DISCLAIMERS!

a) This blog is meant for entertainment purposes only. It is not meant to provide definitive "proof" of a certain fictional character's mental health diagnosis, but rather it is to provide the author's opinion, as well as the basis for that opinion. It would be awesome if future counseling or social work students chose to use some of my opinions as basis for conversation (either supporting or opposing my opinions), but that is me having delusions of awesomeness.

b) As a basis for my diagnoses, I will be referencing The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV- Text Revised, which is the most recent manual used by American counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists for diagnosing patients with various mental health conditions (abbreviated DSM-IV-TR). If the DSM-V comes out while I'm operating this blog, then I will notify the blog and use the criteria therein.

c) I have recently received my Masters in Mental Health Counseling (May 2010). As part of my education I took a full course in differential diagnosis. However, I am not yet a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. A license is required to operate as a counselor in New York State. I am currently working at my job under a provisional license, but I am not yet a proper Mental Health Counselor.

d) I will be diagnosing fictional characters only. This includes characters from literature, cinema, and theatre. I will only diagnose those characters whose originating works I have read/seen myself.

e)I may consider diagnosing historical figures if they are from distant history, but I would prefer to stick to fictional characters. I will not be diagnosing any historical figure currently living or only recently deceased. However tempting that might be at times, it is considered unethical to diagnose people one has not actually evaluated.

f) Section E includes you and your friends. I will not be diagnosing anyone who contacts me, nor their friends should they ask. Also see Section C: I am OK'ed to work at my place of employment under a provisional license, however I can't diagnose folks on the Internet willy-nilly. If you or a friend are in need of a counselor, please use this resource to locate a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in your area.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get to it, shall we?

The Basis for this Blog

Many of you might remember seeing a link circulate several months ago asking What is Darth Vader's Diagnosis?" I received this link myself from a friend of mine who knew a) I recently received my degree in Mental Health Counseling and therefore diagnosis is something I do on a daily basis at work, b) I am a nerd.

I read the theories and was intrigued, however I had a long response to the article myself, agreeing at some points with their opinions, but disagreeing with others. I wrote my friend a long-winded response explaining why I thought it was possible that Vader had Antisocial Personality Disorder rather than Borderline Personality Disorder, that as a veteran of the Clone Wars he might have PTSD, that what the article calls "infantile ideas of omnipotence" are understandable, if misguided, given the messages he received in his upbringing. I actually had to cut myself off from investigating more and more theories.

I realized then how interesting it was to attempt to diagnose fictional characters. People do their own version of it when they analyze films and literature, however what if we could figure out just what specific mental health diagnosis a character has? Could that add an extra dimension into analyzing his/her motives?

Well, I don't know, but I'd sure like to try.