Netflix’s new movie Horse Girl stars Alison Brie as Sarah, a lonely girl who is awkward when it comes to meeting people. She has a false sense of reality about the world around her like being kidnapped by aliens or being a time-traveler. While this plot may seem like a science fiction story, it is actually a personal depiction of what it is like to live with psychotic depression.
Psychotic Depression
Psychotic depression is an intense mental health disorder where you cannot deal with your current state of being, causing you to mentally take a break from reality. This can mean dealing with hallucinations or delusions. While regular depression can be treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy, psychotic depression requires a combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics as well as hospitalization. This type of mental disorder also requires not just helping yourself but getting help from the people around you.
Admitting Depression
When Sarah goes to a mental hospital, she rated herself a 10 for anxiety, but only a 1 for depression. Unfortunately, people still view depression as a weakness and are ashamed of it. In order to admit you have psychotic depression, you would need to get away from the false reality you made. There may be beliefs, voices, or visions that make someone feel they are worthless and should hurt themselves. Sarah believes that she is a clone of her grandmother since she looks just like her and that she was abducted by aliens and sent to another time. She wants to talk to others who share her beliefs to keep herself in that reality. When she tells a guy she likes about her theories, he tells her they are crazy which leads her to push him away and enter a psychotic break.
Psychotic Break
Sarah feels like the people around her are people she has seen before but cannot pinpoint where. She also has moments where she thinks the future is speaking to her. Sarah pushes herself further away from reality by imagining herself being transported away from the world. Sarah’s roommate and her co-worker do not know how to help Sarah and do not know how to point her in a healthy direction. Getting help from those around you can help get rid of your psychotic break. Horse Girl teaches us how important it is to recognize the signs of depression and to admit that you need professional help.
At Alta Loma Transformational Living, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Loma uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
