Brockville Mental Health Centre is a forensic psychiatric hospital where people who have committed violent crimes are sent to receive treatment for their mental illness. Every single patient has some type of criminal charge against him or her. And every single one is capable of being extremely violent even to the point of self-hurt.
According to studies, many people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia have violent or aggressive behavior. This, however, leads to stigmatization and poorer treatment outcomes.
This film shares the stories of four Brockville patients—two men and two women— who struggle to gain control over their minds and lives. Their goal is to return to a judgmental society that often fears and demonizes them.
One of the patients is a young man who struggles with schizophrenia. He has shown some improvement, but it’s not enough for him to be sent back into society. This young man, Michael Stewart has become extremely sensitive in social situations; he has a feeling that people are aware of what he did. This guilt is probably what keeps him from socializing with co-patients. Michael describes the area where he’s living as a hostile environment because there is a constant threat between patients and between patients and staff.
