The film eventually sees Nash accepting and overcoming his schizophrenia, following his diagnosis and eventual denial of the “people” that he’s been interacting with. That being said, elements of Nash’s recovery in the film, as harrowing as they are, were sadly correct.
Nash was sent to a psychiatric hospital where he underwent insulin coma therapy, which would lead the patient to have regularly scheduled comas following large doses. The process was eventually discredited and replaced with anti-psychotic drugs. The film also details Nash’s relapse after concluding the medication is impeding his work, leading him to deteriorate and, at times, for the hallucinations to return. Lamberti agreed that the film accurately displayed medicine not being the “cure-all” conclusion. That being said, the time spent was far longer for Nash in real life, who fought the condition for decades (via Banyan Mental Health).
Lamberti also agreed that his family eventually adapting and helping him with his condition did hold truth and is a recommended for those diagnosed. Speaking to ABC, he explained, “the importance of family support has been increasingly recognized in the field of psychiatry over the past 20 years, and new forms of family education and treatment have been developed.” Overall, it seems that “A Beautiful Mind” may have applied story mechanics and twists in the timeline to tell Nash’s story, but there are enough elements ensuring it was an accurate one, all the same.