Eternal Clementine's Sunlight of the Unadulterated Intellect - Case Study Example

Clementine’s Disorder Plot Summary The character under consideration is Clementine Kruczynski from the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”. The plot of the movie develops around romantic relationships of Clementine and Joel Barish, who, despite of having totally different personalities, feel attraction to each other immediately after meeting on a train. As it later reveals, Clementine and Joel are former lover and lived together for two years. However, they do not remember each other due to the fact that their memory was erased as they decided to forget the painful break up with which their relationships ended. Upon discovering the truth the main characters are shocked and puzzled not knowing what to do next. Finally, Joel suggests that Clementine should stay and both decide to start their relationships again. Character Description and Analysis The unusual and fantastic development of the plot is mostly driven by the unique and, at the first glance fascinating character of the main character Clementine Kruczynski as far as this is she who decided to resort to such a desperate step and erase the history of relationships with Joel. At the same time, she was an initiator of the second acquaintance with him. Subsequently, Clementine looks unpredictable and energetic. In contrast to Joel, who is quiet, reserved, conventional, and cautious, Clementine is passionate and her actions mostly develop relationships of a couple and turn them into particular direction. She is unusual, spirited and excited, but to the extent that goes beyond a normal behavior of a healthy person. Therefore, it is possible to assume that Clementine has a psychological disorder the symptoms of which are to be further discussed. To start with, Clementine is in her early thirties or late twenties. Her clothes and living conditions make it possible to conclude that she is a representative of the middle lower class. She mentions her work at the Barnes & Noble shop. There are no evidences about her family, education, or religious beliefs. The most evident trait of Clementine’s character is her impulsivity and free-spirited nature. For instance, she constantly changes bright colors of her hair: blue, orange, red, and back again. Apart from that, her mood can switch very fast and she has difficulties in taking her emotions under control. The following is seen from the very beginning of the movie as Joel and Clementine meet on a train: Clementine has good mood and smiles, she is eager to communicate with Joel and starts conversation herself, but one his remark immediately changes Clementine`s state and irritates her. She switches her attention at her bag and the communication seems ended. Another remark about her being nice puts her in a bad mood again and angers. Furthermore, obvious is Clementine’s desire to try anything new and use every opportunity that she encounters. She admits being anxious thinking that she may “not living the life to the fullest taking advantage of every possibility, making sure that not wasting one second of time”. At the same time, it would be normally for Clementine to stop enjoying something as it becomes boring for her. She is at the same time, optimistic, extroverted and happy and anger, insecure, anxious about her life, and feels empty. In addition, Clementine recognizes that mood alters quickly and she has a difficult character that makes her being far from perfect. Clementine` Diagnosis The given above concise summary of the main traits of Clementine’s character and behavior serves as a ground for assuming that the woman suffers from the Borderline Personality Disorder – a serious mental illness that produces a strong influence on a way a person feels about oneself, behaves, and builds relationships with other people. ("Borderline personality disorder," ) According to the DSM V Criteria, patients with Borderline Personality Disorder suffer from “impairments in personality functioning and presence of pathological personality traits”. ("Dsm - iv," 2012) The following includes emotional liability, which stand for the presence of frequent mood changes and fast arousal of emotions that cannot be controlled, regardless of the degree of the stimuli intensity that caused these emotions. Such people usually act on a spur of a moment without having a plan or considering possible outcomes of actions. In addition, Borderline Personality Disorder can add to the degree of person’s hostility, making one subjected to the increased irritability even in case an irritant is minor, and bursts of anger both frequent and persistent. Another important feature of the disorder, which is also seen in Clementine is a habit of having intense, but unstable relationships with people. As it is explained, the attitude of individuals with the disorder to the significant others tends to vary from idealization and extreme closeness to extreme dislike, anger, or hate. ("Borderline personality disorder," )As a result, relationships with the loved one can appear in turmoil when a patient switches from the desire to be constantly together to devaluating this person and blaming it for being indifferent or for doing too little. The following description perfectly well suits the type of relationships Clementine and Joel have in the movie as the viewers can follow how Clementine’s eagerness to spend time together and her inspired attitude changes with the sudden shift as she discovers that Joel is extremely boring and seemingly does not want to bear responsibilities (he rejects the idea of having a baby.) Moreover, Clementine shows other traits of character that prove her diagnosis. Among such are the risk-taking and identity disturbances. Firstly, it is widespread among people having Borderline Personality Disorder to engage in dangerous and impulsive behaviors that can treat one’s health or even life. For example, in one scene Joel and Clementine have a fight after she comes home late at night having driven a car drunk and scratching Joel’s car. Secondly, according to the DSM V Criteria, a feature of the personality disorder under consideration is the impairment in self-functioning manifested in poorly developed self-image that is often perceived in negative shades. ("Dsm - iv," 2012) Putting it in other words, a person tends to overly criticize self and suffer from dissociative states. As one can mention, throughout the movie Clementine shows that she has a negative image of self: on the train she says that she is “vindictive little bitch”. Also, her tendency to change the color of her hair hints on the fact that she has not a well-developed image of self. “I apply my personality in a paste.” – Clementine admits. Etiology of the Disorder As with the majority of personality disorders, the etiology of the Borderline Personality Disorder is not clear enough with many suggestions being made but little real evidences to scientifically prove them. At present, there exist different theories concerning the causes of the disorder, but most of specialists agree support the biopsychosocial model of its development. According to it, both biological, psychological as well as social factors play their roles in the appearance of the Borderline Personality Disorder. ("Borderline personality disorder,") Consequently, the development of the disorder could be linked to the family of Clementine as far as one of the relatives could pass her the gene. Also, findings show that many of the symptoms are associated with the present abnormalities in the frontolimbic networks meaning that BPD could have biological roots. (Leichsenring & Leibing, 2011) At the same time, the environment in which Clementine was growing up could also contribute to the illness. It is suggested that the living conditions that influence personality formation, including stress coping skills could shape temperament and the overall personality that later became vulnerable to the disorder. Cultural Influences in Disorder Conceptualization The mentioned above conceptualization of the Borderline Personality Disorder is widely accepted by the majority of scientific literature available today. However, alternative views on diagnosis and treatment are being developed and deserve to be considered in order to have a better understanding of various implications of this disorder. To my mind, interesting in this regard is a 2014 work by Bria Berger, who presented a new perspective on the conceptualization of Borderline Personality Disorder. According to the author, BPD diagnosis depends on societal standards and norms that are accepted in the Western culture. (Berger, 2012) More precisely, on the “Western discourse on identity and conception of selfhood that values goal-directed behavior and autonomy.” (Berger, 2012) It follows that for a person to be self-sufficient and perceived as healthy his/her behavior and traits should correspond to social norms. What deviates from them is viewed as a symptom of psychological or emotional problem. Therefore, it is suggested that individual problems that are regarded as symptoms of a disease can, in fact, be tied to cultural and political context. Putting it in simple words, a kind of behavior that is viewed in Western cultures as symptomatic of an illness can be perceived as normal in other cultures. However, currently, there is lack of sufficient data that could provide an insight into cultural differences in the diagnosis of BPD while the majority of behaviors described in the classification of personality disorders, including Borderline personality Disorder are pan-cultural. Treatment Options The treatment options would typically be recommended for Clementine include different types of psychotherapy, such as dialectal behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, mentalization-based, and other therapies. The main goal of them is to change beliefs that stand for inaccurate perception of self and others as well as to help one to better understand emotions and tolerate stress. It is generally agreed that a person with BPD should be taught to control emotions and learn skills to maintain healthy relationships with people. ("Borderline personality disorder," ) In this context, both individual and group therapies are used. As for medications, they are not used to treat the disorder, but could be used to help to deal with problems associated with BPD: anxiety and depression. In case of Clementine, it seems that she does not need medications, but psychotherapy could be beneficial for her in order to learn how to cope with bursts of aggression and maintain positive and right image of self and her relationships with Joel. References Berger, B. (2014). Power, selfhood, and identity: A feminist critique of borderline personality disorder. The University of Chicago. School of Social Service Administration, Retrieved from http://www.ssa.uchicago.edu/power-selfhood-and-identity-feminist-critique-borderline-personality-disorder Borderline personality disorder. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health, Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml Dsm - iv and dsm - 5 criteria for the personality disorders. (2012). American Psychiatric Association, Retrieved from http://www.psi.uba.ar/academica/carrerasdegrado/psicologia/sitios_catedras/practicas_profesionales/820_clinica_tr_personalidad_psicosis/material/dsm.pdf Leichsenring, F., & Leibing, E. (2011). Borderline personality disorder. The Lancet, 337(9759), p74–84. Retrieved from http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(10)61422-5.pdf Lis, E., & Greenfield, B. (2007). Neuroimaging and genetics of borderline personality disorder: a review. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, 32(3), 162–173. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1863557/ Read More