Awakenings and rainman Movies Psychological Disorders
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Millions of people suffer from disorders similar to those portrayed in the movies Awakenings and Rainman. The movies represented two different types of sicknesses. Awakenings depicted the life of Leonard; a man that had suffered from encephalitis as a boy and experienced unusual side effects later in life. Rainman illustrated the life of Raymond, an autistic individual with unique mathematical abilities. Both movies provided a better understanding of those suffering from a disorder.
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain generally caused by a viral infection. Severe cases of encephalitis may include symptoms of disorientation, seizures, memory loss, and a coma. During the seventies there were various severe cases of encephalitis discovered in which the seizures were found to be so severe that they drove the patients into a catatonic state. Leonard Lowe was one of several patients with these bizarre side effects. When given a new drug intended for Parkinson's disease (L-DOPA), Leonard miraculously awakened from his catatonic-like state...