WEEK 7- RESEARCH



I have mainly referred to medical websites for information as they have the most details on this mental disorder. I believe that research is so crucial for the piece I want to create as I am aiming to make an effective dance; there are many emotions and ideas I wish to portray so I need to have accurate information to inspire my movements. This is especially important as I have a stimulus with strong scientific influences.

After conducting some research about schizophrenia I have found that people who suffer from this illness usually experience:
- long-lasting sadness/ irritability
- mood swings
- excessive fear, worry and anxiety
- drastic changes in eating and sleeping
- delusions and hallucinations
- hostility and suspiciousness
(nhs.uk, 2019)

It is defined as a condition where your experience does not match up with reality as other people see it, a symptom called psychosis. In schizophrenia, you may have developed 'psychotic' symptoms. For example, you might see, hear or believe things that for other people are not true. (YoungMinds, 2019) you can also feel muddled, low or withdrawn. The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown, however it is thought by scientists that is is a combination of physical, genetic, psychological and environmental factors.

Schizophrenia is the most common, serious mental illness so one of my objectives would be to portray the symptoms. For example I can use the choreographic device contrast to demonstrate mood swings- I could go from fast, elevated jumps to slow and more lyrical movement; I could even simply just include facial expression changes. Moreover I could even incorporate levels to further show how drastic the high and low moods are. Thinking back to previous experiences, I have learned that eye contact can hugely affect a performance. I feel that prolonged eye contact with the audience will not only keep them engaged but also will relate back to the symptom of suspicion and hostility. I have also considered the use of lots of hand gestures, especially covering my face. This is a very protective position and I feel this would convey a feeling of hostility/ vulnerability well.

I would also like to try and focus on portraying the effects of schizophrenia- on the patients and their relatives. I think that it is interesting how one illness can affect so many people and in more than one way.

It is important to have a wide range of sources as this means that your information is more varied and more likely to be accurate. I have not only used medical websites but also YouTube videos and a book.


References
nhs.uk. (2019). Schizophrenia. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/schizophrenia/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

YoungMinds. (2019). Schizophrenia. [online] Available at: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/schizophrenia/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

Youtube.com. (2019). YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6gqILp8NaQ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/mental-health/conditions/schizophrenia?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2ITuBRDkARIsAMK9Q7OchhRpdx8OJtFz86dlB6gLAMMFLzlKgizlVarLr9TLXilR7BbbTdYaAmEgEALw_wcB
MQ: Transforming Mental Health. (2019). Schizophrenia.

Torrey, E. (n.d.). Surviving schizophrenia.

Comments

  1. Megan Foster6 November 2019 at 09:57

    This blog is very clear and well thought out, showing you have done a lot of research on Schizophrenia. In your blog, you spoke about how you would like to try and focus on portraying the effects of Schizophrenia, why is this? And what effect do you think this will have on the audience?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. caitlynfrancisco3 December 2019 at 14:40

      thanks! I feel that showing the effects are a good way of showing my stimulus and this will hopefully make it clearer/easier for the audience to understand.

      Delete
  2. Storm Ide12 November 2019 at 10:31

    This blog is very strong and you have clearly shown your in depth research. I enjoy the way you have given a list of what people usually suffer with when diagnosed with this disease, making it very clear to the audience. Looking at this, I wondered weather you will use any of these in your final piece and what effect this will have on your performance?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. caitlynfrancisco3 December 2019 at 14:56

      Thank you! I want to use the choreographic devices contrast and levels to symbolise mood swings and how drastic they can be. I feel that incorporating symptoms in my dance are a more creative way of showing my stimulus.

      Delete
  3. Miss Norman14 November 2019 at 05:23

    Excellent work! Within your research, you have incorporated a wide variety of resources, including primary and secondary resources. Each section of information is relevant and clearly relates to your final idea. In relation to the criteria, I would say that the post currently sits around the 2:1 mark; if you wish to increase this towards a 1:1, you should discuss how your observations would influence your piece and enhance your creative work as you move forward. As stated you have used a wide range of resources, however it is important that you remember to reference these within your writing. Please include at least two in-text citations.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nanson30 November 2019 at 10:06

    You have mentioned lots of different ways of showing the intent behind your piece but which do you think will be the most important? Which of your techniques, do you think, will portray the emotion best?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. caitlynfrancisco3 December 2019 at 14:58

      I think the use of my facial expression will probably be the best one as it is the most easiest to understand.

      Delete
  5. Hannah Tinsley-Hope3 December 2019 at 08:35

    I really enjoyed reading all the research you have found on Schizophrenia.
    You have mentioned above that you will use the use of levels to portray the drastic mood swings. Will you incorporate any dynamics for the mood swings come across even more clearer for the audience?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. caitlynfrancisco3 December 2019 at 15:00

      Thanks! I think the use of contrast between harsh and soft dynamics will make this even clearer for the audience.

      Delete

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