Darth Vader Diagnosed: Borderline Personality Disorder

Following a long tradition of providing vaguely pointless diagnosis to fictional characters, a group of French psychologists have determined that Anakin Skywalker may have suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder – which is, according to the DSM, “a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, as well as marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood.” The disorder has to fit five of nine specified contexts, like “frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment,” “identity disturbance,” and “inappropriate anger.” Anakin hits six out of nine. According to LiveScience, the psychologists’ memo on the diagnosis is appearing as a letter to the editor in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Psychiatry Research.

And of course, one researcher has a treatment recommendation: “I believe that psychotherapy would have helped Anakin and might have prevented him from turning to the dark side. Using the dark side of the Force could be considered as similar to drug use: It feels really good when you use it, it alters your consciousness and you know you shouldn’t do it.”

[Image Source: parl (CC)]