A Beautiful Mind is, by far, one of my favorite movies to watch ever since I saw it during my AP Psychology class. I first watched the film when my class was covering mental illnesses such as personality disorders, bipolar disorders, and last, but not least schizophrenia. One of the symptoms of schizophrenia that made me so interested in the brain is the concept of hallucinations. And contrary to drug-induced hallucinations, these stay for life and are associated with negative experiences. These fabricated characters are there to increase the symptoms of anxiety, insecurity, and paranoia in the sufferer. Furthermore, unlike the film, people diagnosed with schizophrenia often hear voices that are constantly belittling them.

But what surprised me most about this movie was that, John Nash, a mathematician responsible for creating the Nash equilibrium that revolutionized economics as well as led to the development of game theory was able to ignore the negative influences in his life. The fact that he does not know what is reality and what is fantasy, but nonetheless is able to overcome these difficulties show that determination can bring you anywhere you want. Even with a mental illness, he was able to win the Nobel Peace Prize. And while the movie is not a complete accurate depiction of Nash’s life, I certainly still enjoy watching Russel Crowe develop Nash’s character from a sane student, to a paranoid mathematician, to a Noble Prize winning professor.