Reading Report

Aspen Tong
Weekly Reading Report Video

Directions: After reading and annotating, complete the following table and collect it with other weekly reports to help
you develop your findings and prepare for the assessments.
Title: Elyn Saks: A tale of mental illness-from the inside
Author: Elyn Saks
Guiding Question(s): How does Schizophrenia affect the lives of those who have it?
Summary statements of the authors main ideas
In Elyn Saks TED talk, she shares her experience with schizophrenia. While going to
Harvard Law School, Saks was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was hospitalized. She recalls
being strapped to a metal bed, although she had never threatened anyone. After leaving the
psychiatric hospital she began to realize that rest of society automatically viewed people with
mental illness as crazy people. Trying to prove she was not crazy she began to refuse to take her
medication which would lead to more hallucinations. In conclusion Saks wants the rest of
society stop labeling people with mental illness as crazy and to think about what it is like to live
with a disease that does not have a permanent cure.
Embedded quotation (page #)
Elyn Saks tells the audience of an

incident that occurred with her
friend, Steve, Thank you for
coming Steve. Crumbling world,
word, voice. Tell the clocks to
stop. Time is time has come.
Unfamiliar words
How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?
Elyn Saks was delusional and believed that

something was coming after her. Her disease
caused her to imaging a man with a knife and she
became paranoid. Her life became dependent on
fear the voices have created. In order to find
tranquil Saks had to find support in her friends and
family.
Definitions
Psychosis:
Being out of touch with reality
Prevaricates:
To speak or act in an evasive way
Weekly Reading Report #1

Title: The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness
Author: Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett
Pages read: 39
In the first four chapters of The Quiet Room, Lori Schiller describes her earliest encounters of
dealing with schizophrenia. It started when she was a teenager at summer camp and would stay
with her for the rest of her life. Throughout college Lori had worked hard in order to cover up
her disease. She would have her highest highs and lowest lows. When she was down and
aggressive she would lock herself in her room, so she wouldn't scare or harm her friends. She
shares about her struggles of hiding her problems in order to fit in and live a normal life.
After Schillers first

schizophrenia episode, she
returned home with a new
responsibility: But after I came
home early from camp that
summer, I suddenly had a new
task: keeping my terrible secret
(15).
It demonstrates how people with schizophrenia are

viewed as crazy therefore work hard to cover their
disease up. They use their time and energy to hide
their problem instead of getting treatments. They
are living a life of fear and confusion, not sure what
is real and what is a delusion. People with
schizophrenia need to know that it is safe to come
forward without fear of reality.
Unfamiliar words
Definitions
Throes-
Violent pain or struggle
Evasive-
Tends to avoid commitment
Gingerly-
Doing something carefully and cautiously

Pages read: 37
Throughout chapter 5-9, Lori Schillers friend, father, mother, and brother, shared what it was
like when she was first admitted into a mental hospital. No one really understood what was
happening and why it was happening. Everyone responded differently to the news of Schillers
diagnoses. Her father blamed himself, while her mother couldn't understand why that would
happen, when Lori was always loved as a child. It hit her brother really hard since all he wanted
was to be like her. It gives us a glimpse of how this disease affects those around someone who is
schizophrenic.
After a series of upsetting

episodes, her doctor diagnosed
her with schizophrenia: Because
of the combination of things.
Shes got some symptoms of
manic-depression, and some of
symptoms of schizophrenia (69).
It took the hospital months in order to diagnose Lori

with schizophrenia. Even then they did not know
for sure if it was Schizo-affective disorder, because
of the electroshock therapy and drugs she was on.
When it was revealed to her family they couldn't
accept it, Lori was a straight a student who had a
comfortable life. They just couldn't understand how
this could happen to her.
Unfamiliar words
Definitions
Contrite
feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.
Stimuli
a thing or event that evokes a specific functional reaction in

an organ or tissue.

Pages read: 53
After gaining the trust and confidence of her family, Lori Schiller is released from the New York
Hospitals psychiatric center. To keep her spirits up and prevent any more suicide attempts, her
family suggests finding a job. While finding a job, working at a local restraint and bar, she also
finds a drug addiction. Thanks to the drugs, Schiller is able to mute the voices in her head but
also sparks worry into her parents. After admitting to drug abuse, Schiller agrees to get help and
get her life together. After coming out of rehab she finds a job at another mental hospital, that
makes her feel at ease and needed.
Schiller spends much of her time

trying so hard to be normal and
go back to living a traditional life
(125).
Although Schiller is out of the mental hospital, she

still feels that she doesnt fit and isnt living the life
that she has always wanted to. She finds a job and
meets new people in order to live a normal life.
Through her job she began to slowly slip back.
Many times patients stoop taking their medication
and the cycle begins again.
Unfamiliar words
Definitions
VehementEpitome-
Showing strong or intense feelings

An example of a particular quality


Pages read: 43
Schiller describes her routines while hospitalized. The Quiet Room is where patients who
need to be calmed are sent. Schiller describes the room as a cycle. She would blow up, enter
the room, calm down, leave the room, then blow up again. Although some patients viewed the
room as comforting it did the exact opposite for Schiller. When she was finally released she
enrolled in a day program, and eventually in nursing school.
Along with understanding her

condition schiller also became
more aware of the vast gulf that
separated her from everyone else,
adding to her loneliness (168).
Although Schiller finally comprehended that she

has a disease and that the voices are not real, it has
also hit her that everyone else is different than her.
It is difficult for her to live a normal and typical life.
She understands that she may not live the life she
has always dreamed of. She now has to accept that
she has a serious disease and learn to live
effectively with it.
Unfamiliar words
Definitions
ComatosePerverse-
When someone is in a state of deep unconsciousness

Having a deliberate and obstinate desire to
behave in a way that is unreasonable or
unacceptable, often in spite of the
consequences
Pages read: 30
As Schillers life was finally getting back on track she became friends with Robin. They had
met at a halfway house, but Robin was a bad influence on Schiller, turning her back to drugs.
After getting in trouble for her drug use, Lori, once decided to kill herself. Her therapist heard
this and rushed her to the hospital, where Schiller was given the ultimatum of going to a short
term or long term mental hospital. After allying with the Voices, Lori decided that in order for
her to escape the Voices she needs to fight them. She decides to go to the long term facility, a
place where patients are responsible for their own recovery.
Anything the Voices commanded

Lori to do, she did it
undoubtedly: I believed
everything the Voices told me,
and knew that under their
command I could do no wrong
(184).
Although she tried to fight the Voices she couldn't run away
from them. As she listened to the Voices, she began to
believe everything they said. They would tell her to herself,
others, and property, and she would listen. These Voices
were so realistic that she didn't doubt anything they said,
because although they were a nuisance and unhealthy, they
did somewhat bring her comfort.
Unfamiliar words
AmorphousReorient-
Definitions
Not classified and not fully shaped

To change the focus or direction of something


Pages read: 23
After fighting the idea, Schiller agrees to voluntarily, check in to a long term psych hospital.
There she makes connections with her two doctors, Dr. Doller and Dr. Fischer. Through these
connections she begins to trust them and take their advice. In order for her to get rid of the
voices she must accept that the voices are her anger. To overcome the voices, she must learn to
control and accept her emotions. Schiller finally has someone she can truly trust and count on. It
is the beginning of recovery.
How could I face the world

locked in a mind that has a life of
its own, Schiller questioned
while accepting the fact that not
everything she sees or hears is
reality (227).
Although a huge challenge in Schillers recovery is

accepting the fact that she is sick, she has to overcome the
effects of accepting the facts. She is being realistic and
pessimistic, thinking that even if she can control her
emotions, how could she live in the world, not knowing for
sure what is real and what is just in her mind.
Unfamiliar words
Lieu
Passkeys
Definitions
Meaning instead of something else

Security personnel especially at the psych hospital


Pages read: 17
During these two chapters Dr. Doller shares her beliefs on treatment, which mainly involves
getting into your brain. Although many people have labeled Lori as hopeless, Doller cant bear
giving up on her. She can tell that Lori is trying to get better and find releases. Schillers mother
shares her struggles of seeing her daughter in such a distraught state. Overall these chapters
highlighted that a stable and good support system is needed in order for the patient to take steps
towards getting better.
Loris doctor, Doctor Doller,

explains that although you do not
have the power to control what
happens around us, you have the
power to influence the direction
of your thoughts (232).
Schizophrenia patients often feel that their thoughts can

affect the outcome of what happens around them. To Dr.
Doller it is important that they understand that their thoughts
don't directly affected the outcome of events. She wants her
patients to take treatment into their own hands and focus on
getting better.
Unfamiliar words
Definitions
Mercurial-
Subject to sudden changes in mood
Neuroleptics-
Class of antipsychotics, also known as tranquilizers
Pages read: 11
After getting permission from her doctors and parents, Schiller is put on new and stronger
medication, clozapine. It is a slow transition, but gradually she is able to quiet the voices and
feel other emotions, besides anger. In order to give the best chance of recovery, the process is
slow, but she deals with it, since all she wants is to be normal. Her main goal is to be a normal
person in the outside world. Thanks to all the support she has been given, Schiller is finally
released from the hospital and steps out into the real world.
After being put on clozapine,

Schiller began to be lucid and
wanted to be a part of the rest of
the world: I began to believe
that a normal life was possible
(258).
Unfamiliar words
Footholds
Encroachments
Schiller not only wanted to be a human among other humans

in the world, she wanted to live a normal life. She pushed
herself and fought the voices so that she could have a chance
at living the normal life she always wanted. On her new
medication Lori saw the finish line, and believed that she
would overcome this disease that had taken over so many
years of her life.
Definitions
In which a person foot is secure, or is in a secure position

Intruding on a persons rights

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Aspen Tong

Weekly Reading Report Video

Elyn Saks tells the audience of an

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Elyn Saks was delusional and believed that

Being out of touch with reality

To speak or act in an evasive way

Weekly Reading Report #1

After Schillers first

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

It demonstrates how people with schizophrenia are

Violent pain or struggle

Tends to avoid commitment

Doing something carefully and cautiously

Weekly Reading Report #2

Title: The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

After a series of upsetting

It took the hospital months in order to diagnose Lori

feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.

a thing or event that evokes a specific functional reaction in

Weekly Reading Report #3

Author: Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Schiller spends much of her time

Although Schiller is out of the mental hospital, she

Showing strong or intense feelings

Weekly Reading Report #4

you develop your findings and prepare for the assessments.

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Along with understanding her

Although Schiller finally comprehended that she

When someone is in a state of deep unconsciousness

Weekly Reading Report #5

Anything the Voices commanded

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Not classified and not fully shaped

Weekly Reading Report #6

you develop your findings and prepare for the assessments.

How could I face the world

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Although a huge challenge in Schillers recovery is

Meaning instead of something else

Weekly Reading Report #7

you develop your findings and prepare for the assessments.

Loris doctor, Doctor Doller,

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Schizophrenia patients often feel that their thoughts can

Subject to sudden changes in mood

Class of antipsychotics, also known as tranquilizers

Weekly Reading Report #8

After being put on clozapine,

How does it answer/relate to the Guiding Question?

Schiller not only wanted to be a human among other humans

In which a person foot is secure, or is in a secure position

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