Madness or Misunderstanding
Setting:
2010, Onoway, Alberta on a
three acre property in a ranch style bungalow
Characters:
Liz- 30 year
old biologist and mother of 3. Liz is enjoying her last month of maternity
leave before she returns to work. Liz has frizzled over processed hair and dark
circles under her crystal blue eyes. Liz is a brilliant biologist and works
with a team who are on the cusp of a major breakthrough in diabetes research.
Kayleigh- 11month
old daughter with beautiful red hair, a bundle of joy.
Ricky- 3
year old son, go go go, non-stop, boys boy with dark hair and green eyes just
like his dad.
Chantille- (nickname
Little Shue) 6 year old daughter, very inquisitive, curly red hair and a smile
to light up a room.
Gene-
Scaffoldor Husband, handsome, hardy and
hard working.
The Voice- a
voice Liz hears in her head, menacing
and cranky.
Dr. O’-
World class psychiatrist. Tall and slim with flowing brown locks, she looks
like she could be a model.
Dr. S.-Specialist
in repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy. Very astute and
gentlemanly.
Dr. J.-
Occupational therapist. Athletic and charming.
Dr. B.-
World class psychologist who believes that schizophrenia is just a
misunderstanding and can be cured. Looks like a skinny Santa with snow white
hair and beard.
Janice- Liz
best friend, counselor at the local YWCA. Huggable, chunky with laughing eyes.
Paul-
Janice’s husband, scaffoldor who works with Gene in Fort McMurray. Paul has wonderful
green laughing eyes and a crocked smile.
ACT 1- The Voice
Scene 1- 7am,
Liz is in her daughter’s bedroom, brushing her hair
Chantille: Mamma,
when is Daddy coming home?
Liz: oh
Shue, he just left 2 days ago, he will be gone another 18 days. Then he’ll be
home for 4 days.
Chantille: Mamma,
will Daddy bring me to swimming lessons when he gets home?
Liz: Now,
Little Shue you know how tired dad is when he comes home from Fort McMurray. We
will just have to wait and see how he is feeling.
(Ricky busts into Chantille’s bedroom)
Ricky: Mamma,
can I watch TV? I know there are dinos on today.
Liz: Yes,
go ahead but only until I finish Chantille’s hair then we have to eat breakfast.
(baby Kayleigh cries in the nursery)
Liz: There
you go Shue. All done and you look beautiful. (Liz kisses Chantille on the forehead)
(Liz walks into nursery)
Liz: There,
there sweaty, Mamma is here. (quick
diaper change as Liz sings a soft lullabye)
(when Liz enters kitchen with
Kayleigh on her hip, Chantille is eating
a bowl of Corn Popps® and you can hear the TV in the background.)
Liz: Ricky,
come get your breakfast, and turn off that TV.
Ricky: (always a flurry of activity, runs into the
room) Mamma, can I have Corn Flakes® and Corn Popps® and Cherioes®?
Liz: Pick
one please and go turn off that TV.
Ricky: (runs back to livingroom) Ok Mamma, I’ll
have oatmeal.
Liz: good
job, Ricky. Now sit down and eat your peaches and cream.
Chantille: I
have to catch the bus, Mamma.
Liz: Your
backpack is in your cubby by the door. Love you, have a great day!
Chantille: (Give Liz a huge hug) Love you too, Mamma.
Bye Ricky, bye Kayleigh!
(Liz watches out the window while Chantille
walks to the end of the driveway where the bus waits for her.)
Scene 2 - mid
afternoon, Liz is sitting at the table with her budget book
(Liz looks up from her cheque book her eyes dart around the room,
looking for something)
Liz: (mumbles to herself) you are imagining
things again.
The Voice: What
do you think you are doing? Are you stupid or what? You can’t do that![1]
Liz: (shaking her head) stop that.
The Voice: Where
is Ricky, he is being a bad boy, you have to punish him.
Liz: No,
I won’t do that, he is just playing with his toys.
The Voice: Kayleigh,
she is taking you away from your life’s work, she is the reason you can’t do
your research.
Liz: stop
it, I won’t listen to you.
The Voice: Just
put the pillow over her head, then you can go back to work.
Liz: (screams) I could never hurt my baby. I
won’t do it! Leave me alone!
Ricky: (runs into kitchen) Mamma who’s here?
Who are you yelling at?
Liz: (grabs Ricky and hugs him really hard)
It’s ok Baby everything is ok.
Ricky: Mamma,
your squishing me.
Liz: You
go watch some TV, Baby. Mamma has to get back to her budget.
[strange noises can be heard, squeals
of terror]
(Liz looks into livingroom and Ricky
sits quietly in front of TV.)
Liz: Can’t
he hear that?
The Voice: He
really is a stupid boy you’d be better
off without him.
( the bus pull up out front)
Liz: (to herself) pull it together, Shue is
home.
Scene 3-
Liz is on the phone with Janice
Liz: Something
is wrong.
Janice: What
is it?
Liz: I
feel funny.
Janice: Funny
how?
Liz: I
hear things.
Janice: Do
you need to have your ears checked?
Liz: No,
I hear bad things. I hear a voice telling me to hurt the kids.
Janice: Have
you told Gene?
Liz: No,
He wouldn’t understand. He’ll think I’m crazy!
Janice: I
am coming right over.
(Janice arrives 20 minutes later,
having driven in from Edmonton.)
Liz:
(gives her friend a hug) I just don’t know what to do.
Janice: I
am here, I can help.
Liz: I
appreciate that, I remember my grandfather telling me about the voices he heard
but I thought he was kidding.
Janice: So
you think there might be a family history?[2]
Liz: It
could be, Mom just always said her father was a genius and very eccentric.
Janice: OK,
I am going to take the kids and you are going to check yourself in at the
GlenRose.
Liz: But
what will people say?[3]
Janice: Don’t
worry about that, you just have to get better.
Act 2- The GlenRose
Scene 1- Janice
talks to her husband
Janice: Paul,
I have Liz’ kids, you have to tell Gene to come home right away.
Paul: Why
do you have the kids, is something wrong?
Janice: Liz
is at the GlenRose. She said she hears voices.
Paul: That’s
why I love you, always helping out.
Janice: Go
tell Gene to come home.
Scene 2- Paul
tells Gene
Paul: Gene,
something in wrong with Liz. She is at the GlenRose. Janice has the kids, they
are fine.
Gene: Shoot,
what am I supposed to do, I have to work. We have 2 car payments, two mortgages
and bills to pay. She is in the hospital that is the best place for her. As
long as the kids are safe and Janice doesn’t mind taking care of them, I have
to stay up here at least for 8 more days and finish a set so I have enough
money for this month’s bills.
Paul: OK,
but get there as soon as you can. She needs you.
Scene 3- meeting
with Dr. O’
Dr. O’: Hello
Liz, how can I help you today?
Liz: I
am worried, I hear voices that tell me to harm my children.
Dr.O’: I
will prescribe Haldol but you will stay
in hospital until we can get this under control.
Narrator: While
Liz is in hospital for 6 weeks[4],
Gene does some research and he finds a clinic that has a device called “walk in
their footsteps”[5]
that allows the person to experience what it is like to have schizophrenia by wearing
a virtual reality apparatus that simulates the visual and auditory
hallucinations experienced by someone with schizophrenia.[6]
Liz: Dr.
O, I don’t think the Haldol is working for me. I am still hearing voices.
Dr. O’: We
can try rTMS. I have a colleaugue at the hospital who is running a trial. I’ll
call and get you in.
Liz: What
is rTMS?
Dr. O’: It
stands for repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation[7].
It involves noninvasive stimulating of nerve cells in the brain.
Liz: Is
that like Electro Convulsive Therapy?
Dr. O’: It
is based on similar principles but during the procedure an electric current
passes through a figure 8 shaped wire coil which has been placed over the
scalp. This current depolarizes the nerve cells resulting in disruption of
brain activity.
Liz: You
want to disrupt my brain, isn’t that dangerous?
Dr. O’: rTMS
focuses on the prefrontal cortex, a very specific part of the brain, the one
that seems to be causing the voices that you hear.
Liz: I
just want the voices gone, I’ll try anything.
Dr. O’: I’ll
book you in with Dr. S for tomorrow.
Scene 4- Dr.
S. Office
Narraotor: It
is 2 weeks later and Liz is sitting across from Dr. S.
Dr. S.: You
have had ten sessions. How are you doing today,
Liz?
Liz: I
am feeling good Dr. S. The voices don’t come so often now.
Dr. S.: We
will continue with the treatment for 3 more weeks and see how you do.
Liz: Thank
you Dr. S. I think this is going to work.
Narrator: 3
more weeks have gone by, Liz has had 15 more sessions
Liz: Dr.
S. The voices are gone, I feel like my old self again.
Narrator: Liz
goes home to her family, she has been away from them for almost 3 months. Their
reunion is short lived, within 3 weeks the voices return even stronger than
before. Gene, now understanding what she must be going through rushes her back
to see Dr.O’ at the GlenRose.
Dr. O’: You
have been unresponsive to both meds and rTMS, Liz. I am going to refer you to
Dr. J. He is an occupational therapist.
Narrator: After
undergoing 12 months of occupational therapy[8]
with Dr. J. Liz is still no better then she was after her first rTMS sessions.
Dr. O’ refers her to her last hope, Dr. B, a
world famous psychologist who has a new and interesting way
of dealing with the hallucinations.
Act 3- Fixing the Misunderstanding
Scene 1- Meeting
with Dr. B.
Liz: Hello
Dr.B.
Dr.B.: I
have gone over your case file and it seems you have been diagnosed with
Schizophrenia but have been unresponsive to the medication. rTMS seemed to work
for a while and occupational therapy was not a success either.
Liz: That
is correct, can you help me?
Dr. B.: I
can help you. I am going to examine each of your hallucinations and help you to
understand them. There is a history and a purpose to everything you see and
hear, we just have to explore it. Extreme states of mind are needed for
transformation.[9]
Dr. B.: Just
like dreams are nighttime hallucinations, the voices you hear happen during
wakefulness. We can analyse the voices the same as a dream.
Dr. B.: You
become schizophrenic based on your history[10]
whether it be a history of drug use or abuse.
Liz: I
don’t use drugs and I have never been abused.
Dr. B.: You
can come through this, I am confident and I will work with you through your
extreme state of mind.[11]
Narrator: It
is important for Dr B. to be comfortable and relaxed as he listens to Liz. He
must be open and unafraid. [12]
Dr. B.: Ok,
let’s begin, How old are you?
Liz: I
just turned 32.
Dr. B.: What
level of education do you have?
Liz: I
have my doctorate in biology. My team is on the cusp of a breakthrough in
diabetic research.
Dr. B.: Can
you describe what the Voice tells you?
Liz: The Voice says: What do you think
you are doing? Are you stupid or what? You can’t do that![13]
Dr B.: Where
have you heard those words before? Has anyone else said those things to you?
Liz: Yes,
my husband. He has trouble communicating so when he should be discussing things
with me and I disagree he calls me stupid. (Liz
begins to cry)
Dr. B.: It
is ok to cry , Liz, your husband’s words really hurt you.
Narrator : A
few minutes later, once Liz has calmed down, Dr B. asks Liz to describe another
event where the Voice spoke to her.
Liz: The
Voice always tells me to hurt my children. Things like “Where is Ricky, he is being
a bad boy, you have to punish him.” Or “Kayleigh, she is taking you away from
your life’s work, she is the reason you can’t do your research. Just put the
pillow over her head, then you can go back to work.”
Dr. B.: Do
you love your children?
Liz: very
much.
Dr. B.: But
you love your work also and you want to get that validation back into your
life. There is nothing wrong with that. We will examine all the voices and you
will be able to go back to work.
Narrator: Liz
worked with Dr. B. for 6 more months and
the voices disappeared. By dealing with the issues at hand the hallucinations
become distinct and real and part of normal thought process.[14] Dealing with hallucinations gives the power
of psychotherapy to the patient and the problems becomes the means for the
solution. These problems are then building blocks so the patient can learn and
grow.[15]
Liz has been free of the voices for 5 years now and she is
back doing the research she loves on diabetes.
The End
Playwrite’s note:
The therapy’s described in this play are all valid and can be used to help with
schizophrenia. Results vary dependant on patient and circumstances
[2] Sadock,
B.J., & Sadock, V.A. (2007). Kaplan
& sadocks synopsis of psychiatry: behavioural sciences/clinical psychiatry
(10th ed.) Philidelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.pp.
470-471
[3]
Vogel, David, L. (2007) Avoidance of counseling psychological factors that
inhibit seeking help. Journal of
Counselling and Development Volume:85. Issue 4. p.410-430
[4]
Sadock, B.J., & Sadock, V.A. (2007). Kaplan
& sadocks synopsis of psychiatry: behavioural sciences/clinical psychiatry
(10th ed.) Philidelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.p. 489
[5]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moP_e-gx5hkfeature=related
[6]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPXkwYM9G-s&feature=related
[7]
Fitzgerald, P.B. and Daskalakis, Z.J. (2008) A review of repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation use in the treatment of schizophrenia. The
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Vol 53 no 9. pp. 567-576
[8]
Cook, S. and Chambers, E. Coleman, J.H.(2009) Occupational therapy for people
with psychotic conditions in community settings: a pilot randomized controlled
trial. Clinical Rehabilitation. vol.
23 pp.40-52
[9] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1tMrwvbosw
Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind- Part 1
[11] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGgxjXq7j6Y&feature=channel
Recovery: Schizophrenia& Mental Illness- Psychology
[12] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1tMrwvbosw
Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind- Part 1
[14]
Karon, Bertram. (2007) The use of hallucinations in the treatment of psychotic
patients. Ethical Human Psychology and
Psychiatry, vol. 9. Num 3. Springer Publishing Company
[15]
Karon, Bertram. (2007) The use of hallucinations in the treatment of psychotic
patients. Ethical Human Psychology and
Psychiatry, vol. 9. Num 3. Springer Publishing Company
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