How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from A Beautiful Mind.
Quote #1
JOHN: It's a problem. That's all it is. It's a problem with no solution. And that's what I do, I solve problems. That's what I do best.
DR. ROSEN: This isn't math. You can't come up with a formula to change the way you experience the world.
JOHN: All I have to do is apply my mind.
DR. ROSEN: There's no theorem, no proof. You can't reason your way out of this.
John might be seriously ill, but he's still uber confident in his own smarts. In fact, he thinks he's so smart he can solve his own mental health issues. This is a guy who's never really had difficulty solving problems, so why shouldn't he be able to solve his own? Well, Dr. Rosen points out the flaws in this plan, but John has pretty much made up his mind.
Quote #2
JOHN: Is there any chance that you could ignore what I just did?
HANSEN: Of course, what are old friends for?
Unfortunately, when John goes to get Hansen's help in getting back into the academic swing of things, he has trouble ignoring his hallucinations. However, he manages to fight them off, ultimately.
Quote #3
JOHN: Alicia and I think that…that fitting in, being part of a community, might do me some good. That a certain level of attachment, familiar places, familiar people, might help me elbow out these certain delusions that I have.
With Alicia's help, John finds coping mechanisms for dealing with his illness and the delusions that come with them. One of his strategies is making sure he's not isolated. Seems reasonable enough, no?