie Reference:
Redford, R. (Director). (1980). Ordinary people [Motion Picture]. Los Angeles: Paramount.
Conrad suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress disorder and Survivor’s guilt. In the beginning, we see that he was losing appetite, as he did not want to eat the French toast. He was re-experiencing flashbacks and nightmares of the boating accident throughout the movie. He had diminished interest in activities like he left the swimming team, which he really loved. He showed the symptoms of avoidance, did not talk much at the dining table with his family, was in his room most of the time, and he stopped hanging out with friends.
Calvin, although suffers from the loss of his son, and almost losing his second son, is able to tolerate painful …show more content…

He felt helpless during the boating accident and was unable to help his brother whom he dearly loved. Other risk factors could be a lack of support from his mother, and that he was still young, just sixteen years old.
PTSD treatment includes psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Medications like SSRI’s, benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers reduce the symptoms like excessive fear and anxiety if used in conjunction with psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy; and eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing are examples of psychotherapeutic approaches (Boyd, pg 485, 2011).
Yes, my knowledge of psychiatric health nursing has changed the way I viewed the movie. It made me realize that people who suffer from depression or PTSD are a real thing, and it is not just “something in their heads”. I think stigma among in the community, family and even nurses can really push away patients from getting the help they require. Proper education and spreading the word about these mental illnesses can really help more people to seek help early, and better

Open Document