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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Schizophrenia: the horror movie | Schizophrenia: the horror movie |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Adam Brimelow BBC News health correspondent | By Adam Brimelow BBC News health correspondent |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Stuart Baker-Brow: 'I fell into a world of paranoia and fear' | Stuart Baker-Brow: 'I fell into a world of paranoia and fear' |
| Fresh evidence has emerged of the stigma surrounding mental health problems. | Fresh evidence has emerged of the stigma surrounding mental health problems. |
| A poll by YouGov suggests that more than one in three of the public think people with schizophrenia are likely to be violent. | A poll by YouGov suggests that more than one in three of the public think people with schizophrenia are likely to be violent. |
| Two short films that challenge this misconception have been released. | Two short films that challenge this misconception have been released. |
| They can be viewed online and will soon be screened in cinemas. | They can be viewed online and will soon be screened in cinemas. |
| The opening frames create a mood of menace and tension -- with shifting shadows, eyes twitching, a jarring soundtrack, and the flashing banner "Schizo". | The opening frames create a mood of menace and tension -- with shifting shadows, eyes twitching, a jarring soundtrack, and the flashing banner "Schizo". |
| Bit by bit the camera edges closer to white creaky door..... | Bit by bit the camera edges closer to white creaky door..... |
| And then, behind it, there is Stuart - pouring a cup of tea, and talking about his life with schizophrenia. | And then, behind it, there is Stuart - pouring a cup of tea, and talking about his life with schizophrenia. |
| "Hi there. I'm sorry to disappoint you if you were expecting a lunatic with a knife and some sort of rampage," he says. | "Hi there. I'm sorry to disappoint you if you were expecting a lunatic with a knife and some sort of rampage," he says. |
| He explains he was diagnosed with the condition 12 years ago. | He explains he was diagnosed with the condition 12 years ago. |
| Full life | Full life |
| He says many people with mental illness face prejudice, but that he had family and friends to help him lead a full life. | He says many people with mental illness face prejudice, but that he had family and friends to help him lead a full life. |
| The film's director, Jonathan Pearson, says he wants to make people confront their own attitudes about mental illness and violence. | The film's director, Jonathan Pearson, says he wants to make people confront their own attitudes about mental illness and violence. |
| "It challenges it by using the typical conventions of a horror movie, and then half way through the film we change," he said. | "It challenges it by using the typical conventions of a horror movie, and then half way through the film we change," he said. |
| "All the lights change from a horror section to a very inviting comfortable environment. | "All the lights change from a horror section to a very inviting comfortable environment. |
| "So it has taken what you think, flipped it and used it against you." | "So it has taken what you think, flipped it and used it against you." |
| The film is part of a wider campaign - called time to change - that has been set up to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health. | The film is part of a wider campaign - called time to change - that has been set up to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health. |
| 'Schizo' - a mental health anti-stigma trailer | 'Schizo' - a mental health anti-stigma trailer |
| The other film, called "Kid's Party" features Stuart "scaring" children with a giant spider made out of balloons. | The other film, called "Kid's Party" features Stuart "scaring" children with a giant spider made out of balloons. |
| Charities involved, including Mind, Rethink and Mental Health Media are exasperated over the way mental illness is often portrayed. | Charities involved, including Mind, Rethink and Mental Health Media are exasperated over the way mental illness is often portrayed. |
| The Sun's "Bonkers Bruno locked up" headline about Frank Bruno is the most notorious example from news coverage. | The Sun's "Bonkers Bruno locked up" headline about Frank Bruno is the most notorious example from news coverage. |
| But campaigners say films - like the Jim Carrey comedy "Me Myself and Irene" - can reinforce prejudice. | But campaigners say films - like the Jim Carrey comedy "Me Myself and Irene" - can reinforce prejudice. |
| Campaigners point out that the risk of being killed by a psychotic stranger is about the same as a fatal lightning strike. | Campaigners point out that the risk of being killed by a psychotic stranger is about the same as a fatal lightning strike. |
| Initial wariness | Initial wariness |
| Stuart Baker Brown, who plays himself in "Schizo", says people are often wary when they hear he's had mental health problems. | Stuart Baker Brown, who plays himself in "Schizo", says people are often wary when they hear he's had mental health problems. |
| People associate schizophrenia and psychosis with people that attack or harm others - and I had the same misconceptions myself Stuart Baker BrownSchizophrenia patient Films attack mental health stigma | |
| "I think the concern with violence is on most peoples mind," he said. | "I think the concern with violence is on most peoples mind," he said. |
| "I know that before I was diagnosed with schizophrenia that I also assumed the same thing, basically because of the press portrayal. | "I know that before I was diagnosed with schizophrenia that I also assumed the same thing, basically because of the press portrayal. |
| "People associate schizophrenia and psychosis with people that attack or harm others - and I had the same misconceptions myself." | "People associate schizophrenia and psychosis with people that attack or harm others - and I had the same misconceptions myself." |
| For many years Stuart, now a writer and photographer, thought the KGB were out to get him. | For many years Stuart, now a writer and photographer, thought the KGB were out to get him. |
| He suspected that his family and friends were spying on him. | He suspected that his family and friends were spying on him. |
| But far from wanting to harm others, he says he was terrified that people wanted to hurt him. | But far from wanting to harm others, he says he was terrified that people wanted to hurt him. |
| "It is very difficult to reassure people," he said. | "It is very difficult to reassure people," he said. |
| "If people get to know me they start to have a far greater understanding of what schizophrenia is really about. | "If people get to know me they start to have a far greater understanding of what schizophrenia is really about. |
| "They can see the gentle person, the person who tries to understand the person who has normal emotions." | "They can see the gentle person, the person who tries to understand the person who has normal emotions." |
| The film, which is about a minute long, can be seen online. | The film, which is about a minute long, can be seen online. |
| Make people think | Make people think |
| Paul Corry, from the mental health charity Rethink, says he hopes it will make people think. | Paul Corry, from the mental health charity Rethink, says he hopes it will make people think. |
| "We hope people are going to expect one thing and receive something different," he said. | "We hope people are going to expect one thing and receive something different," he said. |
| "We hope that people are going to ask questions about that and say to the people that they're watching it with: 'Well, what do you think?' | "We hope that people are going to ask questions about that and say to the people that they're watching it with: 'Well, what do you think?' |
| "And then start a discussion, a debate about what the actual experience of living with a severe mental illness is like." | "And then start a discussion, a debate about what the actual experience of living with a severe mental illness is like." |