Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do mental health physicians mean when they talk about “psychosis”? What about “schizophrenia”? How is “anxiety” as a medical condition different from the kinds of “anxiety” many people experience? When authors write about characters who have medical or mental health conditions, why is the way the conditions are represented important?

Teaching Suggestion: Mosquitoland contains several characters with mental health conditions; some critics have expressed concern about the accuracy of these portrayals. The intention of this prompt is to reinforce the importance of accuracy and inclusiveness in academic settings. Because mental health topics are often misunderstood and can be stigmatized, establishing clear guidelines for discussing mental health in accurate and objective terms is important. Information from these or similar resources may help in developing additional context on the topic.

• This overview of schizophrenia, psychosis, and related conditions offers descriptions from the American Psychiatric Association.
• This article from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration discusses anxiety disorders.
• This article about the misuse of psychiatric terms comes from a licensed clinical social worker.