So, is John Nash (Beautiful Mind) really schizophrenic or something else?

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
There is a sequel to A Beautiful Mind that I saw at B&N today, and the 2nd half of the book talks about "the rest of the story."
One thing that stands out is the similarility between Asperger's and schizophrenia in the descriptions of John. He doesn't look people in the eye unless he is fully engaged in conversation or knows them well, he is not at all social and often rude, and was extremely immature when he was a student and during his middle-age yrs. He supposedly had a complete remission, which doctors say is virtually impossible, unless he was mis-diagnosis'ed.

The catch is that his son, Johnny, has been diagnosis'ed as a bona fide schizo-affective.

I know, I know, we all see things that we are familiar with. Still, the total absence of symptoms later in life, his lack of social skills, blah blah blah ... He did say that he considered experimenting with-drugs, which to me says he did it but didn't want to admit it, so I'm hypothesizing that pushed him over the edge. I know that there are many conditions, including lack of sleep, bipolar, and Asperger's that can present with-psychosis, so I'm wondering ...

Jump in here, folks. :twister2:
 

Steely

Active Member
Wow...one of my fav books...what's the sequels title? I knew his son was diagnosis with that....but after reading beautiful mind I would be cautious about a different diagnosis for john unless the book was wrong and he haa dual diagnosis.? Very interesting.....give me more info please :)
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Two things here:

1) People with schizophrenia, even controlled with medication, seem "off" in their mannerisms and social skills.

2) Otherwise brilliant people without a mental illness or developmental disorder are sometimes uncomfortable and awkward socially.

Ok...three things...

3) Nothing is impossible.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Because he had hallucinations and thought disorders I believe he is schizophrenic. I have a read a lot about schizophrenia and it causes all sorts of social skills impairments. With his son diagnosed with schizo-affective, to me that is more verification.
Through no understanding in the medical community, some schizophrenics improve with age.
I'd love to read that book. What's it called?
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
I think brain/neurology doesn't have strict black lines in diagnosing. I think there is a lot of overlap. He may very well have had "shadow" symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in addition to his schizophrenia. Don't you see shades and symptoms of other diagnosis in your child that aren't typical or average in AS? My son is missing some symptoms and has some weird symptoms that would be grouped in other diagnosis.
In the end, it's about function. He could teach and be a student and have a relationship. Not always successfully but some of our kids don't have a hope to achieve those milestones in adult life. in my humble opinion of course.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I believe there is likely crossover diagnosis. Like Fran said, haven't we all seen behaviors in our own children that could fit more than one? I know I have!
 
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