Psychological Analysis of Girl Interupted Essay

The film “Girl, Interrupted” is a true story adapted from the original memoir by Susanna Kaysen. Set in the 1960s, it relates her experiences during her stay in a mental institution after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder following a suicide attempt. Many films include characters with a mental illness; the actors who play these characters have the immense challenge of staying true to the illness they portray.

Most patients of borderline personality disorder suffer from problems regulating emotions and thoughts, impulsive and reckless behavior, and unstable relationships with other people. People with this disorder have high rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Oftentimes, it leads to self-harm, and suicidal behaviors.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder? Defined by the website www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.com, “Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness that causes unstable moods, behavior, and relationships. It usually begins during adolescence or early adulthood.” One may wonder what can be the cause of this disorder. BPD can be detected by an in-person interview about the symptoms that are occurring. The input from family and close friends of the individual that is being treated can also help detect the symptoms. The causes for BPD are not fully

A person suffering Borderline Personality Disorder is very impulsive, has identity disturbance, unstable relationships, affect instability, feelings of emptiness, suicidal attempts, and fears of abandonment. At a vulnerable age, Dolores was susceptible to getting this disorder when her father abandoned her and her family. Her refusal to admit her feelings point to poor coping skills. She hides her underlying anger towards her father and ignores his several attempts to apologize, and does not seek help after being raped. Instead, she internalizes her battles and takes them out on herself through suicide attempts and cutting herself as well as binge eating. Her lack of communication with her family is another factor that points to Borderline Personality Disorder. She rejects her father’s apologies and fails to reply to them. Her being raped is also a major risk factor for her disorder. Jack Speight, her upstairs tenant, took her to an abandoned area and raped her. She attempts to relieve the emptiness that she feels by replacing it with uncontrollable eating and constant television watching. This is her attempt to escape from the world where she only knows struggle. Her deliberate self-harm and her suicide attempts also prove her poor coping skills. Her one-night-stand with her female janitor points to her impulsiveness, as she realizes it was a mistake and walks into the ocean. She also orchestrates her relationship with Dante, to eventually end up with a cheating and controlling husband. This is very devastating to her as she is also forced to abort a pregnancy that she dearly wanted. Thus, her feelings of emptiness are constantly in

Individuals who suffer of such disorder are capable of changing their behavior and mindset drastically. For example, if the person is in a relationship they can love and idolize their partner at one instant and completely hate and seek revenge against them, if they feel their partner hurts them. At times, they even try to self-sabotage themselves by attempting to hurt themselves. Their personality characteristics are known to be demanding, intense, aggressive, and even feeling empty an abundant amount of times. Essentially an individual with borderline personality disorder are defined by the word “instability” as their behavior is completely unpredictable and rocky to their experiences (Buss & Larsen, 2001).

Girl Interrupted is a 1999 film in which Susanna, a high school senior on the verge of graduating with her class in 1967, is rushed to the Emergency Room because she consumed a whole bottle of Aspirin, followed by a bottle of Vodka. After being treated, Susanna is seen by a friend of her fathers, who is a Psychiatrist who believes that her actions were an attempt at suicide. Susanna, of course denies this, instead stating that she was making an effort to rid herself of a headache. The Psychiatrist recommends that she stay at a mental hospital named Claymore for a rest. While there, Susanna meets a number of individuals with a diverse array of disorders. One individual in particular, Lisa essentially runs the group of girls because

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be described in simple terms as a condition in which sufferers experience long periods of emotional instability and troubled feelings about themselves and other people. These troubled feelings allow individuals to take impulsive measures and have trouble in their relationships (Bouchard, Sabourin, Lussier & Villeneuve, 2009). BPD basically comprises of unusual intensities of instability in mood and irrational thinking also referred to as splitting. Splitting in BPD involves a switch between negative perception of others and idealization (Sperry, 2003). This usually occurs along with irregular mood swings and can negatively impact on the existing relationships such as family,

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, Borderline personality disorder is described as having a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, affects, and marked impulsivity that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts. In order to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, the individual must demonstrate five or more of the nine behaviors experienced within the disorder. The nine criterion behaviors within the disorder include: (1) frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, (2) a pattern of unstable and intense relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation, (3) identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self, (4) impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self damaging such as sexuality, spending, substance abuse, binge eating or reckless driving, (5) recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, threats, or self mutilating behavior, (6) affective

Borderline personality disorder is defined in its most simplest sense as being a mental health disorder that generates significant emotional instability. [1] In sufferers it generates a wide range of symptoms typically characterised into three groups; Problems regulating emotions and thoughts; impulsive behaviour without thinking of the consequences of actions; and lastly unstable relationships. Evaluating the most effective treatment(s) for BPD remains a target for mental health services as the disorder is associated with self harm and suicide attempts, with suicide attempts recorded in 69-80% of patients. [2]

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious and complex mental disorder involving maladaptive behaviors and multiple symptoms. This disorder often occurs in the context of relationships and can have a chaotic effect not only on the individual with BPD but also on their loved ones. According to the NIMH, “borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationship”.9 A primary character of BPD is behavioral and emotional dysregulation. These behaviors are difficult

Girl, Interrupted is a captivating and striking film about the struggle of coming to terms with mental health and overcoming personal obstacles to allow treatment and support. While the main character Susanna Kaysen stays in the Claymoore psychiatric hospital, she is introduced to a whole new world, one where she is forced to confront the fact that she has a mental illness and needs professional help.

Likewise, the author read that Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is described as instability in interpersonal relationship, self-image and mood, a fast fluctuation between emotional states, impulsive behaviour and an inclination towards self-harm and suicidal thinking (NICE 2009).

Susana Kaysen is a fictional character in the movie, Girl, Interrupted. She is an 18 year old young adult, who suffers from mental illness. Susana had multiple behaviors that can be defined as abnormal. Susana’s behaviors can be grouped into four categories. The first one is deviance, which is defined by behaviors that differ from society’s norms. Susana was known to be promiscuous and have multiple sexual relationships. One sexual relationship she had was with an older man, and it happened to be a teacher. Another behavior that can be seen as deviance is her unwanted desire to attend college. At her age and in the time of the movie, it was an expectation to attend college and receive a degree. However, Susana did not want to attend a university. Another deviant behavior is Susana’s substance abuse problem with alcohol, cigarettes, and pills. Susana also displayed deviance by not following the rules in the ward. She would not take her medication and she would sneak out. At one point she even escaped for several days. These deviant behaviors were Susana’s ways of acting out.

The main feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image and emotions. People with borderline personality disorder are also usually very impulsive.

“Personality disorders have been documented in approximately 9 percent of the general U.S. population” (Angstman, Rasmussen, 2011). Emotional dysregulation disorder or its common name borderline personality disorder is a very serious and chronic disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) describes borderline personality disorder as “a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts” (Gardner, 2006). Within the last 20 years, psychologists and other mental health professionals have made tremendous strides in research on what exactly borderline personality disorder, some of its triggers and possible effective treatment options. Borderline personality disorder is defined as a disorder that generates severe emotional instability which can be a springboard that can lead to other stress induced mental and behavioral problems.