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Seeing, Illusion, Brain and Mind

Project Title: Living in a Different World

Pictures in our heads

 

This book describes the eyes working like a camera, the idea being; both the camera and the eye have a lens, where the camera has light-sensitive film; the eye has a light-sensitive retina. The lens focuses an image onto the retina that is then sent to the brain via optic nerve fibres.  Here the image represents the ‘inner screen’, this being a collection of cells that specialise in vision and are arranged in the form of a sheet.  This can be compared to how television works being projected onto our screen; the difference being the inner screen is a component of more or less actively working brain cells.

 

“What goes on inside our heads when we see?” or better put, “when we see, what are the symbols inside our heads that stand for things in the outside world? Here the book discusses how we symbolise in our own brains, which enlightens me to consider, is this system disrupted by someone with a psychological disorder, or how does it differ to someone considered to be mentally sane?  

 

There is optimism around this theory of the ‘inner screen’, as we are all aware that what we see often differs dramatically from what is actually before our eyes. Thus being, the non-photographic quality of visual experience is borne out by the large number and variety of visual illusions.  This coincides with the visual illusions someone with a psychological disorder may experience, and links well to the hallucination’s they may experience. This has also led me to look into the effects of the psychotic drugs patients are given as they are mind altering drugs. 

Being Bipolar

Notes on being bipolar:

  • "It's like a Glorious technicolor world that you're in"

  • 3% in Britain are meant to have this serious mental illness -who are these people? -what do they experience? -what do they feel?

  • Genetics, brain chemistry and life experience are all thought to play a part but the exact causes are unknown.

  • Too often we ask, what is wrong with someone? Without asking, what has happened to someone that has left mental scars.

  • 54 year old Paul diagnosed with bipolar type 1. He sees himself as special/Devine

  • He doesn't believe he is bipolar "It's not bipolar it's split personality"

  • He feels like he is completely in charge of the universe.

  • Before 19th century mania and depression were seen as separate.

  • In the 20th century manic depression was used to diagnose.

  • 1980s- the term bipolar was born. And the definition has now developed(type 1and 2)

 

 

 

 

 

  • Sian suffers extreme mood swings

  • "It feels like my skin is crawling"

  • Type 2-delusional symptoms are rare.

  • Attempted suicide 3times

  • No child hood drama.

  • sees their impulses beyond her control.

 

 

 

  • Ashley-type 2. However, his highs and lows switch numerous times a day.

  • Negative vibes triggers his negative mood. He's on diazepam and Prozac to calm himself down. Has been on them a long time.

  • "I Don't know what it is, whether it's a voice or a thought" "but when I'm quiet it keeps going"

  • On a tight rope of ecstasy and agony

  • Sian believes her bipolar is biological

  • 8% of people with bipolar get put on medication

  • Sian believes she would be dead if she was not put on drugs.

  • The doctor states he feels the causes of her bipolar is mainly biological and the chemical changes in her brain. Because the depression comes from out of the blue it gives us an indication of there being an imbalance of chemicals within the brain. An excess of chemicals cause the manias and a low level cause depression.

  • Joanna moncrieff States there is no evidence that bipolar is caused by a chemical imbalance, there is not even an agreement to what chemical is involved in bipolar. She feels the drugs are working as they are mind altering drugs, and work well in calming someone down.

  • some drugs dampen down emotions

  • in the long term, trying to block out their feelings is not a good idea.

  • It is not 100% environmental. Genes may well have a determining factor.

 

 

  • The drugs do not cure

  • This does not prove the disorder has a biological basis.

  • Paul often gives the impression of false belief, however, he was once in fact a millionaire

  • Paul had to come first in all aspects of life, if he came second he would spend three days in depression

  • If he was not the best he wouldn’t want to live

  • It is not a genetic condition, there is not one gene involved, but there are thousands of genes that may alter the chances of developing bipolar.

  • There is too much evidence on a genetic basis to rule out the assumption of it being 100% environmental.

 

  • Ashley’s life history-

  • Started having them around 12

  • From an early age Ashley showed signs of autistic spectrum disorder. And experienced mental disability which causes difficulties understanding others and being understood

  • Ashley says his life is in danger, his mum says his mood has deteriorated

  • His difficult life experiences could be playing a part

  • He has tried 7 therapists but has found them not helpful

  • Drugs and therapy has not helped

  • there is no easy answers to bipolar

 

  • Paul is now experiencing a depression

  • he realises he was completely delusional

  • What does it feel like to be in a mania? It feels fantastic, everything will work out how you want.

Consciousness remains to be a great mystery, despite considerable advances in our knowledge of perceptual mechanisms, little can be said in terms of scientific theories. That being said, it is true that psychologist and neurophysiologists, with some notable exceptions adopt some version of ‘identity theory’ as a working hypothesis. For example, the believe that a given conscious experience, such as the perception of a bright point in the painting featured above, is simply an attribute of activity in one or other brain cell.

 

Even if it is correct to assert an identity of some kind between experience and brain-cell activity, this view itself leaves unanswered questions. Is the conscious associated with all brain cells activity, or just some? Why is experience related only to some brain cells and not others? What is special about ones identified with experience? 

 

I have watched the documentary 'Being Bipolar', it was interesting to discover the ongoing query of the environmental or genetic causes. The documentary gives an insight to their life stories and experiences living with the disorder…

It is fascinating to see the cases of these people and how different all of their symptoms are, the documentary has given an insight into the extent of how difficult it is to live with a second personality, and how it brings the other personality down. There is no medium; these people spend most of their lives battling between the ups and the downs, which becomes very difficult to live with. This has helped me to consider how I would represent this idea in a makeup, and how I could show the emotions of both manic and depressive.

Being Bipolar, [television programme, online], Prod. credit n.k., Prod. company n.k., Prod. country n.k., 22:00 4/3/2015, Channel 4, 60mins. http://bobnational.net/record/279150/annotationSearch/being%2Bbipolar, (Accessed 08/05/2015).

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