Breakdown and Back; Part 1

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This record is featured in “Exploring Public Media in the Peabody Awards Collection.” This record is featured in “Peabody Awards Collection.”
Program
Breakdown and Back
Segment
Part 1
Producing Organization
KEYA (Radio station : Belcourt, N.D.)
Contributing Organization
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-526-348gf0nt6f
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Description
Program Description
"'Breakdown and Back' is a three-part radio series about 'Annie,' a 31-year-old woman who suffers from a mental breakdown and recovers. The story is told using the voices of her real family and friends, natural sounds and other dramatic elements, and Annie's own poetic monologues. Part One details the state of her life as she heads towards this crisis, and shows the anguish of friends as they try to help Annie. Part Two portrays the crux of the illness and hospitalization; and Part Three deals with Annie's struggle to re-enter the world and achieve recovery. "The series provides a realistic glimpse into the experience of mental illness, an insight that plays an important role in promoting the general public's understanding of mental illness; reaches out to those who suffer (too often in silence); and also serves as an important teaching tool for professionals. It is for these reasons that we are entering 'Breakdown and Back' in the Peabody Awards competition in the Public Service category. "'Breakdown and Back' was independently produced by Marjorie Van Halteren, with Jay Allison and Lou Giansante, with funds from National Public Radio's Satellite Program Development Fund and the National Endowment For the Arts. The series began airing on public radio stations around the country in October 1985. (First recorded broadcast: October 14, '85, KEYA-FM, Belcourt, ND.) As of December 31, 1985, approximately fifty stations have recorded the series for broadcast, and many, including those in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, have aired it. An excerpt was featured on National Public Radio's 'All Things Considered' on October 25. "Attached are excerpts from listener response mail received to date. More than 100 letters have been received."--1985 Peabody Awards entry form. Part one begins with a situation in which Annie is on a bus and is hysterical and not knowing where she is going. Family and friends testify that they never imagined Annie to ever have a nervous breakdown. Annie's boyfriend, Bill states how he met Annie, and he discusses the way she has quickly changed into someone quite the opposite of who she usually is. Annie's family claims that her boyfriend was not being supportive and that he was telling her to snap out of it. Annie was not answering or returning any calls. Annie went to a New Year's Eve party, but attendees agreed that she was acting strange. Annie's friend, Katie, went to visit Annie at her apartment. Annie had appeared to have lost 30 pounds, and was only dressed in her underwear. Her apartment was a mess. Katie attempted to get Annie to talk to a psychotherapist, but Annie did not give her consent. Katie took her back to her home, and her husband cooked dinner for Annie. Annie received word that her grandmother passed away, so Katie and her husband got her on a flight back to her home in Michigan to attend the funeral. Part two begins with Annie at home mentioning that she doesn't have anything to wear to a funeral. Annie places the blame of her grandmother's death on herself. Her parents took her to the hospital, and Annie is prescribed pills to take to managed her symptoms. Annie is convinced that her parents are dead, but she is surprised when they come to visit her in the hospital that they are alive and well. Annie speaks with the doctor, and the doctor explains the situation that Annie is currently in. Annie was released from the hospital, and her parents tried to involve her in activities that would make her feel better. Part three begins with Annie moving to Atlanta to live with her sister. Annie's sister explains that she didn't like Atlanta because it was very different from New York. She didn't like having to drive from place to place, and there weren't many places she wanted to go. Annie begins receiving services from a therapist in Atlanta. Per the requirement of her therapist, Annie goes on two job interviews a week. She landed a job editing a dairy association newsletter, and she hated it. Her sister claims that Annie started to get better once she had a job. Annie decides that she wants to go back to New York, and her family and therapist are very against it. Annie calls the psychotherapist from the hospital and asks if she can stop taking her antidepressant. The doctor advises against it, but she promises to start taking them again if her symptoms come back. Katie and her husband have their baby at the hospital, and Annie goes to visit. Annie realized after crying happy tears that she does feel fine.
Broadcast Date
1985-10-14
Created Date
1985-10-14
Asset type
Program
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:43:16.224
Credits
Producing Organization: KEYA (Radio station : Belcourt, N.D.)
AAPB Contributor Holdings
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia
Identifier: cpb-aacip-3b2db5cc53d (Filename)
Format: 1/4 inch audio cassette
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Citations
Chicago: “Breakdown and Back; Part 1,” 1985-10-14, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed April 25, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-348gf0nt6f.
MLA: “Breakdown and Back; Part 1.” 1985-10-14. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. April 25, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-348gf0nt6f>.
APA: Breakdown and Back; Part 1. Boston, MA: The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-348gf0nt6f