College department

Saint Benilde
International School (Calamba), Inc.

FRONT OF THE CLASS

“A positive outlook breeds success, just as a negative outlook breeds failure.”

A Reflection Paper

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Course
Abnormal Psychology

Submitted by:
LAVARETE, MADEMOISELLE VALERIE H.
PSY3A

Submitted to:
Prof. Markos Mayuga

January 2024

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 College department

Saint Benilde
International School (Calamba), Inc.

F
ront of the Class is a 2008 true-to-life American film and a straight-out-
of-the-book type of movie that features a character with Tourette disorder.
The plot follows Brad Cohen’s life journey—the main character—and
how he faced life ahead together with his constant companion—his
Tourette disorder. The movie centers on stigma about mental health
conditions: Tourette, discrimination, and how a poor awareness about
mental health conditions could lead to becoming a laughing stock of society. Struggle, diligence,
and perseverance are what it takes to wrap up this successful and inspiring mental health story.

Tourette disorder is one of the five diagnostic categories under tic disorder (Tourette’s disorder,
persistent (chronic) motor or vocal tic disorder, provisional tic disorder, and the other specified
and unspecified tic disorders.) Typically, a person with Tourette shows involuntary motor
movements and vocalization, which are called tics. These tics might include sudden eye blinking,
facial grimace, making weird noises (e.g., barks, chirping), and can sometimes be a sudden
physical pain infliction on oneself like slapping oneself and the like, which in the movie is all
visible in the characters behavior. Expression and severity of tics, according to DSM-5-TR, can be
heavily influenced by genetic factors. It is also pointed out that “Likewise, observing a gesture or
sound in another person may result in an individual with tic disorder making a similar gesture or
sound, which may be incorrectly perceived by others as purposeful. This can be particularly
problematic when individual is interacting with authority figures who do not have an adequate
understanding of tic disorders (e.g., teachers, supervisors, police).”

An inadequate understanding of mental health conditions, specifically Tourette, could lead to a

negative connotation and be really implied as someone being an attention seeker because of the
uncontrolled motor movements and vocalization they do. In the worst case, this could lead to a
discriminatory attitude such as bullying, name-calling, being the laughing stock, and even
experiencing public shaming. Or, for a much worse scenario, this could lead to a person with
mental illness being so ashamed of themselves that they try to suppress all the symptoms that they
feel in order to avoid attention and judgements as well as escape the taunting eyes of society.

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Saint Benilde
International School (Calamba), Inc.
Similarly, in the movie, the character received a reprimand from his instructor for acting strangely
in class, believing that it was likely because he was the class clown or that he was intentionally
disrupting the lesson. Comes next, is the scene in where he was instructed to apologize to the whole
class and promised to not do such things all over again. Although apologizing may sound
ridiculous, it couldn’t be helped but to blame the poor awareness people have for mental health
conditions such as this Tourette disorder.

The lack of initiative from the government to prioritize the mental health sector is what gives birth
to this poor awareness that people have for mentally challenged people. One of the root causes of
poor awareness with regards to mental health conditions is the limited access to professional help.
Personally, I find the free online consultation for psychological help absurd because it actually
misleads people. Misleading in a way that they were offered as free, but in the end, people would
have had to pay for the initial assessment. If the government really wanted to increase people’s
awareness of mental health conditions, I think the solution would be to establish mental health
education rather than focusing on sex education. Although sex education is important as well, I
think that it’s much better if the government puts emphasis on mental health education, as it would
decrease the risk of suicide and would allow people to freely express their need for help when it
comes to their mental aspects. I believe that the more society becomes aware of the mental health
conditions, the more they may be able to recognize the need to respect the bearers of different
mental health conditions and somehow become more understanding of the people around them.

Going back in the movie, the only challenge that the character has to face aside from the lack of
awareness people has of his Tourette disorder is the fact that their information with regards to it is
limited, as they only rely on one person’s opinion instead of trying to consult other’s opinion as
well. Furthermore, the film reflects a huge effort to be aware that mental health conditions are not
something about just wanting to be obnoxious, an attention-seeker, deranged, or that they do not
control themselves. It is real—a naked truth. And whatever behavior or expression they have, they
are all valid.What could be taken from the film is that mental health conditions are terribly
misinterpreted. People can never really comprehend the impact it has on those who carry it, no

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 College department

Saint Benilde
International School (Calamba), Inc.
matter how much awareness there is. On the other hand, people should also be able to learn to ask
for second opinion rather than just sticking to one when it comes to their physical and mental
health. Thinking that information is limited is not an option anymore. We are in an era where
everything is advanced and information can come from different sources, be it facts that can be
found in books and information on the internet, or, as much as possible, facts from professionals.
Remember that health should always come first and be prioritized at all costs.

And to end this very inspirational true-to-life film of the character himself—Brad Cohen—here
are three things that I was able to learn:
1. NEVER LOSE HOPE. Just because we are born different from the average person doesn’t
mean that we are incomplete. There are many ways in which we could also perform the
things that an average person can do. Brad Cohen never gave up or stopped hoping that
one day he would become a teacher, and he did! I think the key to not losing your hope is
to always focus on what you want to become someday, or what you want to achieve
someday.

2. NEVER ALLOW WRONG OPINIONS TO GET IN YOUR HEAD. Don’t let their
opinion get in to you. They are just people’s opinions. Yes, they are valid, but do remember
that at the end of the day, your opinion and/or decision are what matter most. You are the
sole driver of your life; have fun leading yourself on a path full of wrong and right places
so you will be able to learn something at the end of the day. And remember that if you let
those bad opinions of them to take over your mind and life it would lead you nowhere.

3. NEVER NOT THINK THAT WHAT YOU FEEL DOES NOT MATTER. What you
feel is valid. Your voice is valid. Let it be heard because you matter, each of us does.
Always remember that health should always come first.

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