What About Bob Psychological Analysis

"Multi-phobic personality characterized by acute separation anxiety . . ." This is Dr. Leo Marvin's diagnosis of Bob Wiley in the movie What About Bob. But exactly what does this mean? We all seem to have a vague understanding of what a phobia is, whether is be from watching movies or our own personal experiences. But what exactly constitutes a phobia, and how does acute separation anxiety fit in to the diagnosis of this character? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) was designed to provide a classification system and means of diagnosis for over 400 mental disorders. By evaluating a client based upon the five separate axes of

What About Bob is a movie about a man who has many psychological problems. He is not the only one with problems though. The movie What About Bob? shows many psychological disorders in a comedic light. From Agoraphobia, or the fear of open spaces, to Paranoid Personality Disorder. This causes people to suffer paranoia or have a relentless mistrust and suspicion of anybody other than themselves, normally when there is no reason to fear or be suspicious of anyone at all. Most of the characters in the movie express at least one major psychological disorder, and some even express two or more.

Personality disorders are included as mental disorders on Axis II of the diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association and in the mental and behavioral disorders section of the ICD manual of the World Health Organization Personality disorders are conditions in which an individual differs significantly from an average person, in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others. Changes in how a person feels and distorted beliefs about other people can lead to odd behavior, which can be distressing and may upset others There are three recognized personality disorder clusters, cluster A odd and eccentric, Paranoid Personality Disorder Schizoid Personality Disorder Schizotypal Personality Disorder dramatic and emotional, Borderline Personality Disorder Histrionic Personality Disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder and anxious and fearful Avoidant Personality Disorder Dependent Personality Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Personality Disorders: Management

Persistent concern about having additional attacksb. Worry about the implications of the attack or its consequences(e.g., losing control, having a heart attack, “going crazy”)c. A significant change in behavior related to the attacksB. The presence (or absence) of Agoraphobia.C. The Panic Attacks are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).D. The Panic Attacks are not better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as Social Phobia (e.g., occurring on exposure to feared social situations), Specific Phobia (e.g., on exposure to a specific phobic situation), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g., on exposure to dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (e.g., in response to stimuli associated with a severe stressor), or Separation Anxiety Disorder (e.g., in response to being away from home or close relatives).(APA, 2000)

A phobic disorder is marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that presents no realistic danger. Agoraphobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety occasioned by the prospect of having to enter certain outdoor locations or open spaces. For example, busy streets, busy stores, tunnels, bridges, public transportation and cars. Traditionally agoraphobia was solely classified as a phobic disorder. However, due to recent studies it is now also viewed as a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterised by recurrent attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually occur suddenly and unexpectedly (Weiten, 1998).

A phobic disorder is marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that presents no realistic danger. Agoraphobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety occasioned by the prospect of having to enter certain outdoor locations or open spaces. For example, busy streets, busy stores, tunnels, bridges, public transportation and cars. Traditionally agoraphobia was solely classified as a phobic disorder. However, due to recent studies it is now also viewed as a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterised by recurrent attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually occur suddenly and unexpectedly (Weiten, 1998).

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental health disorder that cause changes in the mood and behavior of a person. According to www.mhhe.com, traits of BPD would be “self-destruction behaviors, fear of abandonment, and mood shifts.” People suffering from BPD has symptoms and problem with regulating emotions (intense mood swings), low self-worth, aggressive behavior, and a fear of abandonment (being left behind). It has been found that BPD has vague symptoms that is based on a wide collection. The cause of BPD are not well understood, but some psychoanalytic believe the symptoms come from poor care taking during childhood.

Some specific personality disorders include paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, dis-social personality disorder, impulsive type emotionally unstable personality disorder and borderline type emotionally unstable personality disorder. Unspecified personality disorders and mixed personality and troublesome personality disorders are also included.

A personality disorder is an inflexible and is usually an unhealthy way of thinking or behaving (Carey). Dependent personality disorder is a mental illness which can cause individuals to feel as if they are incapable of living or doing something independently (Faith). Dependent personality disorder is a cluster c personality disorder (Faith). Cluster c personality disorders include all of the anxious or fearful types of disorders (Faith).

There are a few different types of anxiety. The six most common anxieties are generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (anxiety attacks), phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder. People with GAD are constantly worried with no idea why and could have physical symptoms like insomnia, stomach upset, restlessness, and fatigue. Someone with OCD might have unwanted thoughts or behaviors that seem impossible to stop and may suffer from uncontrollable compulsions, like washing hands over and over again. A person with panic disorder may suffer from panic attacks and may also have agoraphobia, which is a fear of being in places where escape or help would be difficult in the event of a panic attack. People with phobias have an unrealistic fear of an object, activity, or situation, and may try to avoid the fear which only makes the phobia worse. Someone with post-traumatic stress disorder can have flashbacks or nightmares about a something traumatic that happened in the past. A person with social anxiety may not want anyone to see them negatively or worry a lot about what people think about them, and may be seen as extremely shy. Someone with social anxiety might also have performance anxiety or stage

Other symptoms of borderline personality disorder include efforts to avoid abandonment, impulsive behavior, distorted sense of self, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate and intense anger or problems controlling anger, stress related to paranoid thoughts, a pattern of unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. Mood and emotion are often swinging from extreme dislike or rage andhaving feelings to harm themselves such as cutting themselve out of the world, observing themselves from outside the body and feeling vulnuarable, or losing touch with reality (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). The symptoms can be triggered by minor separations, such as vacations and sudden change of plans (Chapman and Gratz 2013). Chapman and Gratz also stated when an individual has borderline personality disorder they have unstable emotions, one minute the person can feel joyful and then suddenly they can have intense negative emotions. Emotions that are most common and are particularly tough for people with borderline personality disorder includes sadness, shame, loneliness, fear, and anger toward themselves. People with borderline personality disorder often fear rejection and abandonment, especially when it comes to

In the film What about Bob, the movie starts off with Bob Willey sitting in bed telling himself “I feel great, I feel good, and I feel wonderful.” Without these words of encouragement he wouldn’t make it through day. Bob Wiley is quite the interesting character; he suffers from so many disorders. First he is faced with ongoing anxiety issues throughout the movie. Anxiety disorder is when a “person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal,” which describes Bob’s character perfectly.

Panic disorder and agoraphobia are two separate disorders that often go hand in hand with each other. An individual can be diagnosed with panic disorder, but a diagnosis without agoraphobia can often take place as well. Some individuals develop symptoms of agoraphobia, but do not have the classic panic disorder symptoms, hence the reason they are both listed as separate disorders in the DSM-5. Panic disorder can be identified as “recurrent unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes, and during which time four or more physical and cognitive characteristics take place (Hooley, J. 2017, pg.188).” When dealing with panic disorder it can often become debilitating, due to the fact that the individual does not know when the onset of an attack will occur. Individuals with panic disorder more commonly develop agoraphobia as a comorbid disorder, and if left untreated, can have a difficult time even leaving their home. Agoraphobia can be defined as “the individual fears or avoids

With BPD there are often extremes in beliefs and views, such as all good or all bad. People with BPD are can be uncertain about whom they truly are as a person. With no self sense, interests and values may conflict as well as change rapidly. Their views of others may also change quickly. One day a certain person may be admired. The next day that same person may be despised or hated. Suddenly shifting feelings often foster relationships that are unstable and intense. There are numerous other identifiable traits someone with BPD may display. Some of these symptoms may include fear abandonment, feelings of emptiness and boredom, frequent displays of inappropriate anger, destructive impulsiveness, intolerance of being alone, as well as repeated self crises (i.e. self injury).

According to the DSM, the major symptoms of Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia are, recurrent panic attacks and enduring anxiety about experiencing another panic attack. The individual is also anxious about going places where escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or where they will be unable to receive assistance in case of emergency.