#gengtsu

[beliell]

Itachi Uchiha Mental Illness - a short analysis

This is my very first post on this sub! I recently started watching Naruto in order and, as expected, I couldn’t resist diving into research about many of the characters — especially Itachi (lol).

The origin post was posted here, by myself as well.

Through this post, I want to share my thoughts on what I believe might be his mental condition, my interpretations of the character, and, most importantly, to hear your opinions and beliefs about this deeply complex figure. Let’s discuss!

“As the one who holds the tangled strings of relationships that connect the past and future, when he moves, the wheels of destiny turn.” — Uchiha Itachi, Databook Introduction

Clinical Depression

From the very beginning, Itachi’s depression felt evident to me. The more I read about his personality and way of thinking, the more it seemed like a storm that was bound to break, independent of the Uchiha massacre incident

Key Signs:

Exposure to conflicting situations since childhood

Post-war trauma

Repressive systems; family and societal pressures

Direct exposure to suicide

A philosophical, sensitive, and naturally introverted mindset

Nihilistic and existentialist tendencies

A repressive approach to handling emotions

Psychotic Depression

"Psychotic depression is characterized by mood disturbances accompanied by delusions, hallucinations, or both. Symptoms include sadness, hopelessness, guilt, and irritability."

"Patients may experience delusions (e.g., beliefs about having committed unpardonable sins, being persecuted, or harboring incurable disorders) and/or hallucinations, often auditory (e.g., hearing accusatory or condemning voices)."

It seems possible that Itachi’s genjutsu ability could be tied to this—perhaps as a coping mechanism to deal with the harshness of reality. While it is an invaluable tool in battle, his genjutsu also reflects his deeper philosophy. I have little doubt that this skill not only served him strategically but also symbolized his struggles with the elusive nature of truth and reality.

As [Zapenstap] analyzed:

"Itachi is an illusionist. As a genjutsu specialist, his work involves changing the perception of others. A simple genjutsu causes people to see a mirage, which renders their actions ineffective because they are “trapped” in their own minds and doing nothing in reality. However, as his skills improved, Itachi probably began to realize that genjutsu has depths much greater than the tactic to confuse an opponent. By chance he may have discovered that illusions can be more powerful than reality, and that by altering someone’s perception, he could control their actual world, and through that even change their beliefs. Ultimately, especially using the Mangekyou, he could compel others to reckon with a world of his own making.)* A revelation such as this would eventually cause a "existential" feeling of deep anxiety or dread. If Itachi can control others, then it must also be possible for others to control him. Genjutsu may be a force to reckon with in a fight, but it is magnanimously dangerous on a metaphysical level. As the student of another Sharingan user (Madara)**\*\*\*\*\*\*, Itachi would begin to question everything he knows or he thinks he knows about reality. “What is real?” How can he know that HE is not also being controlled or manipulated by a greater force?"

Itachi’s constant interplay with illusion and reality, combined with his already contemplative and burdened nature, could have exacerbated feelings of isolation, guilt, and dread, forming a cycle that defined his internal struggles.

Itachi’s existence unfolds in a perpetual dance between illusion and reality, a delicate interplay that not only reflects his contemplative and burdened nature but also amplifies his isolation, guilt, and existential dread. This endless cycle becomes the stage upon which his internal struggles are both enacted and perpetuated, shaping a uniquely harrowing relationship with himself.

His philosophy intertwines with his torment, creating a sadistic yet psychosomatic self-awareness.

Sadistic, in the sense that his acute understanding of the ninja system's inherent flaws—along with his role in perpetuating them—renders him painfully cognizant of his limitations. Despite possessing the extraordinary power to control and manipulate worlds—whether real or illusory—he remains powerless to alter the harsh truths of the actual world. It is a torment born from enlightenment, an existential irony that deepens his internal fracture.

Psychosomatic, because his inherently compassionate nature, though fractured and hardened over time, finds no refuge for the emotional storms within. The unexpressed weight of his anguish manifests physically, as if his body becomes the final repository of a soul too shattered to bear its own suffering.

Ultimately, Itachi inhabits a liminal state, teetering on the border of collapse—an emotional and physical threshold. His psyche, already fractured by the choices he was forced to make, battles against a body that can no longer endure the strain of suppressing his inner turmoil. In this fragile equilibrium, he becomes a poignant reflection of a man at war with himself, both within and without.

What do you think? Could these psychological insights align with Itachi’s character? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[ellenwitch]