The mother-daughter relationship takes on a new perspective in the documentary Out of the Shadow—a story of a family's secret struggle to deal with their mother's schizophrenia. It is the first of the Douglas’ Frames of Mind movie series showcasing documentaries with a mental health theme. Two Douglas experts on the disorder, psychiatrist Ridha Joober MD, PhD, and liaison agent with the Assertive Community Treatment Team Karl Beck, will host the evening.

Out of the Shadow is the story of documentary filmmaker Susan Smiley’s schizophrenic mother and her trials within the public health system. It has made an impact on mental health communities in North America, providing insights for psychiatrists, mental health care professionals, and family members.
“Films such as these help dispel the stigmas and misconceptions surrounding this distressing illness,” says Joober, psychiatrist at the Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montréal) at the Douglas. “Like diabetes or high blood pressure, it is a chronic disorder that needs constant management.”

Schizophrenia afflicts one per cent of all adults. In North America, it makes up a significant portion of the homeless population. Minimizing the impact of the disease depends mainly on early diagnosis, and appropriate pharmacological and psychosocial treatments.

Joober’s research team has shown that early identification and treatment of patients leads to better management of the disorder—with fewer psychotic episodes. He is also looking at identifying a genetic cause of the disorder. “Schizophrenia has long been known to have a genetic component. We have developed a more precise pharmaco-genetic profile of schizophrenia that may ultimately lead to earlier diagnoses and more effective treatment.”

The Douglas Institute’s PEPP-Montréal Program, an exciting development, has been designed to provide early assessment and treatment for adolescents and young people (ages 14-30), who either have never been treated, or have received no more than one month of treatment with an antipsychotic medication, within 72 hours of a request. Once a patient is accepted into PEPP-Montréal, a multidisciplinary team provides an intensive and personalized course of treatment, which involves medication, psychotherapy, education and support for families, skills training, and group therapy.

“When a patient gets to know you, they are more willing to listen,” says Beck who visits patients in their homes to make sure they are receiving the support services they need to maintain the best possible quality of life. He will be on hand during Frames of Mind to discuss the importance of trusting relationships between care providers and patients.

WHAT: Frames of Mind: screening of Out of the Shadow, hosted by Ridha Joober, MD, PhD, and Karl Beck
WHERE: Douglas Hall, Douglas Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Verdun
WHEN: May 2, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.