By confronting their experiences, these former patients have opened their own path to recovery, overcoming a previous sense of isolation and despair. They point towards the kinds of changes the medical profession and society at large must adopt in order to achieve more humane treatment and acceptance of those who experience psychiatric symptoms and crises. Many young people cannot cope with the responsibilities and realities of maturing in our modern society. Unable to express, confront or release these feelings of inadequacy, too many of them attempt suicide. This film explores some of the causes of depression and ways to prevent such feelings from becoming overwhelming.
Several teenagers discuss their own struggles with depression and their efforts to come out of it.
The film is an in-depth and compellingly dramatic case study of the nature of MPD, revealing its impact on Rachel, her family and friends, as well as the controversy it has aroused within the medical community. In 1978, while writing her book Exit House, Roman decided to put her theory into practice after suffering the side-effects of chemotherapy following her diagnosis of advanced breast cancer. The video depicts two farewell gatherings of family and friends at which Roman explains her decision and these emotionally charged conversations explore the philosophical, medical, ethical and religious issues surrounding this formerly taboo subject. The program makes a strangely compelling case. This award-winning documentary profiles five men from the Yale University class of 1963 who candidly look back at their lives as planned and as ultimately lived.