Exhibition opens space to experience challenges of schizophrenia

"Don't Overlook: The Schizophrenia Adventure from Prehistoric Times to Present" exhibition, which was a first in Turkey to raise awareness about schizophrenia, is on display once again at the Beşiktaş Mustafa Kemal Cultural Center until March 31 upon popular demand. The exhibition attracted almost 10,000 people in Istanbul and Ankara last year and it will continue on in Japan after being exhibited in various cities in Turkey.

Curated by specialists who work on schizophrenia, the exhibition has rich content that presents methods used to diagnose and cure mental illnesses since prehistoric times. Scientific and medical studies with patients and the attitude of the public are brought back to life with interesting images and animations. The exhibition provides an experience to learn the history of schizophrenia.



The exhibition features an "Empathy Cabin" that enables visitors to experience how people with schizophrenia feel during the most intense phases of their illness. The cabin is isolated from all exterior sound and light and allows visual animations and audio, which replicates the hallucinations that schizophrenia can cause. The cabin aims to make visitors empathize with the people by going through the various stages of schizophrenia.

"The Spinning Bed" and mirrors are two of the items that draw viewers' attention the most. "The Spinning Bed" is a good example to see what kind of methods people with schizophrenia endured to get cured, when doctors had no scientific data to develop a successful remedy. "The spinning bed method was used for people with schizophrenia in the 1850s. The patient was tied down to a bed that was attached to a spinning mechanism, which they thought would increase blood pressure through creating centrifugal force and help a patient regain his or her balance. Patients usually ended up suffering from nausea, choking, fear and loss of consciousness during this treatment. For visitors to experience this "treatment," a replica of the spinning bed was made, but this bed spins much slower than the originals. Mirrors that were cut in the shapes of people and placed around the exhibit remind visitors that schizophrenia can affect one in 100 people regardless of sex, culture, education, social or economic class. "Don't Overlook: The Schizophrenia Adventure from Prehistoric Times to Present" can be seen every day except Mondays between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Entry is free of charge.