Educational Media Reviews Online

The video does an exceptional job of clarifying what psychosis is and that it is a wholly treatable illness. Any mental illness carries such stigma and a psychotic illness carries double the load when it comes to stigma and misinformation. Symptoms and causes are described in layman’s terms and the video is easily understandable. A Map of the Mind Fields follows three young people and their families as they tell their stories about living with a psychotic illness. They share their initial onset behaviors, diagnosis and treatment, and the hope they feel for the future, after receiving treatment. Symptoms and causes are well described along with the myths associated with a psychotic illness. Mainly, the video emphasizes the importance of early detection and treatment and how effective the new treatments are, which greatly increases the chance of a successful recovery. I found the video interesting but somewhat dry in its presentation. Interesting, but dry, this video will not likely hold a high school student’s attention for the entire 56 minutes. To use this video as part of a mental health unit, it would work best interspersed with class discussion and/or interactive materials to emphasize the pertinent points.

This video is part of a three part series on youth and mental health issues. The other titles in the series are Beyond the Blues: Child and Youth Depression and Fighting Their Fears: Child and Youth Anxiety. There is also an interactive online companion that provides information, links, and video clips.