Finally: Psychiatrists diagnose Darth Vader
posted at 11:35 am on May 23, 2007 by Allahpundit
I knew he was somewhere in Cluster B but I would have guessed antisocial personality disorder. Nope.
Experts from the psychiatric department at France’s University Hospital of Toulouse told the [American Psychiatric Association]‘s annual meeting that Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader could “clearly” be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder…
Schmitt’s team describes Skywalker’s symptoms, including problems with controlling anger and impulsivity, temporary stress-related paranoia, “frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment (when trying to save his wife at all costs), and a pattern of unstable and intense personal relationships,” including his relationships with his Jedi masters.
Changing his name and turning into “Darth Vader” is a red flag of Skywalker’s disturbed identity, note Schmitt and colleagues.
Treatments include psychotherapy, antidepressants, and meditation in a cylindrical chamber that inexplicably opens by lifting the top half off.
Nice to see too that the APA is devoting its annual conference to 3 a.m. dorm-room crap like this. Coming next year: an attempt at a Myers-Briggs analysis of Frodo from “Lord of the Rings” plus a two-day symposium on the pitfalls of hypnosis using “Office Space” as a case study.
Blowback
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I think it’s kinda funny. I’d like to know Doctor Who’s diagnosis, personally.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on May 23, 2007 at 11:40 AM
Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler…
Bad Candy on May 23, 2007 at 11:41 AM
‘Nuff said.
amerpundit on May 23, 2007 at 11:43 AM
I’m actually pretty amazed. I was expecting them to call him a Republican or something.
Farmer_Joe on May 23, 2007 at 11:47 AM
This just in from France.
Hitler was nuts
That is all
William Amos on May 23, 2007 at 11:52 AM
In a related story, experts from the psychiatric department at France’s University Hospital of Toulouse have yet to explain why the French people allow open Jihad on their streets.
TheBigOldDog on May 23, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Wicked!
…. and funny!
A good post, AP. Thanks.
huckleberry on May 23, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Wish I had a job where i could screw around like this
Defector01 on May 23, 2007 at 12:02 PM
So, THIS is what these people devote their “study” time to? Fictional characters? Hell, Anakin isn’t isn’t written well…much less written to any authentic personality types. Sheesh.
And on another note:
If it’s the David Tennant Dr. Who…I’d like to do the study myself, personally. Meow. :)
tickleddragon on May 23, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Just when I thought they couldn’t give more proof of the fact psychiatry is useless.
Editor on May 23, 2007 at 12:05 PM
I’m glad that Frances tax franks are not going to waste.
- The Cat
P.S. I personnaly wonder if this was just a joke piece they did. Like Norad tracking Santa and the like.
MirCat on May 23, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Twenty bucks Olby and Matthews quotes this study in a BDS segment.
Limerick on May 23, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Nicely said.
The Left wrecks everything it touches. Happened to see a Psychology Today magazine at the (where else?) dentist office. Evidently, Buddhism is the cure-all for life’s woes, according to their “experts.” A supposedly professionally-targeted magazine is indistinguishable from the fashion magazines that are cranked out of shallow New York-based minds.
If this is the emptiness we get after a generation that grew up with TV-viewing as a substitute for real world experience, what’s it going to be like after a generation of experience learned only from virtual reality off the internet?
naliaka on May 23, 2007 at 12:10 PM
I had that toy. Easily my least-used Star Wars toy as a child. Although I will say that every battle scenario began with Darth Vader emerging from his chamber.
I think the main problem with the toy was that it didn’t actually lower his helmet onto him like in the movies, complete with the awesome little suction sound as it form fit to his head.
World B. Free on May 23, 2007 at 12:13 PM
When I clicked on this, honestly, I thought it was gonna be a story about some lefty kook group of Dems diagnosing him with socio-Cheney disorder or something.
CP on May 23, 2007 at 12:15 PM
tickledragon…
meow indeed.
Though, I also would like to get my hands on Chris Ecclestons brooding Doctor…He looked like he needed a few hugs and `erm` stuff
Pulchritudinous Patriot on May 23, 2007 at 12:17 PM
But why didn’t they mention that Darth’s problems came from his inability to deal with learning that his son was a latent homosexual? I mean, did you SEE Luke in that outfit in the first episode?
Allah, that was a joke. Please don’t ban me.
-Fat Old Guy
Fogpig on May 23, 2007 at 12:18 PM
Limerick, you’re probably right. I’m sure if Matthews or Olby mention this story at all, they’ll try to work in a BDS/Cheney reference or whatever if they can.
On a humorous note, if you’ve ever seen that pic of Cheney riding a Segway, it did kinda remind me of Emperor Palpatine. Haha.
CP on May 23, 2007 at 12:20 PM
What a great way to use taxpayer’s money. Thank god we don’t do stuff like that here.
Oh wait…
CookeyD on May 23, 2007 at 12:21 PM
If only someone had taken the time to diagnose psyCho so closely.
Brat on May 23, 2007 at 12:26 PM
Isn’t Darth Vader a good guy?
eforhan on May 23, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Hmmm. Looks like moderation had a problem with my comment. To sum up BPD is a serious problem. If anyone needs help with a difficult problem related to BPD, many web sites are a good source of info.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 12:46 PM
May the farce be with you….
soulsirkus on May 23, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Schizophrenia, of course. Splendid chap. All of him.
Kensington on May 23, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Toulouse is where Airbus makes it’s aircraft…..think about that…….
TwinkietheKid on May 23, 2007 at 12:49 PM
Good Lord! How do I get involved in getting some of those grants. I could come up with answers like that!
Tim Burton on May 23, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Everyone here seems to be ignoring that this is a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Diego, California, USA (which I must note, before people start making cracks about California, is a red county). And I doubt this was the focus of hundreds of hours of research in either France or America, so worrying about wasted money is silly. In fact, I’d say this is a very effective use of resources: What else could get such major publicity with almost no cost? That’s the way capitalism works, so it’s quite surprising to see that point being missed on this comment board in particular.
calbear on May 23, 2007 at 1:01 PM
The left-wing tool American Psychiatric Association is much better occupied with deep topics like this.
Valiant on May 23, 2007 at 1:22 PM
No, no…no lack of agreement there. Chris made a fantastic and yes, even hot, Dr. But I have to side ultimately with the Scot. ;)
tickleddragon on May 23, 2007 at 1:33 PM
Vader is fictional. They would be better served expounding on the fact that Princess Diana met the criteria big time. Read Diana in Search of herself. BPD sufferers can be the most empathetic, compelling, and passionate people you will ever meet. That is of course, the upside.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 1:33 PM
Heck, and here all along I just thought he was crazy. :)
Bob's Kid on May 23, 2007 at 1:42 PM
He was just a self-absorbed whiner. In other words, he was a liberal.
Doghouse on May 23, 2007 at 1:46 PM
No one has captured the thought process of the Borderline sufferer like Alanis Morrissete. (No kidding).
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 1:49 PM
No, umm, no, the red one. The red one. This one isn’t mine, it’s the red one. Wait..ok, umm…
It’s clear that these shrinks are making the same mistake as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. They didn’t listen to Yoda. Anakin just had too much fear in him. Fear leads to the Dark Side. It just isn’t more complex than that.
Freelancer on May 23, 2007 at 1:58 PM
I love a man in a kilt.
Pulchritudinous Patriot on May 23, 2007 at 2:10 PM
That’s already been done. When Episode III came out, the press kept asking Lucas about the “similarities” between the events in the movie and current events in real life (Iraq War, War on Terror, etc.) – there was also discussion about the “similarities” between Bush and the Emperor.
Rick on May 23, 2007 at 2:16 PM
One of the greatest impediments to people seeking treatment is the very professionals whose job it is to help the sufferer. They would rather make snarky comparisons to Darth Vader than actually help sick people. Imagine how someone with BPD must feel being compared to Vader by their own doctor?
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 2:28 PM
Buck,
I’m not a detective or anything, but I think you’re leaving some clues in your comment that someone you are close to has BPD.
SicSemperTyrannus on May 23, 2007 at 2:34 PM
BTW, I didn’t mean that as snark. My prayers and sympathy go with you. Stay strong.
SicSemperTyrannus on May 23, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Dang, I could’ve done this without taxpayer support. He goes by a goth name, dresses all in black, and claims his family doesn’t understand and has rejected him…
…Darth Vader is simply emo.
James on May 23, 2007 at 2:38 PM
Ya think?
doufree on May 23, 2007 at 2:43 PM
Ya Think?
And it only took them 30 years to figure it out.
Lawrence on May 23, 2007 at 2:48 PM
LoL… apparently doufree and I are exchanging some kind of force-bond moment.
Lawrence on May 23, 2007 at 2:49 PM
Yes and thank you. In 1997 I faced the choice of walking away from my fiance or wading into a situation forecasted as likely failure. For three years we worked hard to overcome what would have killed most new marriages. I read everything there was at the time. We went through two therapists before we found the right guy for us. A PhD. Cognitive behavioral therapist. I have to be careful not to give medical advice, apparently. We celebrate our 9th anniversary with our 3 yr. old daughter in August. I see the psychiatric community has not changed much in 10 years. There’s good ones out there. It’s hard to know you’re with the wrong therapist when they’re supposed to be helping You.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 3:12 PM
Oh, I think we already know what happened (sorry, you’ve got to wait until about 2:20 before the related portion begins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5q5_i_eYAA
RightWinged on May 23, 2007 at 3:21 PM
Note to all those psychiatrists and psychologists; Darth Vader-Anakin Skywalker, is not real. He is a figment of someone’s imagination as they appeared in a science fantasy film series called “Star Wars.”
Really, “Doctors!”
Aren’t you a bit carried away with this?
Perhaps YOU are the one with the mental disorder.
William
William2006 on May 23, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Imagine Dr. Fraud, oops, Dr. FRUED telling Vader “Tell me about your mother.” We saw what he did to the musli … uh, *SandPeople” when THEY messed with his mom!
Tony737 on May 23, 2007 at 3:32 PM
30 pieces of trivia about Star Wars
The original Star Wars film was released on 25 May 1977. Much to the surprise of many involved in the project, including the studio which backed it, it became a runaway success.
The celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary here are 30 facts and figures related to the film which influenced a new generation of film-makers.
TheBigOldDog on May 23, 2007 at 3:38 PM
Wow! Scientology was right all along.
greggish on May 23, 2007 at 4:18 PM
Darth still finds your lack of faith disturbing.
VikingGoneWild on May 23, 2007 at 4:33 PM
Sounds just like Bill Clinton.
Connie on May 23, 2007 at 4:53 PM
A particular weakness of mine, I must confess. Why do you think my favorite vaca spot is Edinburgh? ;)
tickleddragon on May 23, 2007 at 5:02 PM
I always thought he was on roids and coke…
Faith1 on May 23, 2007 at 7:19 PM
The Vader diagnosis is a pretty weak case. So was the movie Girl Interrupted. The Winona Ryder character was supposed to be borderline but wasn’t. Blanche Dubois from Streetcar named Desire comes close.
Like A beautiful mind did for schizophrenia, no movie I’ve seen really captures the BPD experience. Alanis does get it though. I’ll spare ya.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 9:20 PM
Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Gia…got a little borderline.
In the extreme, but that’s hollywood.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 9:30 PM
Diana in Search of Herself is probably one of the best portrayals of BPD out there. Many criticize the notion. But it beats the hell out of comparisons to Darth Vader or Glenn Close.
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 10:24 PM
And
Ya get that? That means ” the insurance co. won’t pay me to tell you why your miserable. See you next week.”
Buck Turgidson on May 23, 2007 at 11:30 PM
My thoughts exactly.
emmaline1138 on May 24, 2007 at 4:49 AM
Sorry about the soap box. I’ve been waiting for the subject to come up. Many people with BPD type traits are high functioning and capable of full recovery if properly treated. The problem is many therapists take this metaphorical approach: “I’m going to put this cast on your arm, but you can’t see the x-ray. In fact when you ask if your arm is broken, I’ll say we don’t want to “label” your arm. So you don’t know. If you become suspicious and upset, I’ll just call you Darth Vader and blame your behavior on you.”
Thanks deferred diagnosis!
Buck Turgidson on May 24, 2007 at 12:48 PM
I’d bet a wad of cash that The Vtech killer was a case of “diagnosis deferred” for insurance purposes. That made it easier to purchase guns legally IMO.
Buck Turgidson on May 24, 2007 at 1:50 PM