Ms.D i a g n o s

e deducational play about hypochondria

Harvard Medical School

the results PAGE 9

types of hypochondriaPAGE 5

visual realityPAGE 11

L E T T E R O F

INTENTFellow Medical Graduate School Programs,

Ms. Diagnosed, and educational play, is

designed to open awareness of medical

graduate students about hypochondria.

Recently, doctors have become aware that

the annoying patients that claim they have

illnesses have deeper psychological problems,

such as depression. This press kit records the

successful findings of Ms. Diagnosed in the

hopes to bring it to other schools across the

country.

Harvard Medical School

connecting the dotsPAGE 3

meet some of the castPAGE 7

visual realityPAGE 11

CONNAt once crippled and cosseted by fear, the hypochondriac suffered in order to work, to write or to discover in solitude.

ECTING

3

““

CONNHe soon realized that

hypochondria wasn’t

an area of study in

Medical Schools.

He wrote the play,

Ms. Diagnosed, in

the hopes to educate

future doctors about

hypochondria. The

Araca Group picked

the play up in 2012 and

approached Harvard

University to sponsor

it. The Araca Group

and Douglas hope that

the positive results in

the play’s teachings

will continue to other

medical schools across

the country.

ECTING Ms. Diagnosed, an educational play about hypochondria, was written by playwright Douglas Charles. Douglas grew up with the constant fear of being sick. In college, he almost didn’t graduate because he was consistently in the doctor’s office. It wasn’t until Douglas was 26 and close to being on the streets when he realized his hypochondria mannerisms that he suffered from were really Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

THEDOTS

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Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder

characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness,

apprehension, fear, or worry; by repetitive behaviors aimed at

reducing the associated anxiety; or by a combination of such

obsessions and compulsions.

obsessive compulsive disorder

types of hypochondriacs

i have a

P rob“ TYPES of

HYPOCHONDRIA

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Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can have a negative effect on a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings, world view, and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless.

Somatization disorder (also

Briquet’s syndrome or hysteria) is a

somatoform disorder characterized

by recurring, multiple, clinically

significant complaints about

pain, gastrointestinal, sexual and

pseudoneurological symptoms.

somatization

“hypochondria” will be replaced with“Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder”

LE M

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depression

ME

ET

SO

ME

OF

TH

E

C AMartin Charles, a 25 year old

man, believes he has fibromyalgia

because of how tired he is.

Just barely five foot, Jessica Mang

is definitely not the girl next door.

Her short stature gives her reason to

believe that she may have a higher chance at suffereing from heart disease comparitively to other people. To

cope and prevent anything from

ever happening, Jessica walks

around her block 3 times every

morning before she starts her day.Jessica has OCD.

jessica mang

In reality, he suffers from depression that causes him to sleep days on end.He was prescribed by his doctor to

see a therapist to get to the root of

his problems to reduce his lathargy.

Martin is depressed.

martin charles

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ST Bella Mast, 22 years old and and in his second

year of medical school, knows of his mom’s

stomach cancer. Because of his mom’s

complaining of a stomach ache,

Brian feels pain in his lower abdomin all day.Brian’s pain makes her believe that he caught the

stomach cancer his mom has developed. Brian somatizes.

brian mast

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theRsults

MEDICALSTUDENTSTHATCHANGEDTHEIRPERSPECTIVEAFTERSEEINGMS.DIAGNOSED

9

%70

oy uare

depressed““

Ms. Diagnosed surpassed expected

reults in tremendous amounts. Not

only did the play make $10,000 in

the first opening weekend

hypochondriacs. They realized that

sensitivity was needed in helping

each of their patients.

sultsthe medical students learned the differences in types of

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The success of Ms. Diagnosed at

Harvard University not only opened

awareness about hypochondria

being miss diagnosed, but it

provided entertainment for the

educational institution. It’s revenue

gave the school positive public

relations and it will remain as the top

Medical School in the country.

VISUALRe

IT

The set of Ms. Diagnosed was

designed by set designer,

Al Knobbs. Knobbs has designed

sets for multiple plays as well as

feature films. He was approached

to design the set by The Araca

Group and Douglas Charles

because they knew that his

designs would transcend and

help communicate the feelings of

hypochondriacs. It’s simplistic,

yet powerful, design reiterates the

monologue’s powerful words.

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The Araca Group NY545 West 45th St.New York, NY 10036(212) 869-0070

Harvard University25 Shattuck St Boston, MA 02115(617) 495-1000