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merwgue · 5 months ago

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In A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF), Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship disintegrates, and many fans are quick to place blame entirely on one or the other. Some see Tamlin as the villain—overbearing, controlling, and dismissive of Feyre’s needs. Others view Feyre as the one in the wrong, shutting down emotionally, and failing to give Tamlin a chance to understand her. But the truth is, both Feyre and Tamlin were in the wrong, and neither can be fully blamed for their relationship’s collapse. Why? Because they were both navigating the deep, complex waters of trauma. And trauma doesn’t just break people—it breaks communication, relationships, and trust.

Tysm for @extremely-judgemental for allowing me to post this, even though its been a work in progress for 2 days, I'm extremely grateful that they allowed me to take inspiration and use there post as a guide!!

The Silent Pact: Avoiding the Pain

Feyre and Tamlin's relationship post-Under the Mountain is one that’s built on a foundation of avoidance. After the trauma they both endured at the hands of Amarantha, they fall into a silent agreement not to discuss what happened. At first glance, this seems like an obvious red flag—after all, how can a couple move forward without addressing the deep emotional wounds they both carry? But in reality, avoidance of trauma isn’t a flaw exclusive to Tamlin or Feyre—it’s a very human reaction to extreme pain.

Psychologically, avoidance is one of the most common coping mechanisms for trauma survivors. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), avoidance is a key symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Survivors avoid thoughts, memories, and discussions that remind them of their trauma because it’s too painful to confront. In Feyre and Tamlin’s case, talking about what happened Under the Mountain would mean reopening wounds that were still raw. Tamlin is a High Lord, a man who feels responsible for everyone, and his inability to protect Feyre still haunts him. For Feyre, she’s dealing with not only the trauma of her own experiences but the guilt of the lives she took.

It’s easy to sit back and say, “Well, they should have talked about it,” but if we’re being realistic, many of us avoid difficult conversations about our own emotions and pain, especially with those we love most. Trauma survivors often feel that talking about their pain will burden others or that they’ll be seen as weak for struggling to cope. In relationships, this can create a wall between partners who are both silently suffering, as neither wants to “break” the other with their vulnerability.

The Psychological Cost of Silence

Tamlin and Feyre’s mutual avoidance wasn’t about not caring—it was about protecting themselves from further pain. Dr. Judith Herman, a renowned expert on trauma recovery, explains in her book Trauma and Recovery that trauma survivors often experience a “double-edged sword” of wanting to connect with others but fearing the vulnerability that comes with opening up. Tamlin, as High Lord, is burdened with the expectation to be strong and unbreakable. He can’t afford to show his weakness, not to Feyre, not to his court. He believes that if he holds everything together, he can fix what’s broken. Feyre, on the other hand, feels emotionally and physically depleted. She can’t summon the energy to reach out, and the more isolated she feels, the more she retreats.

Dr. Herman also notes that trauma can cause survivors to feel alienated from others, even those they love. This is exactly what happens to Feyre—she feels like she’s drowning in her own despair, and instead of being able to share that with Tamlin, she perceives his actions as controlling and suffocating. To Feyre, Tamlin’s need to protect her feels like a cage, not comfort. She becomes emotionally numb, which is another common symptom of trauma survivors. According to the National Center for PTSD, emotional numbness, or feeling “shut down,” is a way for trauma survivors to protect themselves from being overwhelmed by their feelings.

Tamlin: The Strong Protector, Who Never Heals

On the surface, Tamlin seems like the “strong” one in the relationship. He’s the High Lord, after all, and High Lords don’t fall apart. But beneath that strength is a man who’s been shattered by his own trauma and guilt. Tamlin failed to protect Feyre Under the Mountain, and that failure haunts him. In his mind, the only way to keep her safe is to control her environment. He barricades her inside his estate, thinking that if she’s sheltered, nothing can hurt her.

But what Tamlin doesn’t realize is that his overprotectiveness isn’t strength—it’s fear. Fear of losing her again. Fear of failing again. And fear of facing his own trauma. This isn’t unique to Tamlin; many trauma survivors, particularly men, fall into the trap of thinking they need to be invulnerable to protect their loved ones. Dr. Terrence Real, a therapist specializing in male depression, explains that men are often conditioned to believe they must be the “fixers” in relationships. When they can’t fix the problem, they feel powerless, and that powerlessness turns into control as they try to manage their environment instead of addressing their emotional wounds.

Tamlin’s way of coping is to be the protector at all costs, but in doing so, he isolates himself from Feyre’s emotional needs. His controlling behavior isn’t about dominance—it’s about shielding himself from the fear of another failure. Research shows that controlling behavior in relationships is often rooted in anxiety and a fear of abandonment (Simpson et al., 2017). In trying to keep Feyre safe, Tamlin inadvertently builds a prison around her, and that isolation becomes unbearable for her.

Feyre: The Self-Destructive Survivor

Feyre, on the other hand, is falling apart in silence. She’s lost, broken, and burdened by the trauma of her experiences and the lives she took Under the Mountain. Yet, she doesn’t know how to express that pain, especially to Tamlin. Psychologist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his book The Body Keeps the Score, emphasizes that trauma survivors often feel disconnected from their bodies and emotions. They may become passive or disengaged, unable to articulate what they need. For Feyre, this is exactly what happens—she feels hollow, empty, and disconnected from herself, so she withdraws from Tamlin. Instead of sharing her pain, she self-destructs. The nightmares, the apathy, the loss of interest in the things she once loved—it’s all part of the trauma she hasn’t processed.

Research into PTSD and depression shows that survivors often feel a profound sense of isolation, even when surrounded by loved ones (National Institute of Mental Health, 2021). They may believe that no one can understand what they’ve been through, or worse, that no one cares. Feyre falls into this trap—she interprets Tamlin’s controlling behavior as indifference to her emotional needs when, in reality, it’s his misguided attempt to protect her.

The Insecurity and Breakdown of Their Relationship

At the core of Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship is deep insecurity. Tamlin is insecure because of his failure to protect Feyre, and Feyre is insecure because she feels like a burden. Neither of them feels safe enough to admit that they’re struggling, and so they continue to put on masks for each other. Tamlin pretends to be strong, while Feyre pretends she can handle it all on her own.

Their avoidance of the issue and failure to communicate lead to the mutual destruction of their relationship. This isn’t because one of them was “right” and the other was “wrong”—they were both struggling with unprocessed trauma. According to relationship expert Dr. John Gottman, one of the keys to a successful relationship is the ability to repair conflicts through open communication. When couples avoid discussing their pain, resentment builds, and the relationship begins to fracture.

But for trauma survivors like Feyre and Tamlin, communication isn’t as simple as sitting down and having a conversation. Trauma creates emotional barriers that make it difficult to open up, even to those we love most. This is why Feyre’s resentment toward Tamlin grows, and why Tamlin becomes increasingly controlling—they’re both reacting to their trauma in ways that only push each other further away.

Conclusion: No True Villains, Just Trauma

So, can we truly blame either Feyre or Tamlin for the collapse of their relationship? In reality, they were both victims of their trauma, and they both failed each other because they couldn’t face it. Their silence wasn’t malicious, and their emotional distance wasn’t about a lack of love. It was about fear—fear of reopening wounds, fear of being vulnerable, and fear of losing the other person.

In the end, both Feyre and Tamlin’s coping mechanisms—whether it was Tamlin’s control or Feyre’s withdrawal—were their ways of surviving. It’s easy to say they should have communicated, but as we’ve seen, trauma complicates everything. Both were struggling to keep their heads above water, and unfortunately, neither of them could see the other drowning.

Here are some quotes from books I've done my research on!! I wanted to make sure my arguments were as clean and precise because mental health Is not something you half ass

1. On Trauma and Avoidance:

Judith Herman, "Trauma and Recovery":

"Trauma isolates; the words and feelings associated with it often remain unspoken. Survivors find it difficult to share their experiences with others because talking about the trauma seems like a betrayal of the self."

Bessel van der Kolk, "The Body Keeps the Score":

"Trauma by nature drives us to the edge of comprehension, cutting us off from language based on common experience or an imaginable past... It is as if time stops, and we are trapped in a perpetual state of helplessness."

2. On Emotional Numbing:

Bessel van der Kolk:

"Many traumatized people seem to shut down emotionally. As long as they are not being confronted with their trauma, they function relatively well. But as soon as something reminds them of the past, they may become helpless, upset, or furious."

Feyre’s emotional shutdown and numbness, post-trauma, is a common response for trauma survivors. Her inability to connect emotionally with Tamlin can be seen as a coping mechanism to avoid pain.

3. On Controlling Behavior as a Response to Anxiety:

Simpson et al. (2017), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology:

"Individuals with a high need for control often display overbearing or controlling behaviors in relationships as a way to reduce their own internal anxiety. This behavior often stems from feelings of powerlessness or fear of failure."

This aligns with Tamlin’s overprotective behavior toward Feyre, not as a way to dominate but to manage his own anxieties about failing her again.

4. On Insecure Relationships and Trauma:

Dr. Terrence Real, "I Don't Want to Talk About It":

"Men are often taught that emotional vulnerability is a weakness. As a result, many men struggle with expressing their pain or discussing their emotional needs, which can lead to controlling or distant behaviors in relationships."

Tamlin’s desire to protect Feyre without acknowledging his own emotional needs fits into this psychological framework. His need to appear strong likely prevented him from admitting his own trauma.

5. On Communication Breakdown in Trauma Survivors:

John Gottman, "The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work":

"When couples avoid difficult conversations, the issue doesn’t go away—it festers and can lead to increased resentment. Open, honest communication, even when difficult, is necessary for a relationship to thrive, especially in times of emotional distress."

This quote highlights why the breakdown between Feyre and Tamlin happened. By avoiding discussions about their trauma, they allowed distance and resentment to grow.

6. On the Difficulty of Vulnerability:

Brené Brown, "Daring Greatly":

"Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness. If it doesn’t feel vulnerable, the sharing is probably not constructive."

Both Feyre and Tamlin were afraid of vulnerability, thinking it would expose their weaknesses rather than heal their bond. This is part of why their relationship fell apart.

7. On Emotional Isolation Post-Trauma:

National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD Fact Sheet:

"Trauma survivors may feel detached or estranged from others. They may avoid close relationships or feel emotionally numb, which can make it difficult to connect with loved ones."

This highlights how Feyre, in particular, felt emotionally detached and distanced herself from Tamlin, contributing to the breakdown of their relationship.

8. On Mutual Coping with Trauma in Relationships:

Susan M. Johnson, "Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love":

"Trauma survivors in relationships often either withdraw or become overly controlling as a way to manage their overwhelming emotions. Without understanding this cycle, couples can become trapped in mutual avoidance."

This captures the essence of Feyre and Tamlin’s post-trauma dynamic—Feyre withdrawing emotionally and Tamlin becoming more controlling, both as coping mechanisms to deal with their trauma.

This was genuinely one of the hardest essay arguments I've written, I've spent 2 days writing this, that's why I didn't post anything these past few days. I hope this was precise enough and of course If you have anything to add don't hesitate to tell me! Thank you!!💞

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jseegoramblings · 3 months ago

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the JSE diagnosis (according to me. This is my opinion)

(THERE WILL BE ALTRVERSE SPOILERS AHEAD SO IF YOU DON’T WANNA BE SPOILED, DON’T READ THIS POST/RANT.)

so… I was recently thinking about the DSM-5 and the JSE egos… plus with Seán’s recent diagnosis with Autism (welcome to the club) I thought I would do this. I also will use behaviours we have seen from the egos and state how that applies to the diagnosis to some level.

note- this is my opinion however, if you disagree, that’s cool. Let me know what your thoughts are or if you have any questions. (Note: I know I don’t go into detail on how these connect to the diagnosis but hopefully The points below make some sense? Also… please don’t self diagnosis yourself based on this information alone… if you suspect you have something please consult a profession before doing so! Also… all videos will be listed as Tumblr has a 30 link/image limit… so comic images will show evidence, but video names will be listed.)

JBM: AuDHD

this one I thought I would start with because he is not only the easiest to see why I would state he is this, but also with the comics- it has become clear and most of the fanbase seems to agree with this. 1. he has a special interest in heros (Autism/ADHD)

now… in the comics, this is clear when in VOL 1. He is talking to the movie theatre worker about the movie…. Now look at this face. Does this look like the actions of someone who is neurodivergent explaining something that is interesting to them?

not only that… but when trying to problem solve… he imagines himself as a hero to help his thinking

Also… in VOL 0… his room clearly shows signs that he loves superhero’s… sure, you could shake this off saying that he’s just a nerd. Which yeah. May be true… but with the additional above info? It seems he is very genuinely interested in this and gets happy and excited by this

2. he overthinks social situations to avoid doing the wrong thing(Autism)

Yes. This is something VERY common in people with ASD, especially for those who struggle with social connections (yes. Even for those considered ‘higher functioning’)

you may wonder… where the hell is this present? Well… look no further than that same scene as before… the one where he was day dreaming. Where he was trying to come up with solutions with how to socialise properly

this by itself, shows he struggles socially, but also expects the worst as he doesn’t know how to socialise on a typical level… however, if someone were to ask him about hero’s? I have no doubts he would rant about it for hours!

3.he is often in his own world(ADHD)

this is more seen in Vol 0, when the manager of Ion X is talking to him. He’s in his own world thinking to himself- which is common in those who have ADHD.

4. he can take things literally(Autism)

I mean… just look at how he got his hero name.

he could have chosen a different name… but as soon as he heard the question of ‘what is you’re name’ he goes to answer his real name. Which is taking the question word for word

5. perseverates when something is new/different/unknown (Autism)

Perseverating- the act someone who is neurodivergent does when they can’t let go of something and think of it consistently. (Definition by me) I mean… just look at how he reacts when he discovers where his powers are coming from isn’t positive… he thinks about it constantly until something takes his attention away from it.

As soon as he stops that though… and goes back to doing nothing… he instantly thinks about it again.

if you’re thinking ‘well that’s something everyone will do’… sure… but, I’ll use myself as an example. I have a VERY intense fear of needles. If I get a bloodshot, I can’t even talk about it for WEEKS. And my body feels itchy in the spot blood was drawn. so yes. Perseverating can happen when individuals face something that is anxiety inducing.

6. sometimes misreads social cues(Autism/ADHD)

now… my main argument is 2 things for this is when Jackie is ranting about his interest, and has no idea the worker at the movie theatre is not interested until he actually looks

another thing to point out/notice… he doesn’t even pay attention to how the robots aren’t harming anybody… or take a moment to look at his surroundings, he instantly goes to beat up the robots, and it isn’t until too late when he realises… this.

If this doesn’t show struggling with social cues… I don’t know what will.

7. Changes/messing up can cause anxiety.(Autism)

now… again, this is seen as something that you may not think Jackie shows…. However, there is one scene in particular that shows he is hard on himself and when he makes a mistake. He is discouraged and has anxiety on messing up.

these 2 scenes above just show he wants to do things right, and when he doesn’t- he shuts down easily. And that’s the reasons why Jackie fits AuDHD as a diagnosis.

Marvin: gifted

this one, was a bit tricker and it wasn’t until recent that I found one that fits him… you may be confused why I chose this… well, first of all- what the heck is gifted as a diagnosis? gifted as a diagnosis refers to individuals who have a higher than average IQ, and are quick to understand things… but struggle a ton socially, it’s similar to autism, but it can be misdiagnosed as ADHD.

1.really good at magic, doesn’t have to study it

now I know you may be thinking ‘well yeah duh! In the comics, he has a higher power.’ And… I would agree with you there… however. I’m Vol 1… he had a look at a book for one… maybe 2 minutes at best… and what happens?

now…. I have no idea about you but for me at least? I would need to read something over and over again in order to understand it and make a connection. 2. gets discouraged when he doesn’t understand something right away/fails

now… you may wonder where that shows and think ‘well that’s everyone’s reaction!’ Which is true!! But… look at his reaction to failing the exam…

obviously, failing is upsetting… and yes. Especially when you fail the first time… however it’s not usual to get frustrated or upset when you don’t understand something… as an older adult.

however, when you expect yourself to know everything… you tend to put higher expectations on yourself which can absolutely weigh on you. 3. Knows right from wrong, and not afraid to stick with gut.

this one may seem a bit odd and you might think ‘well… yeah. Doesn’t everyone?’ Yes… but with gifted individuals… they tend to know right from wrong. And when they know someone did wrong doing… it can cause them frustration. Just look at this scene when Marvin discovered the twins erased his and others memories of what happened to the murder?

this up here, shows that when he knows someone went against what is morally right. He is not gonna have it and sticks with his guns.

another moment to point out. Is initially… when offered a really high position with the Magic circle:

this, by itself really shows he sticks to his guns and initially… he does stick to this decision until Ramesses mentions that Moria and Marvin could be put in a position of danger. normally, you would expect children to stick to their opinions regardless… but Marvin here? He goes back. Because his mom could be put in danger. Which is not right!

now… I would be willing to say that… when his mom dies. We will see him act in a way that shows that he will stick with his knowledge on how he has a strong moral compass later on in the comics. I can guarantee it!

4. is quick on his feet

now… i know this may seem odd. But… a lot of gifted individuals tend to be quick on their feet and know how to act. And Marvin demonstrates this in a few scenes:

below, here- Marvin finds a family that is about to be killed by a robber. What does he do?

which, that by itself, causes the person to flee.

another really powerful instance. And something I almost forgot to mention is that sometimes with gifted individuals… they tend to have a sense of humour as well that may come off as being more adult.. even though Marvin is an adult. This kind of shows how he has a sense of humour and how the humour helps him be quick on his feet.

also this moment… from when he was a teen.

I’m not sure about you, but normally for me… it takes me at least a few days/hours in order to figure out a good comeback. Not a few seconds. 5. smart

now… this one… may seem like a character trait… and you would be right… however. I would like to point out… that Marvin is damn smart… probably more so than people in the universe realise… this can be seen even before getting into magic school.

that fridge clearly shows a photo of an A… showing that he is smart. I won’t stick on this point too much as I will show some more evidence that he is smarter than people think… IQ wise.

6. has high expectations of himself

I think at this point. The lightning image enough is showing how he has high expectations over himself but incase you’re wondering why I put this out? It’s because of how gifted individuals because they are so smart… and because they just tend to know everything, when it comes to learning and understanding new topics and things, there’s impossibly high expectations that they put on themselves and they get frustrated and overwhelmed easily when they don’t know something that is hard.

Marvin getting A’s in school show he is very smart… but I bet if you threw him a chemistry question at that age… don’t be surprised to see a tantrum.

7. enjoys talking to other people who love magic… but not so much every day people

I know this may seem weird but let me explain. For anybody with neurodivergence… they tend to find it easiest to connect with people who are similar or have similar knowledge or interest in things that they love. It’s no different for those who are gifted. Don’t believe me…

well in VOL 1 of void silver… we see Marvin not be social… nor be friends with anybody at his school. But I’m Vol 2, after moving into his new school… what do we suddenly see?

genuine excitement over talking and being around other people! Hmm…. Now if this doesn’t scream neurodivergence… I have no idea what will!

8. gets excitement over something new or challenging

at this point… you may be confused as to where I get this info from… well… just look no further to Marvin doing his math homework…

he’s bored… and clearly craves something new! That expression certainly does not read excitement unlike when you compare him to doing magic… something that causes him to think… that really challenges him.

9. has strong curiosity of the world:

you may find this weird… even wonder why I put it in… but… consider these 2 images… both come after meeting Ramesses, he’s curious and can’t stop thinking about it no matter what. His brain can’t let it go!

That, and plus. When you look at the excitement for magic. It’s clear he’s curious and gets excited by new things.

so… those are all my reasons for why Marvin falls into this category… now onto the next character… Chase Brody.

Chase: ODD/ADHD

videos for evidence:

“IRIS project Anomaly found”

“JSE power hour-Chase Brody”

“TIE a game about depression”

all videos by “Jacksepticeye”

Now here’s another one that you may be shocked as to why I put this on Chase. ADHD, you’re all probably familiar with, but, you may be wonder what ODD is.

ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) is basically a diagnosis where an individual is someone who will go against any authoritative figure, and be defiant in every single way- even if they are wrong.

1.has a drinking problem (ADHD/ODD)

this may seem like a weird one and a confusing one to put. But, let me explain.

so… think about Chase. Obviously everyone calls him ‘sad dad’ but… he also seems to have a serious drinking problem. If you disagree with me. Then why is it that he is okay with drinking when he is about to drive a car or when he is upset dealing with his emotions.

So with that, I was doing research. And it turns out, those who have ADHD tend to have a higher chance of developing a substance abuse. (Which includes things like drugs, coffee or alcohol). now, another important thing to know is that just because I say this does not mean it applies to all people with ADHD. kind of like how not all autistic individuals love trains or need headphones for noise sensitivities, everyone has their different strengths and stretches when it comes to these diagnosis.

no 2 individuals will be exactly the same

2. Is defiant with authoritative figures (ODD)

I know that this may be an odd one to have but… hear me out. this evidence comes straight from what he was like in ‘Anomaly Found’. Thinking back. He didn’t seem to cooperate too much with the scientist and in fact seem to annoy him on purpose despite being in a place where he had no power.

I know that this may seem unfair, especially considering the circumstances on what was going on were brutal and almost borderline torture. However… I would think that you would at least try and do all that you can to follow what is expected in hopes of getting out.

I can hear you saying “but… that was traumatising! I bet if he was somewhere else he would be different!” Possibly yes! However, there is evidence out there that proves that when he is in a place of authority or a place where he can control others? He has no troubles!

3. doesn’t follow expectations (ODD)

again, I know this one seems a bit weird. But I also have some backup evidence of this.

one of my pieces of evidence is the fact that during his first video, there is a scene where he is doing trick shots. And a moment in the video he says “this one is called the drive by” before we hear people scream as he is shooting people. (Note: I understand this is a character and this moment has probably been disproven but I’m still putting it in here.). Obviously, if he did do this and actually shoot people- it’s illegal. But it shows he has no hesitation.

4. irritable (ADHD/ODD)

yes… he has shown some evidence of getting irritable with people…

for one, the Anomaly found video is enough evidence to show that he can get irritable.

even excluding that though… he has shown he gets irritable when things don’t follow what he plans/what he has in mind. For example, in an older video, I remember Chase being in the bathroom and as soon as the camera comes in on him. He looks annoyed at the camera before yelling “Get out!” Clearly someone being in the house was not part of his plan.

now there is some more evidence I could discuss… but I’d rather move on to get some of my other points done.

5. Can be a bit scattered/is disorganised (ADHD):

There are a few moments where we can see Chase can have scattered thoughts and is not the most organised.

one moment in particular is the scene in ‘CHASE’ where he opens his car door and trash just comes out. Sure… we can account this as him being depressed, but I would also like to mention how even in Anomaly found, we can see that he is not thinking straight some of the times there- easily distracted. Side tracked by voices and visuals popping out of nowhere. we can even see this in his first video- with his first appearance. Even during THAT- it was clear that his thoughts and ideas can be all over the place and even a bit disorganised.

6. acts childlike as an adult sometimes (ADHD). I know this may seem odd… but this is kind of something I notice.

I notice that people I see who are diagnosed with ADHD, tend to be a bit more hyper or even child like in energy. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing! But it is a pattern that I see in the adults that I hang around who have ADHD.

does this remind you of anybody? Chase perhaps?

well… I think that’s all the evidence for why I believe Chase has ADHD and ODD. Moving onto Anti!

Anti: Autism

videos referenced

“Say Goodbye”

“IRIS project Anomaly found”

“KJSE”

videos by: Jacksepticeye

Now… I know some of you may be shocked by this… however, I have my reasons for putting Anti as this specifically.

1.Sensory seeking behaviour

you may be confused and thinking. “Where the hell does Anti show this?” well first of all, what do I mean by sensory seeking? Let me explain.

when it comes to anything with the word “sensory” it refers to anything to do with the 5 senses. Now… for neurodivergent people, they may easily be overstimulated or under stimulated easily. “Overstimulation” is when someone’s senses are way too overwhelmed that it makes them shut down or go into a fight/flight response to help deal with calming their senses. This is why some individuals on the spectrum feel the need to cut tags off because tags on clothes can sometimes trigger some individuals who get easily overstimulated to the tag touching their skin. “understimulation” is the opposite. This refers to someone who doesn’t have enough going on with the 5 senses being not triggered enough, and they need to have more- having under stimulation is just as unpleasant and can cause someone to sometimes use too much energy making them get tired easily. So for example, may be why you may see some neurodivergent people LOVE weighted blankets, because it provides extra feeling when you don’t get enough. Which is “sensory seeking” (I don’t know if this is a word, but it seems to fit)

now what does this have to do with Anti? Well… I like to think back to “Say goodbye” what was one of the FIRST things Anti did when he took Jack’s body over? Slit his own throat. And this… can be seen as seeking out stimulation. hell, he even walks around with no socks and shoes (we’ve all seen his feet- get your phones back you dirty minded people!)

and he also seems to almost ALWAYS have something in hand- it’s mainly his knife, now… this obviously I think stopped but before 2019ish… he had his knife always!

2. glitching can be considered stimming

Let me explain!

stimming is something that someone who is neurodivergent may do that seems like a repeated motions, or even repeated noises. This can often be used to help calm or settle someone sometimes. what is something that Anti in the past has done?

lot’s of twitching and glitching. And although it’s something he somewhat doesn’t seem to control. I do notice that the more agitated or aggressive he becomes, the more intense the glitches and twitches are. Which ties together with the fact that stimming can be used to help calm someone down who is neurodivergent.

3. stumbles and stutters over words sometimes

once again. This may seem odd and you may not even notice he does it…. But he does do it! Especially when he first took over Jack in ‘say goodbye’ now, obviously since then he hasn’t done this lots but in the beginning when he was in a new environment, and a new type of situation…. It was certainly there.

4. Gets agitated and angry easily

once again. I know this may seem odd… but, for some people on the spectrum. It’s very easy for them to get upset or peeved off especially if something does not go their way or if there is a change in routine. it’s obvious that Anti has a plan for what to do and what he wants…. But he has also made it clear that if that plan goes sideways… there is hell to pay and he will not hesitate to attack. hell, he even shows that he will go through with what he says he’ll do!

now… I think that’s enough about Anti… now onto JJ.

JJ: PTSD

videos referenced:

“JSE power hour- Jameson Jackson”

“JJ’s Jolly Jaunts”

all videos by: Jacksepticeye

this. Is another one that I think is a bit more clear, and here are a few reasons why. For those of you who are unfamiliar, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a diagnosis that is an intense Anxiety disorder that can appear after a very significant traumatising event that can scar people for life and make everything harder to deal with including triggers…. It’s a diagnosis although commonly seen in soldiers, can happen to anybody who goes through a traumatising enough event (sometimes events that may be close calls to death.)

JJ for this, his traumatising event would be what happened in his first appearance and I’ll explain why. (I don’t have many reasons for this but I do have a couple)

1.gets scared a bit when strings appear

I know this seems weird…. However, at first. Think of when the strings first appeared in his second video. Any normal person would be a bit confused but shrug it off… how did JJ react?

sure he did seem confused, but in his eyes- there’s also a bit of fear- as well as anxiety as if he knows what is about to happen. It’s clear Anti has done something messed up enough for him to get a bit worried about strings.

2. signs of anxiety

this seems to happen when Anti is about to attack or is impacting JJ in some way.

this example comes from “JJ’s Jolly Jaunts” but when Anti takes over at the end…. This is how JJ reacts:

JJ has the heavy breathing, the panicked look, the fight and flight response he even dissociates as if he has been triggered and his brain shuts down to protect him.

this all may seem weird but the brain blocking out certain memories, even moments being erased from conscious is not unusual.

Sure… memories can come and go and that is completely normal… however, sometimes the brain, when it recognises a stressful enough situation, it will just block that memory out from being recalled, it’s a protective mechanism and can be healthy!

However. What is not healthy is when our brain as a coping strategy decides to dissociate to escape a situation no matter what. It’s not only unhealthy, but it can be draining and even dangerous.

Schneeplestien: BPD/ADHD

videos referenced:

“Jacksepticeye Powerhour- Doctor Schneeplestien”

“KJSE”

both videos are by Jacksepticeye.

this one, I also struggled with- but I ended up a bit satisfied with what I have. Even though it took some digging. for those of you who don’t know, BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) is a diagnosis for those who have intense mood swings, and struggle to maintain control of those emotions. And both ADHD and BPD can be diagnosed together so… I felt this fit.

1.coffee addiction(ADHD/BPD)

once again. This may seem like an odd one but like I said for Chase’s those who have ADHD are more likely to have a substance addiction.

coffee is obviously considered a substance, and Henrik here shows more than enough evidence that it is an unhealthy addiction that he needs in order to be okay. This goes all the way back to his first video, and even some IRIS tweets that are speculated to be ‘Zee Good Docta’ mention coffee so yeah. I think Henrik drinks an unhealthy amount of Caffine.

2. impulsive(ADHD)

this one I think Henrik shows lots of. He not only talks about how he will end patients lives who don’t listen. But he also has a graveyard of patients apparently (yes. He mentioned this before)

now… even if this is all something that you’re thinking “well that was old Henrik Von Schneeplestien” possibly… but. I maybe consider the fact that him looking into time travel or… whatever that portal was at the end of a newer video. I don’t know about you… but you would have to be pretty impulsive to look into something like that.

3. threatens when things don’t go his way(BPD)

this one… we generally see with his patients. But also… in my research, people who have BPD can also not only threaten to harm themselves. But also if triggered enough may threaten and even harm other people.

Sound like anybody?

4. has mood swings(ADHD/BPD)

ironic but… Henrik has shown he can go from happy to angry to sad in a few seconds. Yes this may be due to the Caffine however, it happens pretty fast and is concerning how he can go from happy and wanting to help a patient to threatening to kill them and drug them to death is pretty extreme and someone who is not emotionally stable.

no surprise here, this is a common sign of BPD as they tend to have lots of mood swings.

5. Fears of rejection (ADHD/BPD)

you may be confused but once again… let me explain. Those who have BPD tend to have fears of being rejected by others around them.

we see Henrik have a couple moments where he seems to hate and fear the idea of rejection.

1- the fact he went to Doctor school instead of art school shows that he’s worried about letting his family/parents down.

2- the fact that he ties a connection to him having a license to keeping his wife and child and is devastated when he rips it up.

once again. These 2 things show he has a fear of rejection.

and this is all of my thoughts about them! Hopefully you guys enjoyed reading this!

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antisocialsharky · 9 months ago

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Can a person with ASPD be sincerely apologetic and be afraid of hurting their loved ones?Did you had any experience similar to this?

I mean yeah of course they can be, because every person with ASPD is different! Lets unpack this:

1. "Sincerely apologetic" could go into two ways:

• Actually feeling sorry and feeling bad for what they have done OR another emotion like a genuine fear of the consequences being behind the apology. This is possible for people with ASPD who do not completely lack remorse OR those who have access to anxiety/fear as an emotion.

• Its also possible to mean the apology sincerely, despite there being no emotion behind it, because they may be capable of logically understanding that they have hurt a person and that such an action (for whatever reason in that particular scenario) is not acceptable. They would then probably go on and change the behaviour, in order to show it was a sincere apology.

2. "Be afraid of hurting a loved one" also has a few different ways of being interpreted/shown:

• Genuinely being emotionally afraid of the "hurting" part only and wanting to avoid causing anyone pain => technically possible if the person doesn't have a complete lack of remorse, has some capability for empathy and doesn't have a complete disregard for others.

• Being afraid of hurting loved ones because of the consequences this might bring (losing friends, being alone, getting cancelled, losing their social standing, losing benefits) => possible for any person with ASPD who is capable of feeling some sort of fear of, or care for, consequences and what people may think of them/what situations might end up causing.

• This fear could also have trauma roots, where the person with ASPD (which is a condition that has trauma as a development factor) has been hurt by someone and is afraid of turning out like their abuser. They might be scared of causing harm, not because they hate harm or care about others, but because doing so, would make them into their abuser in their head.

These are also just examples, for reasons/reactions and symptoms behind it, thats not a full list by any means!

In order to have ASPD (according to the DSM 5) you only need to fit 3 symptoms of 7 in total (+ the usual shit after the symptom list). So someone could have ASPD theoretically if they just fit the irresponsibility, impulsivity and aggression criteria. None of that technically makes them unable to feel prosocial emotions, tho its not uncommon to have difficulties with that. The ASPD spectrum is a pretty interesting thing with a lot of variety, so everything is possible...technically, as long as it fits within the criteria.

3. Personal experience with the topic:

• My apologies solely stem from logically knowing that this is the best course of action and that I will benefit from apologizing and changing my actions in the long run. So if it will benefit my survival and life standards, I will give a "sincere apology". If it wouldn't benefit me and there would be no consequences, I won't.

#actually aspd #aspd #mental health #mental health education #antisocial personality disorder #aspd awareness #antisocial #aspd feels #aspd thoughts #asks open #aspd traits #aspd things #aspd safe #aspd stigma #aspd mood

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glitter-stained · 2 months ago

Text

I know I said wouldn't get to anything about Cass before reading Batgirl after being done with all the meta and exams and deep-diving but I can't help myself, just one thing (i promise just one one thing)

According to Bishop et al, 2017, Cass, prior to getting language into her head (i think via meta), aka Cass growing up without learning any actual language, should fit a language disorder, but not Language Development Disorder

Note that this is not to be understood as the Language Disorder from the DSM (DSM-5 is from 2015), Bishop et al suggested the term "Language Development Disorder" to refer to the entity that's more or less described as Language Disorder in the DSM, while Bishop et al's term of Language Disorder is a broader category that includes Language Development Disorder but also other stuff, including Cass' situation. And I think it's Roch et al (2019) that gives a lovely decisional tree to recap what term to use according to Bishop et al, so it's lovely to see Cass' situation be so explicitly included and taken into account when situations of symptoms reminiscent of symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders but induced by neglect/mistreatments sometimes really feel like, excluded or disregarded in the dsm and psychopatholgy in general (probably because developmental psychopatholgy is such a young field yet and classifications have a history of basing their analysis of disorders in childhood on adult psychopatholgy). Anyway. Very happy about this. Shout-out to Bishop et al for doing amazing (and fucking tedious) work. Justice for Cass!

#cassandra cain #cass cain #black bat #orphan dc #dc #dc comics #batgirl 2000 #cassandra cain meta #watch me not keep my promises lmao #aaaargh #batgirl #batgirls #dc meta #batfam

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scarletskiesinthepaths · 17 days ago

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Hello, Sky! I have been itching to ask this, lol.

In this post of yours, you laid out Levi's emotional affect and the causes of it, narrowing it down to the two most likely causes for him: severe psychological trauma and ASD, the likelier of which you ruled out to be psychological trauma. However, theoretically speaking, if any part of it were to be attributed to ASD, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert) that ASD can have an impact on the expression of physical pain (or, feeling physical pain).

So considering Levi's past with Kenny, and any possibility of physical abuse that happened during that period, how do you think Levi having ASD would have affected how Kenny treated him, given that his philosophy is 'only the strong deserve to survive,' and that a part of Japanese culture seems to value 'silent suffering' as a show of strength? Do you think he would have seen Levi as 'strong' for that, or as even more 'weird,' since he says something about Levi being a weird or antisocial kid? How do you think that would have impacted Levi growing up, and how do you think that would have impacted his view of himself and his perspectives as an adult?

Hi, Star! 💫❣️ Thank you so much for the ask message, and I'm sorry for taking so long to respond! So, these are some very interesting questions, and I'm honored my other meta post inspired these. I thought for a good while about how to respond to this message.

You are indeed correct that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can have an impact on the expression of physical pain. To elaborate on that point specifically, research on ASD has shown that individuals can exhibit atypical sensory processing. According to the DSM‑5-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2022), many people on the autism spectrum experience sensory input—including pain—in nonstandard ways. For example, some studies (Marco et al., 2011) indicate that individuals with ASD may show hypo‐reactivity to pain, meaning that they might not respond to physical pain as expected. In Levi’s case, if any part of his flat affect or muted physical pain response were influenced by ASD, it could mean that his internal experience of pain didn’t match the visible expressions of distress that others might expect.

Kenny’s philosophy—“only the strong deserve to survive”—and his known remarks about Levi being “weird” suggest that he judged individuals by a very specific, utilitarian standard. If Levi’s muted pain responses (potentially rooted in ASD) made him appear even more unresponsive than is typical for a child raised amid brutality, Kenny might have interpreted that in two ways:

As a Sign of Strength: Kenny could have seen Levi’s lack of overt pain reaction as evidence that he was enduring hardship without complaint—an asset in a world where showing weakness might be fatal.

Addressing your point about "silent suffering" in Japanese culture: While I'm not an expert on Japanese culture, I am aware that practicing gaman is often seen as a virtue. That is, enduring or persevering in tough times without complaint (X, X, X). However, since the societies of Paradis and the Underground do not directly mirror Japanese culture (despite some similarities), it’s unclear whether Kenny’s perspective reflects an ingrained cultural expectation. That said, given that Isayama is Japanese, it’s possible that elements of this philosophy influenced Kenny’s character, though this remains speculative, especially since Kenny himself is not portrayed as Japanese or Asian.

As Abnormal or Weak: Conversely, because Kenny already characterized Levi as “weird,” he might also have viewed these atypical responses as deviations from the norm, an indicator that Levi was not entirely “fit” by his own harsh standards. In Kenny’s eyes, any behavior that deviated from the expected might have compounded his disdain or led him to believe that Levi’s reactions were, in part, the product of an abnormal (and potentially exploitable) condition. If Kenny could pick up that Levi was "weird", other people likely could, too.

It's tough to say which of the two is more likely. It's also entirely possible that Kenny may have expressed conflicting views at different times. Inconsistency on the part of caregiving often results in an insecure attachment, specifically the disorganized attachment style (also called fearful-avoidant). This would have further complicated how Levi understood and responded to emotional signals. But, that's a post for another day, haha.

I'm also of the belief that Kenny viewed Levi as a "project" to test his philosophy on. In Kenny's eyes, if Levi grew strong and survived, it would prove that power is all that matters. Moreover, if Levi did show signs of ASD and Kenny picked up on that, it might have influenced his decision to keep Levi Underground. We know Kenny intended to bring Kuchel to the surface, so what set Levi apart? Perhaps Kenny concluded that Levi’s “weirdness” made him unfit for surface life, while at the same time making him the perfect subject to test his ideas in an environment where physical dominance reigned supreme.

So, getting to the other parts of your ask, what are the implications for Levi’s development and self-perception?

If we hypothesize that Levi did have ASD traits influencing his physical pain expression and social communication, several developmental impacts are conceivable:

Growing up in an environment where his natural responses (whether due to trauma, ASD, or both) were met with harsh judgment would likely have intensified Levi’s sense of alienation. Even if his stoicism was lauded in certain contexts (as a form of silent strength), the contradictory messages—that he was both exceptionally strong and oddly abnormal—could have created a lasting internal conflict.

Over time, Levi may have learned to suppress not only emotional pain but even physical discomfort as a survival mechanism. This might explain his consistently minimal reaction to injuries throughout the manga—a trait that, while making him an effective soldier, also underlines a deep-seated internal struggle.

Ultimately, the interplay of severe psychological trauma and any underlying ASD would shape Levi’s adult identity. This aids him in becoming what seems like the consummate professional—emotionally reserved and seemingly impervious (on top of his immense physical strength)—yet those very traits might also fuel a hidden sense of isolation and self-doubt. His difficulty in fully connecting with others can be seen as both a consequence of early abuse/neglect and a byproduct of atypical social processing. And just to clarify, when I say "difficulty connecting with others", I'm referring to these signs:

Levi's first friendships were formed during his early adulthood (first with Furlan and then with Isabel), while most people form their first friendships during early childhood.

Levi referred to himself as "abnormal" during the Uprising arc, demonstrating there's a level of detachment he feels from others.

Levi's difficulties expressing himself without coming across as rude, consistently needing others (i.e., Hange) to interpret for him to clarify his intended meaning.

Isayama's known interviews, where he's spoken about how Levi deliberately keeps himself at a distance from others—"It’s likely because he is afraid of forming close relationships. Because he exists in a world where one can be eaten by a Titan at any time, he consistently avoids building 'family'-like connections with others." (X)

TL;DR? Levi’s potential ASD traits, like atypical social processing and a muted response to pain, may have led to his behavior being misinterpreted by Kenny, who saw these traits either as unyielding strength or as abnormal weakness (it's difficult to say which one for sure). It may have also contributed to Kenny's decision to abandon Levi in the Underground. As a child, this conflicting feedback likely left Levi feeling both resilient and fundamentally different, fostering an insecure attachment style and a tendency to suppress emotional and physical pain.

Anyway, hopefully this answered your question! Lol. It was certainly interesting to think about.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.

Marco, E. J., Hinkley, L. B., Hill, S. S., & Nagarajan, S. S. (2011). Sensory processing in autism: A review of neurophysiologic findings. Pediatric Research, 69(5), 48R–54R.

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jse-ego-hyperfixation · 3 months ago

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the JSE diagnosis (according to me. This is my opinion)

(THERE WILL BE ALTRVERSE SPOILERS AHEAD SO IF YOU DON’T WANNA BE SPOILED, DON’T READ THIS POST/RANT- also yes, this is the original poster of this post, this was just something I put on a secondary account @jseegofixation and wanted to add here with a few changes plus, I would like to focus more on this account.)

JBM: AuDHD

1. he has a special interest in heros (Autism/ADHD)

not only that… but when trying to problem solve… he imagines himself as a hero to help his thinking

2. he overthinks social situations to avoid doing the wrong thing(Autism)

Yes. This is something VERY common in people with ASD, especially for those who struggle with social connections (yes. Even for those considered ‘higher functioning’)

3.he is often in his own world(ADHD)

this is more seen in Vol 0, when the manager of Ion X is talking to him. He’s in his own world thinking to himself- which is common in those who have ADHD.

4. he can take things literally(Autism)

I mean… just look at how he got his hero name.

he could have chosen a different name… but as soon as he heard the question of ‘what is you’re name’ he goes to answer his real name. Which is taking the question word for word

5. perseverates when something is new/different/unknown (Autism)

As soon as he stops that though… and goes back to doing nothing… he instantly thinks about it again.

6. sometimes misreads social cues(Autism/ADHD)

now… my main argument is 2 things for this is when Jackie is ranting about his interest, and has no idea the worker at the movie theatre is not interested until he actually looks

If this doesn’t show struggling with social cues… I don’t know what will.

7. Changes/messing up can cause anxiety.(Autism)

these 2 scenes above just show he wants to do things right, and when he doesn’t- he shuts down easily. And that’s the reasons why Jackie fits AuDHD as a diagnosis.

Marvin: gifted

1.really good at magic, doesn’t have to study it

now… you may wonder where that shows and think ‘well that’s everyone’s reaction!’ Which is true!! But… look at his reaction to failing the exam…

obviously, failing is upsetting… and yes. Especially when you fail the first time… however it’s not usual to get frustrated or upset when you don’t understand something… as an older adult.

When you expect yourself to know everything… you tend to put higher expectations on yourself which can absolutely weigh on you.

people who are considered gifted tend to do this exact thing!

3. Knows right from wrong, and not afraid to stick with gut.

this one may seem a bit odd and you might think ‘well… yeah. Doesn’t everyone?’ Yes… but with gifted individuals… they tend to know right from wrong. And when they know someone did wrong doing… it can cause them frustration. Just think of the scene when Marvin discovered the twins erased his and others memories of what happened to the murder?

this up here, shows that when he knows someone went against what is morally right. He is not gonna have it and sticks with his guns.

another moment to point out. Is initially… when offered a really high position with the Magic circle:

Up here he even shows concern for his mom! now… I would be willing to say that… when his mom dies. We will see him act in a way that shows that he will stick with his knowledge on how he has a strong moral compass later on in the comics. I can guarantee it!

4. is quick on his feet

now… i know this may seem odd. But… a lot of gifted individuals tend to be quick on their feet and know how to act. And Marvin demonstrates this in a few scenes:

below, here- Marvin finds a family that is about to be killed by a robber. What does he do?

which, that by itself, causes the person to flee.

also this moment… from when he was a teen.

I’m not sure about you, but normally for me… it takes me at least a few days/hours in order to figure out a good comeback. Not a few seconds. 5. smart

now, this one… may seem like a character trait, and you would be right… however. I would like to point out. that Marvin is damn smart… probably more so than people in the universe realise… this can be seen even before getting into magic school.

that fridge clearly shows a photo of an A… showing that he is smart. I won’t stick on this point too much as I will show some more evidence that he is smarter than people think… IQ wise.

6. has high expectations of himself

Marvin getting A’s in school show he is very smart… but I bet if you threw him a chemistry question at that age… don’t be surprised to see a tantrum.

7. enjoys talking to other people who love magic… but not so much every day people

well in VOL 1 of void silver… we see Marvin not be social… nor be friends with anybody at his school. But I’m Vol 2, after moving into his new school… what do we suddenly see?

genuine excitement over talking and being around other people! Hmm…. Now if this doesn’t scream neurodivergence… I have no idea what will!

8. gets excitement over something new or challenging

at this point… you may be confused as to where I get this info from… well… just look no further to Marvin doing his math homework…

9. has strong curiosity of the world:

That, and plus. When you look at the excitement for magic. It’s clear he’s curious and gets excited by new things.

so… those are all my reasons for why Marvin falls into this category… now onto the next character… Chase Brody.

Chase: ODD/ADHD

videos for evidence:

“IRIS project Anomaly found”

“JSE power hour-Chase Brody”

“TIE a game about depression”

all videos by “Jacksepticeye”

Now here’s another one that you may be shocked as to why I put this on Chase. ADHD, you’re all probably familiar with, but, you may be wonder what ODD is.

ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) is basically a diagnosis where an individual is someone who will go against any authoritative figure, and be defiant in every single way- even if they are wrong. This is primarily used for children (yes I am aware Chase is not a child).

(I would like to take a moment here that any of the below information is primarily based on google, research and a couple of experiences with individuals who have/are speculated to have ODD. I am now aware that there is a controversy surrounding it and do apologize in advance if the information comes out as insensitive. I have done research and had no idea that it is more commonly found in black/Hispanic than white obviously this by itself has some racist implications even if they are not intended. Another controversy is it shuts down people helping out those who are diagnosed with ODD as they just focus on the behaviour instead of looking at why someone is acting the way they are and offering supports. Obviously this is also wrong for many different reasons as no matter who you are... services and help should be available no matter what because I believe that everyone deserves to have help no matter what

so... with this in mind, I will be aware of the controversies and try my best to be as sensitive and careful as possible- I will still keep this as I feel in my opinion it fits but if you see otherwise I won’t be mad and I will understand)

1.has a drinking problem (ADHD/ODD)

this may seem like a weird one and a confusing one to put. But, let me explain.

no 2 individuals will be exactly the same

2. Is defiant with authoritative figures (ODD)

3. doesn’t follow expectations (ODD)

again, I know this one seems a bit weird. But I also have some backup evidence of this.

one of my pieces of evidence is the fact that during his first video, there is a scene where he is doing trick shots. And a moment in the video he says “this one is called the drive by” before we hear people scream as he is shooting people. (Note: I understand this is a character and this moment has probably been disproven but I’m still putting it in here. because I think it sort of fits). Obviously, if he did do this and actually shoot people- it’s illegal. But it shows he has no hesitation.

4. irritable (ADHD/ODD)

yes… he has shown some evidence of getting irritable with people…

for one, the Anomaly found video is enough evidence to show that he can get irritable specifically with the scientist.

now there is some more evidence I could discuss… but I’d rather move on to get some of my other points done.

5. Can be a bit scattered/is disorganised (ADHD):

There are a few moments where we can see Chase can have scattered thoughts and is not the most organised.

6. acts childlike as an adult sometimes (ADHD).

I know this may seem odd… but this is kind of something I notice.

does this remind you of anybody? Chase perhaps?

well… I think that’s all the evidence for why I believe Chase has ADHD and ODD. Moving onto Anti!

Anti: Autism

videos referenced

“Say Goodbye”

“IRIS project Anomaly found”

“KJSE”

videos by: Jacksepticeye

Now… I know some of you may be shocked by this… however, I have my reasons for putting Anti as this specifically.

1.Sensory seeking behaviour

you may be confused and thinking. “Where the hell does Anti show this?” well first of all, what do I mean by sensory seeking? Let me explain.

and he also seems to almost ALWAYS have something in hand- it’s mainly his knife, now… this obviously I think stopped but before 2019ish… he had his knife always!

2. glitching can be considered stimming

Let me explain!

3. stumbles and stutters over words sometimes

4. Gets agitated and angry easily

now… I think that’s enough about Anti… now onto JJ.

JJ: PTSD

videos referenced:

“JSE power hour- Jameson Jackson”

“JJ’s Jolly Jaunts”

all videos by: Jacksepticeye

JJ for this, his traumatising event would be what happened in his first appearance and I’ll explain why. (I don’t have many reasons for this but I do have a couple)

1.gets scared a bit when strings appear

I know this seems weird…. However, at first. Think of when the strings first appeared in his second video. Any normal person would be a bit confused but shrug it off… how did JJ react?

2. signs of anxiety

this seems to happen when Anti is about to attack or is impacting JJ in some way.

this example comes from “JJ’s Jolly Jaunts” but when Anti takes over at the end…. This is how JJ reacts:

JJ has the heavy breathing, the panicked look, the fight and flight response he even dissociates as if he has been triggered and his brain shuts down to protect him.

this all may seem weird but the brain blocking out certain memories, even moments being erased from conscious is not unusual.

However. What is not healthy is when our brain as a coping strategy decides to dissociate to escape a situation no matter what. It’s not only unhealthy, but it can be draining and even dangerous.

it’s at this point I will take a moment to mention that if you or anybody you know is struggling with mental health concerns I would HIGHLY Urge you to talk to someone you trust or therapy. It’s not healthy to hold things back. If there is nobody around there are also hotlines you can call to try and get some help. Also please note there is more to PTSD than anxiety and panic attacks, I am very well aware of this and we also unfortunately do not have a ton of videos/media with JJ in it so this is based of speculation that Anti would have traumatized JJ to a point of

Schneeplestien: BPD/ADHD

videos referenced:

“Jacksepticeye Powerhour- Doctor Schneeplestien”

“KJSE”

both videos are by Jacksepticeye.

1.coffee addiction(ADHD/BPD)

once again. This may seem like an odd one but like I said for Chase’s those who have ADHD are more likely to have a substance addiction.

2. impulsive(ADHD)

this one I think Henrik shows lots of. He not only talks about how he will end patients lives who don’t listen. But he also has a graveyard of patients apparently (yes. He mentioned this before)

3. threatens when things don’t go his way(BPD)

Sound like anybody?

4. has mood swings(ADHD/BPD)

no surprise here, this is a common sign of BPD as they tend to have lots of mood swings.

5. Fears of rejection (ADHD/BPD)

you may be confused but once again… let me explain. Those who have BPD tend to have fears of being rejected by others around them.

we see Henrik have a couple moments where he seems to hate and fear the idea of rejection.

1- the fact he went to Doctor school instead of art school shows that he’s worried about letting his family/parents down.

2- the fact that he ties a connection to him having a license to keeping his wife and child and is devastated when he rips it up.

once again. These 2 things show he has a fear of rejection.

and this is all of my thoughts about them! Hopefully you guys enjoyed reading this!

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thefooloutboy · 7 months ago

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all the things wrong with lestat de lioncourt according to the dsm-v and psychological theories

In this post, I, a psychologist, will psychoanalyze and diagnose Lestat de Lioncourt, a well-known vampire in gothic literature.

Part I: DSM-V Diagnosis

1.0 Neurodevelopmental Disorders

1.1 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):

ADHD is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.

Lestat displays 5 symptoms out of 9 for inattention:

Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks: He can’t read.

Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace: He does not ever follow instructions.

Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities: He fails to keep his house and belongings organized.

Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort.

Is often forgetful in daily activities: He’s bad with doing chores and running errands.

Lestat displays 5 symptoms out of 9 for hyperactivity and impulsivity:

Often unable to play or engage in leisure activities quietly: He’s always making noises.

Is often “on the go,” acting as if “driven by a motor”: He is usually unable to be still for extended time.

Often talks excessively: He is a yapper.

Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed: He completes people’s sentences and he cannot wait for his turn in conversation.

Often interrupts or intrudes on others: He butts into conversations and he intrudes into or takes over what others are doing.

To be diagnosed with ADHD, one must display at least 10 symptoms out of 18. Therefore, Lestat can be diagnosed with ADHD.

2.0 Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

2.1 Delusional Disorder:

Delusional Disorder is characterized by the presence of one (or more) delusions with a duration of 1 month or longer. Lestat’s disorder is the Mixed type, meaning that not one single type of delusion predominates, but there’s a mixture. His disorder includes:

Grandiose type: Belief that one is famous, omnipotent, wealthy, or otherwise very powerful: At the end of S2.E8, we see Lestat practicing piano with a block of wood and thinking he’s going on tour.

Jealous type: Belief that their spouse or lover is unfaithful: He constantly watches Louis to see if he will cheat on him or not.

Persecutory type: Belief that they are being conspired against: In S1.E7, we see Lestat thinking Louis and Claudia are conspiring something against him and he makes Antoinette spy on them. (In the persecutory type, it does not matter if the person is actually being conspired against, it’s the obsession that counts.)

2.2 Schizoaffective Disorder:

Schizoaffective Disorder is characterized by an uninterrupted period of illness during which there is a major mood episode (major depressive or manic) concurrent with at least 2 criteria out of 5 of schizophrenia.

Lestat displays 2 symptoms of schizophrenia (A):

Delusions (mentioned above)

Hallucinations: He is haunted by Claudia.

Lestat also displays the main symptom of a major mood episode, which is depressed mood. We can see his depression and the symptoms of his schizoaffective disorder (delusions, hallucinations, and depressed mood) portrayed in several episodes, but mainly S2.E8.

3.0 Bipolar and Related Disorders

3.1 Bipolar I Disorder:

For a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder, it is necessary to meet the following criteria for a manic episode. Lestat displays 5 symptoms out of 7 for a manic episode in S2.E7:

Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.

More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.

Distractibility (attention too easily drawn to irrelevant external stimuli).

Increase in goal-directed activity.

Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences.

The trial is followed with a depressive episode on his side, therefore, he displays the two distinct ends of Bipolar I: manic episode followed by a depressive episode. Lestat, according to this, can be diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder.

4.0 Depressive Disorders

4.1 Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder:

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder is characterized by severe recurrent temper outbursts manifested verbally (e.g., verbal rages) and/or behaviorally (e.g., physical aggression toward people or property) that are grossly out of proportion in intensity or duration to the situation or provocation.

In many episodes, we can see Lestat being verbally and physically aggressive towards Claudia and Louis, let alone many others that he later kills. In the DSM-V, it is concluded that Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder and Bipolar I Disorder cannot coexist, so it is not safe to say Lestat 100% have this disorder, but I thought it was worth mentioning as he displays the symptoms for it.

4.2 Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia):

Dysthymia is characterized by a depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated by either subjective account or observation by others, for at least 2 years.

Lestat displays 4 symptoms out of 6 for Dysthymia in S2.E8 and later in the song Long Face:

Poor appetite or overeating: ‘I'll get fatter when we break up.’ In this lyric, he mentions how he overeats (or rather overdrains people).

Low self-esteem.

Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.

Feelings of hopelessness.

In the DSM-V, it is stated that there has not been a manic or hypomanic episode during the period of Dysthymia, which we cannot be sure if that is the case with Lestat, as I diagnosed him with Bipolar I earlier. However, S2.E8 and the Vampire Lestat era happens well after S2.E7, so we can assume that he had not had a manic episode and his mood disorder turned into Dysthymia.

5.0 Anxiety Disorders

5.1 Separation Anxiety Disorder:

Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from those to whom the individual is attached.

Lestat displays at least 4 symptoms out of 8 for Separation Anxiety Disorder:

Recurrent excessive distress when anticipating or experiencing separation from home or from major attachment figures: He constantly tries to make Louis stay because he is scared of him leaving.

Persistent and excessive worry about losing major attachment figures or about possible harm to them, such as illness, injury, disasters, or death: ‘Did you hurt yourself?’

Persistent reluctance or refusal to sleep away from home or to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure.

Persistent and excessive fear of or reluctance about being alone or without major attachment figures at home or in other settings: He tries to win Louis back because he is scared of being without him.

Therefore, it is possible to say Lestat can be diagnosed with Separation Anxiety Disorder, as he himself mentions how he does not like being left behind.

6.0 Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

6.1 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

OCD is the presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both.

Lestat displays 2 symptoms out of 2 for obsessions:

Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress: In S2.E8, he mentions his recurrent thoughts about Claudia and how he cannot get over it.

The individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.

Lestat also displays symptoms out of 2 for compulsions:

Repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly: He plays the piano as he did with Claudia to get rid of the obsession.

The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress.

To be diagnosed with OCD, any of these 4 symptoms is necessary, and Lestat, arguably, displays all of them, so he is diagnosed with OCD by me.

7.0 Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

7.1 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. There are several criteria to be diagnosed with it.

Lestat displays 3 symptoms out of 4 for exposure to actual or threatened death, and serious injury:

Directly experiencing the traumatic event: Claudia and Louis attempted to kill him.

Witnessing, in person, the event as it occurred to others: He was there to watch the Trial and he witnessed Claudia dying.

Learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend: He learned that Louis tried to harm himself.

Lestat displays 4 symptoms out of 5 for presence of intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event:

Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event: He cannot get the death of Claudia out of his mind. He also still thinks about Louis harming himself.

Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event were recurring.

Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.

Marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.

Lestat’s PTSD is multifaceted, as there have been several different traumatic events that had shocked him and endangered him (e.g., Magnus, the Trial, S1.E7, the death of Nicki). According to Sam Reid, Claudia will haunt Lestat in S3, so we will see more of his reactions to his PTSD.

8.0 Feeding and Eating Disorders

8.1 Pica:

Pica is characterized by persistent eating of nonnutritive, nonfood substances over a period of at least 1 month. Which is, pretty much, seen in every vampire. It does not take a psychologist to diagnose vampires with Pica. They are Pica.

8.2 Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder:

ARFID is characterized by an eating or feeding disturbance as manifested by the person avoiding certain foods. As can be seen in many episodes, Lestat constantly judges Louis for feeding only from animals instead of humans. Lestat prefers human blood only, making him a restrictive food intaker.

8.3 Binge Eating Disorder:

Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating.

Lestat displays 2 out of 2 symptoms for an episode of binge eating:

Eating, in a discrete period of time, an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances.

A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode.

In the song ‘Long Face’, Lestat talks about binge feeding after a breakup in which he eventually gains weight from the amount of blood he consumes. Do vampires get overweight? I don’t know, but that’s what he says, so I diagnose him with Binge Eating Disorder.

9.0 Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders

9.1 Oppositional Defiant Disorder:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting at least 6 months.

Lestat displays 6 symptoms out of 8 for Oppositional Defiant Disorder:

Often loses temper: e.g. when playing chess with Claudia, when Claudia came back and he beat up Louis.

Is often touchy or easily annoyed.

Is often angry and resentful.

Often deliberately annoys others.

Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior.

Has been spiteful or vindictive at least twice within the past 6 months.

Therefore, it can be easily said that Lestat is not a bad person, he is just mentally ill.

9.2 Intermittent Explosive Disorder:

Intermittent Explosive Disorder is characterized by recurrent behavioral outbursts representing a failure to control aggressive impulses.

Lestat displays 2 symptoms out of 2 for failure to control aggressive impulses:

Verbal aggression or physical aggression toward property, animals, or other individuals: Going crazy after losing in chess, choking Claudia, beating up Louis.

Three behavioral outbursts involving damage or destruction of property and/or physical assault involving physical injury against animals or other individuals occurring within a 12-month period: It possibly happens more for Lestat.

10.0 Personality Disorders

10.1 Borderline Personality Disorder:

BPD is a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts.

Lestat displays 7 symptoms out of 9 for Borderline Personality Disorder:

Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment: He does everything in order to keep Louis.

A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.

Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.

Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging: Cheating on partners, money spending, substance abuse can be seen in Lestat.

Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood.

Chronic feelings of emptiness.

Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (as mentioned in Disruptive & Impulse-Control Disorders).

As guessed by many people, BPD is the disorder that Lestat relates to the most. He obviously displays a lot of symptoms of it and therefore easily can be diagnosed with it by any professional.

10.2 Histrionic Personality Disorder:

Histrionic Personality Disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts.

Lestat displays 6 symptoms out of 8 for Histrionic Personality Disorder:

Is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention.

Interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior.

Displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions.

Consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self.

Shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion.

Considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are.

Lestat can easily be seen as ‘the life of the party’ and if he is not the center of the attention, you best believe he will do something about it. He displays enough symptoms to be diagnosed with HPD.

11.0 Paraphilic Disorders

11.1 Voyeuristic Disorder:

Voyeuristic Disorder is characterized by recurrent and intense sexual arousal from observing an unsuspecting person who is naked, in the process of disrobing, or engaging in sexual activity, as manifested by fantasies, urges, or behaviors.

In S1.E1 we see that Lestat likes watching Louis having sex with another woman. Louis asks Lestat, ‘That’s your thing? You like to watch?’.

11.2 Sexual Masochism Disorder:

Sexual Masochism is recurrent and intense sexual arousal from the act of being humiliated, beaten, bound, or otherwise made to suffer, as manifested by fantasies, urges, or behaviors.

When Dreamstat comes back to Louis, there is a scene in which Lestat provokes Louis by saying ‘Kill me again.’, and he laughs as Louis hits him, chokes him, and although that is Louis’ dream of Lestat, I think it’s safe to say Lestat had enjoyed that kind of behavior before. When Louis takes Lestat back, we also see how beaten up Lestat is, and it happens after they have sex.

Part II: Psychological Theories

1.0 Social Exchange Theory:

Social Exchange Theory is a concept based on the idea that social behavior is the result of an exchange process. According to this theory, people weigh the potential benefits and risks of their social relationships. When the risks outweigh the rewards, they will terminate or abandon the relationship. The purpose of this exchange is to maximize benefits and minimize costs.

Lestat lives his life by this theory. He is often driven by his desires and passions. He craves companionship and love but also seeks dominance and control over others.

Costs:

Emotional Turmoil: Lestat's intense relationships often lead to emotional conflicts and suffering, both for him and his companions.

Risk of Rejection: His desire for deep connections makes him vulnerable to rejection and betrayal, as seen with Louis.

Loneliness: Despite seeking companionship, Lestat frequently finds himself isolated due to his nature and actions.

Rewards:

Companionship: Lestat values the presence of others, particularly those who can understand his nature and share his experiences.

Power and Control: He often derives satisfaction from having power over others, which boosts his sense of significance and dominance.

Excitement and Adventure: Lestat’s relationships often bring new experiences and adventures, which he craves as part of his rebellious spirit.

His interactions are driven by the pursuit of rewards such as companionship, power, and adventure, while also dealing with the costs of emotional turmoil, conflict, and isolation.

2.0 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:

This psychological theory posits that human motivations are structured in a hierarchy, ranging from basic physiological needs to self-actualization. Lestat’s actions and motivations often reflect his quest to fulfill these needs, from the basic physiological requirement for blood to his pursuit of self-actualization through personal growth and creative expression.

Needs:

Physiological:

Vampiric Thirst: As a vampire, Lestat's primary physiological need is the consumption of blood. This need drives many of his actions, ensuring his survival.

Immortality: Unlike humans, Lestat doesn't need food, water, or shelter in the traditional sense. His physiological need is centered around obtaining blood and ensuring his physical survival as an immortal being.

Safety:

Physical Safety: Lestat seeks to protect himself from threats, both from humans and other vampires. This includes avoiding vampire hunters and rival vampires who may wish to harm him.

Existential Safety: Lestat grapples with the existential nature of his immortality and seeks to find stability in his long existence. This often involves creating and maintaining secure environments where he can exist without threat.

Love and Belongingness:

Companionship: Lestat's relationships with Louis, Claudia, and others highlight his deep need for companionship and belonging. Despite his often domineering nature, Lestat craves intimate connections.

Vampire Family: His creation of a vampire family with Louis and Claudia is an attempt to fulfill his need for love and belonging. He seeks to create a close-knit group that can understand and share his experiences.

Esteem:

Respect and Recognition: Lestat desires recognition and respect from both humans and vampires. His flamboyant and rebellious behavior often serves as a way to assert his presence and command attention.

Self-Esteem: Lestat struggles with his self-esteem, oscillating between grandiosity and self-doubt. He seeks validation through his actions and the admiration of others.

Self Actualization:

Personal Growth: Lestat's journey throughout the series is marked by his pursuit of knowledge, self-discovery, and personal growth. He constantly seeks to understand his place in the world and the meaning of his existence.

Art and Music: Lestat's involvement in the arts, particularly his passion for music, is an expression of his self-actualization. These creative pursuits allow him to explore and express his individuality and inner world.

Transcendence: At times, Lestat seeks experiences that go beyond his own existence, exploring the metaphysical and spiritual aspects of being a vampire. This includes his encounters with ancient vampires and other supernatural beings.

3.0 The Myers-Briggs Test (MBTI):

The MBTI categorizes personalities into 16 types based on four dichotomies:

Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)

Extraversion (E): Lestat is highly extraverted. He thrives on interaction with others and seeks out social engagement, whether with humans or other vampires. He loves being the center of attention, often drawing others to him with his charm and charisma.

Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)

Intuition (N): Lestat is intuitive, often looking beyond the surface to understand deeper meanings and possibilities. He is driven by his curiosity and desire for new experiences and knowledge.

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

Feeling (F): Although Lestat can be calculating and strategic, his decisions are often influenced by his emotions and personal values. He experiences intense emotions and is deeply affected by his relationships and experiences.

Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

Perceiving (P): Lestat is spontaneous, adaptable, and often prefers to keep his options open. He is not one for strict plans or routines and enjoys the freedom to explore and act on impulse.

Lestat's personality aligns well with the ENFP type in the Myers-Briggs framework. His extraversion, intuition, emotional depth, and spontaneous nature define his character and drive his actions.

4.0 Freud’s Ego Psychology:

Freud's model of the psyche is composed of three main elements: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. Each of these components plays a critical role in shaping an individual's actions and interactions. Through this psychology, Lestat can be understood as a dynamic interplay between his Id-driven desires, his Ego's attempts to navigate reality, and his Superego's moral contemplations.

The Id:

Desires and Instincts: Lestat's Id is strongly represented by his vampiric desires and instincts. His need for blood, thrill-seeking behavior, and hedonistic pursuits are driven by the Id's demand for immediate gratification. Lestat’s frequent indulgence in bloodlust, his desire for power, and his pursuit of pleasure without concern for consequences highlight his Id-driven actions. His transformation into a vampire amplifies these primal desires.

The Ego:

Reality Principle: Lestat’s Ego attempts to balance his powerful Id with the demands of reality. This is evident in his strategic thinking and ability to navigate the complexities of human and vampire societies. Lestat's efforts to create a successful career as a rock star and his ability to form and maintain complex relationships (despite their tumultuous nature) demonstrate his Ego at work. He often calculates his actions to achieve his desires while managing external realities.

The Superego:

Moral Conscience: Lestat’s Superego is less dominant than his Id, but it is still present. His reflections on morality, guilt, and his existential musings show the influence of his Superego. Lestat's internal conflicts and occasional guilt over his actions indicate the presence of his Superego. His moments of introspection, particularly when he questions the morality of his vampiric existence, highlight this aspect of his psyche.

Lestat experiences significant internal conflicts between his Id, Ego, and Superego. His hedonistic desires often clash with his moments of moral contemplation and the need to adapt to reality. He often projects his own desires and frustrations onto others, such as Louis and Claudia. His complex relationships involve elements of transference, where he relives past traumas and desires through his interactions with them.

5.0 Jung’s Archetypes:

Jung's theory of archetypes suggests that there are universal, archaic symbols and images that derive from the collective unconscious. These archetypes manifest in literature and myths, often embodying fundamental human experiences and traits.

The Self:

Integration and Wholeness: Throughout the series, Lestat's journey can be seen as a quest for integration and self-understanding. He seeks to reconcile his various aspects and achieve a sense of wholeness.

The Shadow:

Dark Aspects: Lestat's Shadow includes his violent tendencies, selfish desires, and the darker aspects of his vampiric nature. He often grapples with these parts of himself, leading to internal conflict and moral ambiguity.

The Anima:

Feminine Qualities: Lestat's Anima is reflected in his deep emotional connections and his capacity for empathy and love, despite his often ruthless behavior. His relationships with Louis and Claudia reveal his nurturing and protective sides.

The Persona:

Public Face: Lestat's Persona is highly cultivated, presenting himself as charismatic, charming, and flamboyant. He is a performer both literally (as a rock star) and metaphorically, often masking his deeper, more troubled self.

The Hero:

Quest and Challenges: Lestat embodies the Hero archetype through his constant quest for meaning, adventure, and self-discovery. He faces numerous challenges and often acts as a catalyst for change in the vampire world.

The Trickster:

Mischief and Chaos: Lestat often plays the role of the Trickster, causing disruption and challenging societal norms. His rebellious nature and tendency to create chaos reflect this archetype.

His public Persona, the dark Shadow, the nurturing Anima, the heroic quest, the Trickster's chaos, and the journey towards the Self all contribute to his multifaceted character.

6.0 Attachment Theory:

Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby and later expanded by Mary Ainsworth, examines how early relationships with caregivers shape an individual's patterns of attachment and behavior in later relationships.

Lestat's early life as a human was marked by complex relationships with his family, particularly his mother, Gabrielle. His father was neglectful and abusive, while his mother was more supportive but distant due to her own struggles. These early experiences likely influenced Lestat's attachment style, contributing to his complex and often tumultuous relationships later in life.

Disorganized Attachment: Lestat exhibits traits of disorganized attachment, characterized by a mix of anxious and avoidant behaviors. His relationships are marked by intense emotions, fear of abandonment, and difficulty maintaining stable bonds. This theory highlights his struggles with intimacy, fear of abandonment, and need for control.

7.0 Social Identity Theory:

This theory explores how individuals derive a sense of identity and self-esteem from their membership in social groups, and how these group dynamics influence intergroup behavior.

Social Categorization:

Vampire Identity: Lestat categorizes himself primarily as a vampire, which becomes a core aspect of his identity. This categorization distinguishes him from humans and other supernatural beings. Lestat's transformation into a vampire and his subsequent embrace of vampiric traits and behaviors mark his entry into this distinct social category. He frequently identifies himself as part of the vampire world, even when challenging its norms.

Social Identification:

Group Membership: Lestat identifies strongly with the vampire community, despite often rebelling against its rules and leaders. His identity as a vampire shapes his actions, relationships, and self-perception. Lestat’s relationships with other vampires, such as Louis, Claudia, Armand, and even ancient vampires like Akasha, reflect his deep connection to the vampire identity. His desire to understand and sometimes reshape the vampire world shows his commitment to this group.

Social Comparison:

Ingroup vs. Outgroup: Lestat often compares himself and his vampire companions to humans and other supernatural entities. This comparison reinforces his sense of superiority and uniqueness.

His categorization as a vampire, identification with the vampire community, and comparison with humans and other vampires shape his actions and self-perception. The intragroup dynamics, including power struggles, status seeking, and identity crises, further highlight the complexities of his social identity.

8.0 Five Factor Model of Personality:

The Five-Factor Model includes five broad dimensions of personality:

Openness to Experience:

High Openness: Lestat exhibits high levels of openness. He is curious about the world, adventurous, and willing to explore new experiences, both as a vampire and in his human endeavors.

Conscientiousness:

Low to Moderate Conscientiousness: Lestat demonstrates lower levels of conscientiousness. He often acts impulsively and disregards conventional norms or plans.

Extraversion:

High Extraversion: Lestat is highly extraverted. He thrives on social interaction, enjoys being the center of attention, and is energized by engaging with others.

Agreeableness:

Low to Moderate Agreeableness: Lestat shows varying levels of agreeableness. While he can be charming and charismatic, his actions often reflect self-interest and a lack of empathy.

Neuroticism:

Moderate to High Neuroticism: Lestat exhibits moderate to high levels of neuroticism. He frequently experiences emotional turmoil, existential angst, and inner conflict.

Lestat’s personality, as analyzed through the Five-Factor Model, reveals a complex character with high openness and extraversion, but lower conscientiousness and agreeableness, alongside significant neuroticism. These traits contribute to his charismatic, adventurous, and often tumultuous nature.

In conclusion, I diagnosed Lestat with 18 mental disorders (according to DSM-V) and analyzed his personality through 8 different psychological theories. I don't necessarily say that I am right, but given the psychology degree I have, I am pretty much sure of what I have concluded here with this.

Much love,

Zenith

#lestat de lioncourt #iwtv lestat #the vampire lestat #rockstar lestat #amc iwtv #iwtv #iwtv s2 #iwtv season 2 #interview with the vampire #psychology #mental health #diagnosis

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sophieinwonderland · 4 months ago

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r/systemscringe is perplexed at being called out for being misinformed! Spreads even more misinformation!

Dr. Eric Yarbrough is one.

The creators of the theory of structural dissociation have also said it may be possible to form self-conscious dissociative parts without a disorder.

Yes, him too Ari!

So weird how people will look at one of the foremost experts on DID, who has been studying since dissociative identity disorder since their parents were in diapers, and put "qualified" in quotations.

But that's r/systemscringe for you. 🤷‍♀️

Also, these are just a few that could be described as "therapists."

There are plenty of other psychologists and psychiatrists that I'm not sure if they actually perform "therapy," but nevertheless have studied plurality.

This paper, for example, includes several names of doctors.

Susan C. Turell, Christopher Wolf-Gould, and Matthew A. Adan are all doctors. (Some of the others may be too but I'm not certain.)

Additionally, tulpamancy has been acknowledged as a real psychological phenomenon and has been studied by Dr. Michael Lifshitz and Dr. Samuel Veissiere, both professors at McGill University.

Not according to the DSM-5!

Way to prove the point though about being armchair psychologists!

Clearly, you guys aren't looking at the DSM-5 Grace, if u/Inevitable_Wolf5866 and their upvoters are anything to go by.

They're almost saying the quiet part out loud and revealing that they think any doctor who believes in endogenic plurality, regardless of credentials or experience, is untrustworthy and not credible solely because they believe in endogenic plurality and no other reason.

This is why you can't cite doctors to change their minds. Their criteria for trustworthiness is that the doctor doesn't believe in endogenic plurality. Therefore, doctors who believe in endogenic plurality aren't credible.

"Doctor Shopping" is a favorite phrase by cringizens to justify fakeclaiming people who have been diagnosed. "We're not wrong, you just visited multiple doctors until you got one that told you what you wanted to hear."

This isn't even a correct use of the term! "Doctor shopping" was originally used to describe drug addicts visiting multiple doctors to get their hands on prescription medications.

Doctor shopping to get a diagnosis of a disorder that can only be treated with therapy isn't doctor shopping. The term you're looking for is "getting a second opinion."

Which is a pretty fair thing to do. Especially when anyone who knows anything about dissociative identity disorder knows that it's frequently misdiagnosed as other disorders, with some doctors not even believing it exists, and patients enduring ineffective treatments for years before getting a correct diagnosis. Getting second or third opinions when you believe you're being misdiagnosed is perfectly valid, and actually really important to do.

Not just for DID but physical conditions as well. Plenty of people have been misdiagnosed and would have died if they didn't get a second opinion. We don't have any idea how many have died from treatable conditions because they didn't get a second opinion.

I don't know, Sicko, how you can scroll the subreddit for 5 minutes and not see all the misinformation from its users, like that which I just pointed out above.

Oh wait! I actually do! It's called willful ignorance!

#syscourse #pro endogenic #pro endo #systempunk #syspunk #sysblr #multiplicity #systems #psychology #psychiatry #systemscringe #r/systemscringe #hate groups #hate group #actually plural #actually a system

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cccat-in-a-meat-sack · 1 year ago

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Masterlist of information and resources for dissociative disorders, including dissociative amnesia, depersonalization-derealization disorder, and dissociative identity disorder (+ subtypes)

**THESE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ARE NOT TO BE USED TO SELF-DX YOURSELF. THESE ARE MEANT TO BE A STARTING POINT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISORDERS. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING, DO MORE RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN. AND IF YOU CAN, SEE AND TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL. FURTHERMORE, I CAN BE WRONG! THESE ARTICLES CAN BE WRONG! YOU CAN SEND US ARTICLES/PAPERS ON ANYTHING HERE TO CORRECT US, AS LONG AS IT IS NOT A CARRD OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. THIS IS A STARTING POINT, A LAUNCHPAD IF YOU WILL, NOT THE FINISH LINE. **

I would also like to remind you that all systems are different. Systemhood is a spectrum, and you will see this in multiple articles on this masterlist.

Many of these articles come from did-research.org. If anyone has any other articles or papers for any of the following topics, please either dm me or send an ask. Do not reblog/comment with the article/paper.

**Some links may contain mentions of cult abuse and/or ritual abuse. This will be mostly in the polyfragmented area of this masterlist.

An overview of dissociative disorders

Resources for dissociative disorders

Expert questions and answers (the switching one in this is not very accurate, I touched on it more in the DID portion of this masterlist)

What causes dissociation (focuses more on DID but still important. please note that it's very long and wordy.)

6 DID myths (another long and wordy one. touches on the following: the belief that DID is a “fad”, the belief that DID is primarily diagnosed in North America by DID experts who overdiagnose the disorder, the belief that DID is rare, the belief that DID is an iatrogenic disorder rather than a trauma-based disorder, the belief that DID is the same entity as borderline personality disorder, and the belief that DID treatment is harmful to patients. Iatrogenic, in this instance, means "induced in a patient by the treatment or comments of a physician" according to the National Institutes of Health)

7 DID myths (easier to read, and covers different topics. Confirms there is not a limit to how many alters a system can have.)

Even more DID myths (NOTE. This article will say that different alters can have their own mental health issues. Please refer to "Can alters have different disorders than the body?" in the Dissociative Identity Disorder section of this post.)

You can find the start of the DSM-5 information on dissociative disorders here, page 336

A quick overview of Dissociative Disorders (this one has OSDD and subtypes)

DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA:

What it is + cases/examples

More information, explanations of treatment, and other important Q&A's

Other information (basically a summary of the above two, but might be a little easier to read)

Amnesia in Dissociative Amnesia

More types of Amnesia in Dissociative Amnesia

DEPERSONALIZATION-DEREALIZATION DISORDER:

Causes, Symptoms, and more

Living with the disorder, treatment, diagnosis, and more (the overview/symptoms and causes isn't entirely accurate, but still provides a baseline)

A more compact version of the above two (but less in-depth)

An easier to read version of the above two (least in depth but covers the basics)

The most in depth (but also hardest to read and contains a lot of long words and sentences without a lot of breaks. tiny font too)

DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER:

Overview of DID

What causes DID? (scroll down to "Risk Factors")

What causes DID? (part 2)

The Theory of Structural Dissociation (the very long and complicated version)

The Theory of Structural Dissociation

Problems with the Theory of Structural Dissociation

What are alters?

Different types of alters (This one goes into detail not only about what alters are, but different types of them and how they help the body/mind. There is some misinformation sprinkled within, so don't take anything as a total fact until you do further research.)

Different types of alters (this one is easier to read and created by a system who is/was in therapy. I am uncertain if the system is diagnosed, but the basic alters and basic functions match up with many diagnosed DID systems.)

Notes on non-human alters (and why you can have entire systems of just non-human alters)

Fictives (this was literally the only article i could find. please send me more.)

A paper that talks about DID and fictives (this one was sent to me and I was unable to read it due to personal reasons)

Is there a limit to how many alters a system can have? (A woman who was diagnosed with DID was reported to have 2,500 alters)

Is there a limit to how many alters a system can have? (A center in Utah who specializes in DID confirms as many as 4,500 alters have been reported)

Is there a limit to how many alters a system can have? (Researchers are still unsure, but up to 4,500 have been reported. Scroll down to "multiple personalities")

Fragments (the most basic definition)

Fragments (scroll down to F)

Fragments

OSDD and UDD

An overview of the types of OSDD

OSDD Type 1 (You can find OSDD-1B and OSDD-1A in there)

OSDD Type 2 and OSDD Type 3 (there was barely any information on these two outside of wikipedia and other not-really-professional blogs that i had access to, but I tried my best)

OSDD Type 2 and OSDD Type 3

OSDD Type 4 (this will take you to a page called "Trance Disorder". That is what it's called in the ICD-11) (Possession Trance Disorder is also similar, you can find that here)

P-DID/Partial DID

Splitting, is it always trauma based? (the short answer, no. Direct quote: Many individuals cannot split unless a split is strictly necessary for their protection, functioning, or ability to remain hidden as a system. That said, there are exceptions. Some individuals may become so used to using splitting as a coping mechanism that they may split easily in response to seemingly minor stressors. For example, if an individual finds going to the doctor triggering, an alter may split that exists only to attend medical appointments. In some cases, systems may be so destabilized that even trauma processing leads to the creation of new parts.)

Polyfragmented DID: the very very basics

Polyfragmented DID: notes from a diagnosed polyfragmented DID system

Polyfragmented DID (you can find it on the side bar)

More notes on polyfragmented DID from a system, unable to tell if the system is diagnosed or in therapy

Comorbid disorders

Can alters have different disorders than the body? (I couldn't find a link, but short answer, yes and no. Neurodevelopmental disorders are things that are shared by all headmates, since it's all the same brain. So things like autism, ADHD, conduct disorders, those all are implemented into the brain and therefore all alters will have them. For stuff like eating disorders however, one alter may struggle with an eating disorder while others might not. Different alters can also present different symptoms/severity of a disorder.)

This is a post about a system(?) talking about fusion and their experiences

Integration and Fusion (or in simpler terms, integration is the act of breaking down amnesia barriers and building communication. Fusion is the act of fully integrating two parts into one.)

Dormancy (I could not find a good/reliable link, but it's basically when an alter "goes to sleep" for a period of time. This period of time can be long or short, and can happen for a multitude of reasons.)

Final Fusion and Functional Multiplicity

Time loss, Co Fronting, and Co Consciousness

Switching (covers passive influence too)

Passive Influence defined

Basics types of amnesia, not necessarily system related

More types of amnesia

The three most common types of amnesia from the system community, not necessarily scientific

-Emotional amnesia: where you don’t remember any emotions that you were feeling during the memory.

-Greyouts: when you remember what happened but have no memories of it, as if someone told you about the event and you might be able to recall certain details, but you weren’t there.

-Blackouts: when you don’t remember anything about what happened, and you often don’t remember that you missed something.

Innerworlds

Subsystems

Apparently Normal Parts and Emotional Parts

Primary Structural Dissociation

Secondary Structural Dissociation

Tertiary Structural Dissociation

You can find more resources here

A helpline that can help you understand and manage PTSD, dissociative disorders, and trauma can be found at (410) 825-8888 according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness

Crisis Text Line is a Text and Online Chat service provides 24/7 free support to those struggling with various mental health issues, including DID. Online chat: crisistextline.org Text: 741741

NAMI offers a volunteer helpline staffed by knowledgeable professionals who can answer your questions and connect you with valuable resources within your area. Call: (800) 950-6264 Text: Text "Helpline" to 62640

Basically every hotline you could need

Once again, these resources and information are not to be used to self-dx yourself. That means do not read this information and immediately say "oh yea i have this disorder". This is meant to be a starting point to learn more about dissociative disorders. If you feel like you might have any, do more research on your own. And, if you can, see and talk to a professional about it. These articles can be wrong. I can be wrong. We accept articles/papers/studies on anything here to correct us. Our only request is that it is not a carrd or something along those lines. This information is a starting point, and is not final.

Another good post about the basics of DID (not dissociative disorders in general, just DID and subtypes) can be found here

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cultpastorkevin · 1 year ago

Text

Dependent Personality Disorder, Kevin Day, & the Edgar Allan Ravens

brought to you by an ex cult pastor w/ crippling mental issues

well let’s just jump right into it ngl (also if I miss anything or forget something give me a pass I have amnesia and a one track mind so I definitely missed stuff)

Okay so the whole Ravens always have a partner, never go anywhere alone, if one fails you both pay, etc. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks and I don’t see it broken down and discussed at length enough, so imma try to do that from a mixed personal experience & psychology perspective

The fact Jean, Neil and Kevin have all stated in books and in the extra content that not having that presence next to them was devastating (much less so for Neil okay he didn’t spend fucking years there); Nora has also talked about how Ravens are basically unable to function if left alone; you can’t send them to the store alone or leave them places or expect them to be capable of completing tasks without their other half; TSC reeks of Jean having to learn how to function without a double and it’s gonna be a trainwreck for Jeremy bc how the fuck can Jean be this old and not feel able to have a room on his own anyways—

What is Dependent Personality Disorder?

The DSM-5 refers to DPD as a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, which leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation. It is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety. DPD begins by early adulthood, is present in a variety of contexts, and is associated with inadequate functioning. Symptoms can include anything from extreme passivity, devastation, or helplessness when relationships end; avoidance of responsibilities; and severe submission.

According to the DSM-5, the disorder is indicated by at least five of the following factors:

has difficulty making everyday decisions without an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others.

needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of their life.

has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of loss of support or approval.

has difficulty initiating projects or doing things on their own (because of a lack of self-confidence in judgment or abilities rather than a lack of motivation or energy).

goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant.

feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears of being unable to care for themselves.

urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends.

is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of themselves.

Since I only need 5, and I don’t want to bore everyone to death, I’ll just do 5.

needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of their life

Kevin spent well, basically his entire life having everything picked out for him by others. Exy was chosen for him. Where he lived, when he slept, what he ate and when was chosen. Riko and Tetsuji dictated his every fucking step up until he left. Kevin didn’t learn anything he wasn’t supposed to learn and therefore automatically expected others to do it for him because that’s what he was taught to do. Kevin’s only skill in life is Exy, which means he doesn’t have any other skills (well he does, he just doesn’t think they’re useful or important). Ravens are taught to be dependent on each other because without each other, they’re not whole or a person; they’re dehumanized until they begin to assign responsibility to someone they think is more equipped for it, is better for it, which is usually an authority figure (in this case, those figures are Riko and Tetsuji). Tetsuji knew exactly what he was doing by creating the psychological mindfuck of an inter-dependent group that is the Ravens. He took a bunch of young adults, gave them a god, and then helped that god beat them into numb dissociation until they couldn’t think for themselves and were even afraid to.

has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of loss of support or approval

Reminder that DPD is prevalent in people who have been excessively abused and it’s also characterized by extreme anxiety. For people like Kevin and the Ravens, expressing anything other than what Riko and Tetsuji wanted could get them killed; it wasn’t just about being terrified of disapproval or protection, it was because losing anything from the group meant you were gonna get hurt (usually badly). Jean was literally waterboarded for shits and giggles, you think Riko is gonna take someone saying no very well (Neil Josten drove him insane I can tell u that much)? Ravens have a hive mind mentality because a hive mind keeps them alive and safe. Kevin had a hive mind when he was with Riko, and I’d argue he still had the remnants of one when he was with the Foxes. Riko breaking his hand was the only thing that broke him out of it, and even then, it barely did. Kevin only started mouthing off to Riko when Neil (bless his scrungly ass) started shaking Riko’s brain like a maraca. He had someone he could depend on in those situations because, again, Ravens always do things together. Kevin wouldn’t fucking dream of shitting on Riko at Kathy’s show by himself. Kevin spent 10+ years at Evermore with his sanity hanging on the hook of a batshit adoptive brother whose approval or disapproval would dictate if he was allowed to sleep. So yeah, I’d say Kevin had a violent need to always express agreement and do everything Riko wanted whether he liked it or not because the anxiety and terror of not doing so outweighed any sense of self preservation he could have. That ties in w the next one.

goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant

Riko utilized abuse in a lot of ways; Nora put in her extra content that he had other Ravens rape Jean; imo, those Ravens most likely didn’t fucking want to, but going to excessive lengths to stay within his approval and be safe? Yeah, they were gonna do it. Tetsuji and Riko also make the Ravens never miss practice or any other shit they want them to do, regardless of the state they’re in. Which means you’re going to practice when you’ve been raped the night before; it means you’re going to practice after getting butchered all night by your other half, etc. Anyways; when Kevin works with the Foxes, he repeatedly does the opposite and basically throws a fit if someone steps on court that isn’t in shape to. This begs the eye raiser that he didn’t want those things happening at Evermore, but he did them anyways because his need for approval and the anxiety of not doing so, outweighed the fact he hated doing it. He was so dependent on Riko and staying close that he was pretty willing to toss anyone and everyone under the bus to meet expectations even if they left a nauseating pit in his stomach. Doing unpleasant things for the person you’re attached to is hard, but their praise and approval after the actions erase all previous anxieties, which then fuels a broken cycle of seeking out that approval and continuing to engage in unpleasant actions out of fear of not recieving that pending approval afterwards. It’s hard to explain succinctly the mindfuck DPD causes your thoughts to be like when you have it.

urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends

Kevin lost Riko. You know what he gets next? Fucking Andrew. I don’t even know if I need to explain this one because Kevin’s dependency on Andrew is so prevalent and excruciatingly obvious throughout the whole series lmao. Kevin ain’t gonna admit it but he relies on Andrew like a starving man relies on garbage (no offense Andrew). Kevin’s duo dependency with Riko was shattered to its core and guess what idiot he latches onto to fill the void? Andrew ofc. I think out of everyone, Andrew is probably the healthiest until Neil comes along (still think it should’ve been a polycule but I digress).

Riko’s obsessiveness and possessiveness with Kevin was crippling to Kevin and left him without the ability to exist without a buffer. Andrew’s apathetic ass and explicit understanding of consent is needed to balance out Riko’s emotional instability and disregard for Kevin’s autonomy. I would go so far as to say it was dependency that forced Kevin to become more independent because Andrew wasn’t going to sit on his ass and wait for Kevin to figure it out or heal. Kevin only struggled into some form of functionality out of what I personally see as a crippling people pleasing need to be useful and that came from being dependent on those around him. He became semi functional (I use this so vaguely bc that man would not be functional in the real world) out of necessity and obligation to those around him, not because he actually healed or processed his shit.

Ignoring your own issues to meet expectations of the one(s) you’re dependent on is stereotypical avoidance and signs of people pleasing and also it’s a trauma response. Kevin quite literally just went “yeah well I have some problems but I’m going to push those aside bc nothing else matters besides Exy” and then proceeded for the entire series to use Exy, Neil, and Andrew as ways to try to avoid his trauma history. He’s kinda insane for that but also I get it, because placing your trauma lower than something else and then in turn obsessing over something or someone helps you compartmentalize and pseudo-function until you eventually snap and have a massive meltdown. Another thing is that when you’re living in an abusive environment you can’t afford those meltdowns. I like think that after all the shit happened in AFTG, Kevin just lost his shit for a period of time because it’s a very reasonable trauma response in victims for once you’re finally safe, you just shatter from all the pressure you’ve been avoiding in yourself. It’s only after you shatter that you can heal, and you can’t do that unless you’re in a space that you’re allowed to. And Tetsuji kept his Ravens in a headspace where they couldn’t.

feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears of being unable to care for themselves

Ngl I’ve kinda already covered aspects of this but I just wanna reiterate what Nora said abt this specifically in her extra content that “Kevin is the one who warns Jeremy he (Jean) cannot go anywhere alone, “we Ravens don’t know how” and “Being able to go to class or the grocery store or the gym without any of his teammates in attendance is just—unfathomable” in regards to Jean Moreau’s transition into the Trojans. This is just kinda, explanatory. We’re talking about college age athletes who have been hazed and abused so much that the idea of going to a class alone isn’t even a concept to them; Kevin explicitly tells Jeremy that Ravens don’t know how to do things. They’re dependent on each other. Kevin is not only speaking to help Jean, but when he says “us Ravens” he’s including himself in that statement because he can’t either and he knows how hard it is to try to acclimate to suddenly being thrust into individuality when you haven’t had it in years. Unlike most of the Ravens, Kevin and Riko (and eventually Jean as well) grew up having that inter dependency made into a core personality trait. They hate each other and they love each other, their failures and wins depend on each other, one can’t breathe without the other suffering for it. At what point does trained and conditioned, and ultimately encouraged, dependent behavior turn into brainwashing and dehumanization until there’s nothing left of you but the one you’re dependent on?

Finally

I’m not saying Kevin Day or all of the Ravens have DPD; but what I am saying is that they have extreme traits at the least of it and it is entirely fucking reasonable to me that at least a few of them ended up with DPD or similar disorders because of the shit that happened to them in the Nest. People forget that trauma and adverse circumstances (especially from young ages like Kevin and Riko and Jean) can cause you to develop disorders or even mimic symptoms of disorders because those traumatic events caused reactions that are disordered behaviors. I feel if anything is to be nitpicked, it’s Kevin’s absolute bitchiness, because god he can be an asshole, and someone somewhere could argue because he has that antagonistic streak, DPD is entirely out of the question.

Unfortunately, the dichotomy exists of knowing when you can be bitchy and maintain submissiveness. Kevin probably learned where and when and to what extent he could tow that line when he lived in the Nest, whether it was taking out his anger and his anguish on other Ravens, on the court, or on the Foxes when he moved over. In my experience, my own explosive anger issues had to be portioned out, I had to know who I could do that to, be like that with. When and where was the correct time to lash out and when I was gonna get hit for it. Kevin isn’t stupid, he knew what Riko and Tetsuji were like. He also knew he had the upper hand in the power dynamic over the Raven’s on court. If he went for blood out of anger during practice, triggered by if Riko hurt him too much or took too much from him, other Ravens just had to take it, or worse, probably were encouraged to encourage the brutality.

All in all, I think Tetsuji created an absolute fucking labyrinth of a psychological warzone that both forced submission and rewarded dominance; it left lasting behavioral traits and triggered disorders that crippled Ravens, some for their entire lives. I wanna bet probably no former Raven went to therapy; the ones that got divvied up after the Nest closed probably were required to by their new teams, and they probably are the only generation that maybe were able to heal from it. In the extra content, Thea decided because Kevin could play again, “no harm no foul” on Riko’s end. If that’s not hivemind, culty, worshipper behavior, idk what is. That’s not a normal reaction, but it is a conditioned one.

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