Autobiography Reflection: The Center Cannot Hold
“The schizophrenic mind is not so much split as shattered. I like to say schizophrenia is like a waking nightmare.” – Elyn Saks
The Center Cannot Hold, written by Elyn Saks, presents to readers the many challenges that come with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a potentially severe mental disorder that is frequently associated with hallucinations/delusions, social isolation, difficulties with hygiene, depression, and problems with concentration. People who suffer from this disorder are unable to differentiate between what is truly reality and the hallucinations that they are experiencing. Through this novel, we are able to get a glimpse at what it is like to live through undiagnosed schizophrenia, …show more content…
While I understand that she was in no condition to take care of herself and was potentially harmful not only to herself, but also to others, the amount of disrespect she was treated with by many of her health care professionals greatly astonished me. I have learned through reading this novel that not all medical professionals hold themselves to the same standards and that some of their behaviors are less than acceptable. Despite her mental condition, Elyn Saks is still a person with the right to her basic human dignity and she should be treated as such. I feel that reading The Center Cannot Hold will have a large impact on my future career as a pharmacist. I am hoping that from reading Elyn Saks’s experience and gaining a better understanding of what it is like to live with an undiagnosed mental illness, I will be better able to empathize with my patients and work to build a trusting and mutual relationship. I hope that by better understanding her illness, I will be able
There are many lessons to be taken away from reading The Center Cannot Hold. The lesson that I found most important was the importance of your experiences with your health care
“The schizophrenic mind is not so much split as shattered. I like to say schizophrenia is like a waking nightmare.” – Elyn Saks
The Center Cannot Hold, written by Elyn Saks, presents to readers the many challenges that come with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a potentially severe mental disorder that is frequently associated with hallucinations/delusions, social isolation, difficulties with hygiene, depression, and problems with concentration. People who suffer from this disorder are unable to differentiate between what is truly reality and the hallucinations that they are experiencing. Through this novel, we are able to get a glimpse at what it is like to live through undiagnosed schizophrenia, …show more content…
While I understand that she was in no condition to take care of herself and was potentially harmful not only to herself, but also to others, the amount of disrespect she was treated with by many of her health care professionals greatly astonished me. I have learned through reading this novel that not all medical professionals hold themselves to the same standards and that some of their behaviors are less than acceptable. Despite her mental condition, Elyn Saks is still a person with the right to her basic human dignity and she should be treated as such. I feel that reading The Center Cannot Hold will have a large impact on my future career as a pharmacist. I am hoping that from reading Elyn Saks’s experience and gaining a better understanding of what it is like to live with an undiagnosed mental illness, I will be better able to empathize with my patients and work to build a trusting and mutual relationship. I hope that by better understanding her illness, I will be able
There are many lessons to be taken away from reading The Center Cannot Hold. The lesson that I found most important was the importance of your experiences with your health care