Case study on John Nash (who the movie "A Beautiful Mind" is based on)

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JOHN FORBES NASH � PAGE �2�

John Forbes Nash: A Case Study

Christina T. Candido

Monmouth University

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Identifying Data:

A few months shy of his 85th birthday, Dr. John Nash remains a longtime New Jersey resident and Princeton University employee. For the purposes of this case study, though, as he is no longer seeking or receiving treatment, it is to be assumed that he is presently in his forties and struggling to deal with symptoms. Specifically, Dr. Nash appears rather lost; divorced, unemployed, and virtually homeless, he spends most of his time wandering around the Princeton campus. His medical history is plagued by accounts of delusions and auditory hallucinations, and verifies that he has had difficulties remaining employed and in relationships. It is reportedly not uncommon for him to refer to himself in the third person or to speak and behave erratically. Despite fathering two children and engaging in romantic affairs (and one marriage) with women, Dr.

Nash is known to make unwarranted sexual advances at male colleagues and coworkers. He is no stranger to forcibly implemented care but realizes that there are issues that must be worked out, therefore seeming somewhat reluctant to participate in counseling and presenting his case rather unwillingly.

Background Information:

Having grown up in a healthy, conventional household, Dr. Nash was born and raised in West Virginia where his father was an electrical engineer and his mother a former teacher. He has a younger sister named Martha, and is part of an extremely loving and affectionate family; he was constantly surrounded by relatives throughout his childhood. He by nature, however, was never too amorous, and is described as having always been antisocial and introverted. Dr. Nash did not display much interest in playing with other children, including his sister and cousins, but instead...