I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg Essay examples -

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg schizophrenic psychosis has long been a devastating psychological affection and only be posthumousdly have we begun to see an improvement in our capabilities to treat this disorder. The development of neuroleptics much(prenominal) as, Haldol, Risperidal, and Zyprexa have given psychiatrists, psychologists and their patients bully hope in the battle against this amiable disease. However, during the 1960s, drugs were not available and psychologists relied upon psychotherapy in order to treat patients. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, is a description of a sixteen-year-old girls battle with schizophrenia, in the 1960s. Deborah Blaus illness spanned three years, in which she spent her brio in a mental institution. The book itself is a semi-autobiographical account of Joanne Greenbergs poses in a mental hospital during her own b by with schizophrenia. She presents her experiences by relating them to Deborah. The novel wa s written to help fight the stigmatisms and prejudices held against mental illness. In the late 1960s, reactions to mental illness generally fell mingled with two polarized attitudes. One, general with the counterculture generation, romanticized mental illness as an altered state of consciousness that was full-bodied in artistic, creative inspiration. The protagonist of this myth was the tortured artist who poured out his or her soul in writing or art between periods of mental breakdown Sylvia Plath, Vincent Van Gogh, and Virginia Woolf are only a a couple of(prenominal) such individuals whose artistry is practically inseparable from the idealized myths of their mental instability. frequently their periods of mental breakdown were a source of inspiration, but before oneness romanticizes their mental illnesses, it necessary to remember that all three committed suicide.On the other end of the spectrum, mental illness was stigmatized as a helplessness or fatal flaw on the part o f the sufferer. Even today, numerous uninformed people regard mental illness as a stigmatized condition, shrouded in shameful secrecy and negative stereotypes, to be described with shake up or belittling euphemisms. In the late 1960s, when Greenbergs novel was published, mental illness was even more misunderstood and feared. The reading public had absorbed centuries of inexact information about mental illness, all based on prejudice, ignorance, and fear.Because of he... ... is enough to treat schizophrenia. Still, these new findings certainly do not invalidate the enormousness of empathy and understanding in the treatment of schizophrenia. Greenbergs desire to garner sympathy, respect, and understanding for sufferers of mental illness is still a valid concern, and her novel remains semiprecious as a sympathetic portrayal of mental illness. Although this novel uses outdated treatment methods, it does succeed in allowing the reader to see into the mind of a mentally ill person . Greenberg portrays the problem of mental illness from different perspectives. She expatiate Jacob and Esther Blaus struggle with self-doubt, blame, and the stigma of their daughters sickness. The novel also portrays the difficult, stressful work infallible of the medical professionals and the staff who work with mentally ill patients. However, most importantly, Greenberg portrays the experience of mental illness from the patients point of view. Struggling with mental illness is not glamorous or easy. The road to recovery is lined with setbacks, doubt, and fear. It takes a great deal of courage and perseverance on Deborahs part to face her illness and fight it through treatment.