Everyday Activist - CRAZYWISE

Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 11:00 PM

CRAZYWISE

Movie Review by Everyday Activist X CalgaryMovies.com

After reading When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate, I had to look up every other book that he’s ever written. On his website there was a link to this film, Crazywise, which is only available for free until Tuesday, March 28, 2017. He’s one of the professionals in it talking about trauma leading to spiritual crisis. Filmmakers, Phil Borges and Kevin Tomlinson, examine treatment of mental illness in the west and how it differs in tribal communities around the world. The film follows two people over the course of five years until their mental break downs evolve into mental breakthroughs. Along with the stories of healing, they weave professional opinions from doctors, researchers and activists in and out of the narratives.

As I talked to my psychologist about the film, I had mixed feelings about it, because I seriously dislike the word “survivor”. We all suffer from trauma at one point in our lives or another. When we make it through with help from our community which may include healthcare professionals, friends and family, we become more compassionate people better suited for assisting others as they go through their crises. Superficial labels often hurt the healing process, because people have a harder time integrating back into their pre-trauma life. This often happens with those who have suffered sexual assault when they become “survivors”.

Mental health issues have stigma attached, so I understand highlighting psychotic episodes and how these people are treated are necessary to breakthrough public perceptions, even though many researchers and doctors have abandoned the older models of using medicine to solve brain issues. Medication is not enough. While I’m grateful to have low dosage of medication, I also have plenty of support. Sometimes all people need is someone to properly listen to them. The documentary talks about the value of peer to peer counseling, a program that’s offered in Calgary through CMHA- Canadian Mental Health Association.

Being both a patient and a therapist dealing with mental illness, I agree with the filmmakers that once we tell our stories, other people will learn they aren’t alone. Once it becomes acceptable to talk about it, we will be better equipped to help ease the process for others going through similar instances. As the film shows, isolation is the enemy of healing and yet when we look at how many of us live, all we do is isolate. Dr. Mate says it best here.

Small changes add up and films such as Crazywise form an important part of the shift. In his 70s, at an age where many people suffer dementia, Phil Borges has become an active mental health advocate. His tireless energy whether giving TED talks or supporting various organizations inspires me. Crazywise is his first feature length film that I hope many people will watch and enjoy.

Calgary Showtimes: CRAZYWISE >