Documentary
2024 Norway
72 minutes
Language: Norwegian
Subtitles: English
Director: Ane-Martha Tamnes Hansgård
Website: https://www.diagnonsensefilm.com/
Short synopsis from the films website:
DIAGNONSENSE is a self-reflective documentary by director Ane-Martha Tamnes Hansgård, based on her experiences of being diagnosed with a number of mental disorders over a period of fifteen years—a process that began when she was barely a teenager. It is a fragmented and powerful story about growing up in a psychiatric system that defines who you are. By using extensive private archives the film questions the benefits and dangers of diagnoses. It shows the essence of living beyond labels, in an honest, humorous, and touching narrative that is relatable to us all.
Summary
This documentary follows Ane-Martha’s long and deeply personal journey, tracing her difficult school years marked by social exclusion, the loss of a close friend, and the prolonged psychiatric treatment that followed. Over the course of fifteen years, she received twelve different diagnoses—labels that described her pain but never addressed the deeper causes or the emotional longings beneath it.
The central inner conflict related to her homosexuality remained unrecognized, as she was heavily medicated from her early teens and gradually lost touch with her own sexuality. The film explores how psychiatric diagnoses can shape—and sometimes distort—a person’s sense of identity. While diagnoses are often described as “perishable goods,” psychiatry paradoxically maintains that one of the greatest challenges for patients is their supposedly unrealistic aspirations for a professional life or for having children.
Ane-Martha’s treatment with medication began at the age of fourteen. Over time, she spiraled downward, losing confidence in her ability to care for herself, until she eventually realized that medication alone could not help her heal. She made several courageous attempts to stop taking it, but without proper support, this proved nearly impossible. The hospital offered no meaningful alternatives, leaving her to manage on her own if she chose to discontinue treatment.
This marked the beginning of a new journey, where she explored a wide range of alternative approaches. She encountered new perspectives and support, including psychologist Birgit Valla, survivor Laura Delano, and others with lived experience. Through these encounters, the film reveals the profound and far-reaching impact that the disease model and long-term medication can have on every aspect of a patient’s life.