For my final essay, I have chosen the movie “Fatal Attraction”, and I will focus on Alex Forrest and her mental disorder. Borderline Personality was displayed in the movie and Alex had almost every symptom of this disorder. Throughout this essay, I will be discussing Alex’s characteristics, intelligence, motivation, stress, social influences and/ or personality theories, treatment, and if the depiction of the disorder and treatment is consistent with what was discussed and read in the course. Summary Dan Gallagher is a successful attorney working in New York. He is happily married to his wife, Beth, and the couple have a 6-year old daughter named Ellen. The attorney meets Alex Forrest, an editor for a publishing company, through business. …show more content…
According to HelpGuide.org, nine symptoms of BPD are fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unclear or unstable self-image, impulsive, self-destructive behaviors, self-harm, extreme emotional swings, chronic feelings of emptiness, explosive anger, and feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality. After Alex has a weekend affair with Dan, these symptoms are shown more, especially when he tries to stop their relationship. Symptoms Alex displays includes: an unstable relationship, idealization and devaluation, and her impulsive sexual, seductive and manipulating …show more content…
Alex exhibits many of the behaviors and symptoms of BPD such as fear of abandonment, idealization to devaluation, feelings of emptiness, immense anger, self-harm, and impulsivity. She fits in with the symptoms of BPD, but it is very extreme. If not carefully watched, it seems as though Alex is a psychotic, obsessive stalker. This focus of the disorder is portrayed very negatively for these patients are not as violent and dangerous. Patients with BPD can go to therapy and doctors to get help to control their behaviors which will help them to become capable and successful
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD or Borderline) is a severe, complex psychiatric disorder characterised by a pervasive instability in moods, impulsive and self-destructive behaviour, outbursts of anger and violence, distorted self-image, and an instability in interpersonal relationships. This disorder distorts one’s thinking and perceptions of self and others, which causes ongoing emotional distress and misunderstandings in their daily life. Many people with BPD frequently come to medical attention because of suicidal threats and acts of self-harm. The first description of individuals demonstrating the symptoms of Borderline was in medical literature almost three thousand years ago, says Robert O. Friedel, M.D. on his website, Borderline
Client attempted to call Dan’s home but his wife would pick up and she would hang up. She would constantly call his job and he would ignore her calls. Client also that Dan had moved to the suburbs once she notified him that she was pregnant with their child. When she first notified him about being pregnant, he was under the impression that she would abort the child but she was not going to do that because she loved him and she was going to love this child as well. She made c...
...where the individual is “easily startled”, always has a feeling of being “on edge”, and has “difficulty sleeping, and/or having anger outburst” (HelpGuide). A combination of these symptoms or only one of them often make it hard for an individual to go about their day to day lives.
This paper looks at a person that exhibits the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In the paper, examples are given of symptoms that the person exhibits. These symptoms are then evaluated using the DSM-V criteria for BPD. The six-different psychological theoretical models are discussed, and it is shown how these models have been used to explain the symptoms of BPD. Assessment of
Some of the key components of BPD include self-harm, or suicidal thoughts and actions, dichotomous thinking, and low emotional granularity. People that present with reoccurring suicidal thoughts and actions, combined with a fear of abandonment, are commonly diagnosed with BPD. These two characteristics make BPD easily recognizable, but this diagnoses is often not used. The emotional volatility, recurrent crises, and self-injurious behaviors of those with BPD are often seen as willfully manipulative episodes, and not a sign of illness. (Gunderson, 2011) Yet, it is important to take these thoughts and actions seriously, as one never knows when someone may actually decide to end their life.
6. "Deterrence is the art of producing, in the mind of the enemy, the fear to attack." -Dr. Strangelove. Deterrence in the film was the fear of the consequences of the nuclear attacks. It's significant because it encompasses idea of the Cold War.
Could you picture yourself being brought face to face with an individual who has a personality similar to a mind field? In other words where or when he/she will explode is never known. This type of personality disorder is called Borderline Personality Disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most scariest and hidden disorders that have baffled our society as well as many health professionals for many years. The DSM IV defines borderline personality disorder as a “pervasive pattern of instability of self image, interpersonal relationships, and mood”. (Bliss, 1986) After reading the DSM IV’s definition, the true meaning of BPD still wasn’t clear. Excluding fancy words, the reality of BPD is simple-a person has a low opinion of self and a low opinion of all surrounding factors that self is forced to be involved with. Whether it’s relationships with lovers, friends, or family the perception of these facets is a negative one in the eyes of BPD patient. Although having such horrible thoughts and feelings towards loved one’s seems bad enough, the seriousness of this problem is that BPD patients don’t speak of their feelings, they keep them bottled up inside. As you know, you can stretch a rubber band pretty far, but sooner or later it’s bound to break. It’s this breaking that really brings out unbelievable rage towards self and loved one’s.
These experiences often result in impulsive actions and unstable relationships. A person with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from only a few hours to days”. (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml) I read that studies show that people with Borderline Personality Disorder have “structural and functional changes in the brain, especially in the areas that control impulses and emotional regulation”. (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml) People who suffer from BPD tend to have unstable moods which could last from anywhere from a few hours to even days. People with BPD also go through periods where they try to avoid real or imagined abandonment. People with this disorder are often impulsive and exhibit dangerous behaviors. These behaviors consist of going on shopping sprees having unsafe sex with people the use of various drugs and even as dangerous as reckless driving. People with BPD also have dangerous suicidal behaviors, and may also exhibit self-harming
Some symptoms of BPD can include fear of abandonment (1), unstable relationships (2), self-harm (3), and destructive behavior (4). In one scene in the middle of the movie, Rowe gets sent to a different ward for drugging a nurse. (1) Kaysen causes a huge scene and demands to know where Rowe is. Kaysen is so distraught because she claims that Rowe is “All she has left.” Kaysen seems to have a lot of people come and go throughout her life. (2) In one part Kaysen states “I just don’t want to end up like my mother.” This could mean that Kaysen and her mother don’t share the greatest bond. As seen throughout the movie, there is a bandage on the wrist of Kaysen (3) suggesting that she might have cut her wrists when she had a “headache.” Kaysen having destructive behaviors, as mentioned before is an indicator of BPD. (4) In the early movie, it shows how promiscuous she could be. She had a one-time affair with a married college professor who wanted more than she did. She also had an on and off relationship with a boy named Toby who was later drafted in the military, but decided to run away and take Kaysen with him. But, she declined because she didn’t want to leave
An estimated 1.6%-5.9% of the adult population in the United States has BPD, with nearly 75% of the people who are diagnosed being women. Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder include Frantic efforts to avoid being abandoned by friends and family, Unstable personal relationships that alternate between idealizations, Distorted and unstable self-image, Impulsive behaviors that can have dangerous outcomes, Suicidal and self-harming behavior, Periods of intense depressed mood, irritability or anxiety lasting a couple hours/days, Chronic feelings of boredom or emptiness, Inappropriate, intense or uncontrollable anger - often followed by shame and guilt, and Dissociative feelings. The three main factors that could cause this mental illness are Genetics, Environmental factors, and Brain function. This illness can only be diagnosed by a mental health professional after a series of interviews with the patient and family/friends of the patient. The patient must also have at least five of the nine symptoms of this illness in order to be diagnosed. The most common treatment for this illness is some form of psychotherapy. Some other treatment options are to prescribe medications and if needed a short-term
The indicators of BPD are dramatic and obvious. Those suffering from it tend to be significantly unstable in their interactions with other people as well as their behavior when alone. Impulse control and ability to discern moral decisions are significantly deteriorated in those with BPD and they are often destructive toward themselves and their relationships with others, if not outright violent. Casual contact with a sufferer of BPD might be deceptive because many are able to appear stable, but rapid and unpredictable mood and behavior shifts are common. Neglect and abuse, particularly sexual, are seen in almost all who are diagnosed with BPD. The lack of attachments during developmental years results in an inability to form or value attachments later in life. While reduced hippocampal volume is a brain deformation associated with PTSD as well as BPD, BPD also presents with a reduced amygdala volume which is possibly the cause of the notably increased aggression and reduced emotional stability of those with BPD (Lieb et al., 2004, pgs.
Borderline Personality is a disorder that affects a significantly large percentage of the population with a prevalence rate of up to 5.9%. (DSM, 2000) Out of that percentage about 75% of patients diagnosed with BPD are female. It is an illness that is both misunderstood and given quite a bad stigma. It is difficult to live with and those that have it struggle to maintain personal and business relationships. Even with the high demand for treatment it is a disorder that is hard to treat however when treated can be highly affective. (NIMH) This paper goes into detail on the history, diagnosing, treatment, and effects of Borderline Personality Disorder so that the disorder may better be understood.
1980. Warner Bros. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Music by Wendy Carlos and Rcachel Elkind. Cinematography by John Alcott. Editing by Ray Lovejoy. With Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd.
Self-destructive behaviors are also very common in individuals with Borderline personality disorder. Susanna validates this trait by her lack of motivation, conversations about suicide, and her suicide For example; Lisa, the diagnosed sociopath, displays very little empathy for those around her. This is made clear when she sees Daisy’s post suicide body and is not saddened whatsoever. Another accurate portrayal is the patient with anorexia nervosa Janet. Janet refuses to eat, is in denial about her condition, is emotionally labile, and is always exercising.
Based on a true story, the movie ‘Lone Survivor’ features four Navy SEALs that set out on a mission to Afghanistan with orders to capture and kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The Navy SEALS are detected by villagers and the mission was compromised. Ultimately, the mission had been discovered and the men found themselves surrounded by dozens of Taliban soldiers. One of the Navy SEAL soldiers managed to dispatch to base and retrieve assistance but the Taliban shoot down the helicopter. During battle, three of the Navy SEAL soldiers were killed leaving one still alive.