The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions

Content Warning: The source material features depictions of violence and mental illness. Additionally, the source material cites offensive terms for people who have mental illnesses, which is replicated in this guide only in direct quotes of the source material.

Mental illness is a complex and pervasive issue that affects individuals, families, and societies. In The Best Minds, Rosen explores the debilitating symptoms and effects of mental ill-health for those who experience it. He also traces the impact of mental disorders on those who come into contact with people who have mental illnesses, from friends and loved ones to members of wider society. 

The impact of mental disorders on individuals is primarily explored through Michael. Michael’s experiences of paranoid schizophrenia underscore the profound impact of mental illness on a person’s life, affecting their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and well-being. Michael’s most debilitating symptoms are paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations. The author conveys the energy his friend expends, spending “the bulk of his brainpower fending off fragments of the unreal world” (297). Michael’s delusions range from believing his bed is on fire every morning to the conviction that alien beings have replaced his loved ones. These disturbing illusions turn Michael’s daily life into a nightmarish experience.

Rosen points out how the symptoms of mental illness often paradoxically demonstrate the sophistication of the brain. He argues that the ability to convincingly conjure imaginary worlds in one’s mind is a unique aspect of being human. Michael’s inability to separate delusions and hallucinations from reality is therefore “a reminder of how remarkable our minds are” (523). The text emphasizes that Michael’s mind remains brilliant even when applying itself to an unreal world of its own creation. Rosen figuratively compares the phenomenon to “someone using beautiful penmanship to write gibberish” (233).

Michael’s case also outlines how diseases such as paranoid schizophrenia can lead to impaired decision-making. His experiences show that patients with mental illnesses are often unable to rationally assess their need for treatment. Michael’s refusal to take his medication is shown to disastrously contribute to the delusion that prompts him to kill Carrie. The author illustrates a similar point through his own experience of anxiety disorder. As his psychiatrist explains, his panic attacks are a symptom of the brain thinking about the past and the future rather than focusing on the present. Rosen’s experience of chronic anxiety also serves as a reminder that mental illness is not a singular entity, but encompasses a spectrum of disorders of varying severity.

In charting Michael’s life, the text emphasizes how serious mental illnesses such as paranoid schizophrenia often involve a loss of autonomy. Michael’s cognitive dysfunction means that he is deprived of the limitless opportunities once available to him and he becomes dependent on the support of others. He is also aware that those who know about his illness perceive him differently. Thus, Michael is keen to challenge the association between paranoid schizophrenia and violence as a misguided “stereotype.” While Rosen suggests that Michael is himself mistaken in this claim, he emphasizes how the stigma associated with mental illness can exacerbate the suffering of those affected.

Through Michael, The Best Minds also outlines the impact of mental illness on family members and friends. The text conveys the emotional toll on Michael’s parents and his girlfriend Carrie as they support him through psychotic episodes where he believes they are imposters. Rosen highlights the frightening nature of these incidents and the feelings of helplessness experienced by Michael’s loved ones. He also acknowledges his own complex emotions about his friend’s illness, admitting, “I was aware of being afraid of Michael even as I felt love for him” (508). Ultimately, the greatest impact of Michael’s illness on others is his killing of Carrie. The later chapters of the book describe the “ripples of spreading pain” (461) his actions cause. While Carrie is the primary victim of his illness, the impact extends to her parents, Michael’s friends and family, and Officer Brewer, who also becomes a casualty of Michael’s unpredictable violence. Importantly, through depicting Michael’s distress and confusion, Rosen also highlights that Michael himself is a victim of his own delusional symptoms.

In portraying Michael Laudor’s life, The Best Minds seeks to convey the profound impact of mental illness on individuals and society as a whole. The author illuminates the nature of mental health conditions, the suffering they cause, and their potential consequences. Ultimately, the memoir calls for a wider understanding of mental illness and a healthcare system with the capacity to help both patients and their loved ones.