Personality disorders are something that can influence a person’s life and relationships. While people do experience anger, sadness, loneliness, and other feelings, there is no denying that those who struggle with such issues experience it differently. What makes diagnosing personality disorders complicated is the fact that one should review the patient’s cultural customs, behavior, age, and other characteristics. For this essay, Anakin Skywalker will be analyzed as a potential borderline personality disorder patient.
There is a list of criteria, based on which one can be potentially diagnosed with a personality disorder. Anakin Skywalker is, most likely, a prime example of a borderline personality disorder patient. According to criterion A, a person with a personality disorder tends to have impairments in self and interpersonal functioning. One of the features of BPD is fear of abandonment (Casablanca, n.d.). This can be seen in the way Anakin Skywalker treats Padme, as his fear of losing her is used against him by Chancellor Palpatine (Lucas, 2005). While strong affection for a spouse is common, the way Anakin expresses it is rather unhealthy.
Criterion B states that people with personality disorders tend to have one or more pathological trait domains. The young apprentice exhibits severe detachment, antagonism, and negative affectivity. Skywalker is notoriously impulsive and hostile, which concerns the Jedi Council. Unfortunately, their fears are valid as he has committed various atrocities, such as cutting off Mace Windu’s hand while being manipulated by Palpatine (Lucas, 2005). When Padme tries to help the guy, Skywalker later bursts into a fit of rage and force-chokes her.
The third criterion (C) mentions that the impairments in personality are relatively consistent across time. Anakin has been impulsive and quick-tempered before and after killing his wife. When Skywalker flies to Tattooine and finds out that his mother was stolen and murdered by the Tusken Raiders, he murders every single one of them after she dies in his arms (Lucas, 2002). Another case is when Anakin is told that he will not be granted the rank of Jedi Master (Lucas, 2005). Instead of trying to calmly discuss the matter, he starts ranting about how unfair this decision is, thus confirming the Council’s concerns.
Criterion D, which states that the traits of people with personality disorders are not better understood as normative for their developmental stage or socio-cultural environment, is met as well. The Jedi believe in not letting their emotions get the best of them. Yoda’s conversation with the apprentice raises a lot of concerns because his “fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side” (Lucas, 2005). Anakin represents the exact opposite of Jedi morals, as his self-esteem is unstable and he constantly seeks a faithful friend. Despite Obi-Wan explicitly saying that he should be “mindful of his thoughts”, Skywalker prioritizes his impulsive decisions instead.
Anakin almost successfully meets criterion E, since his behavior is not related to substance abuse or a medical condition. However, his personality disorder may have been triggered by separation. He misses his mother throughout the entirety of Episodes I and II, which may have had an impact on his mental state and his later behavior and interpersonal relationships (Lucas, 1999, 2002). Unsurprisingly, the loss of his mother has triggered the same concerns about Padme. Ironically, he results in being the cause of her demise, thus making his fear of losing his spouse a reality.
There are other rather common symptoms of borderline personality disorder. They include unstable self-esteem, a strong sense of self, and changes in their attitudes toward other people (Sue et al., 2015). While Anakin presents himself as a rather confident person, sometimes that attitude changes, especially after he fails to rescue his mother (Lucas, 2002). This fragile perception of self is later used against him by Palpatine (Lucas, 2005). Anakin demonstrates changes in his attitudes toward people frequently, especially with his master Obi-Wan Kenobi. While Skywalker sometimes respects Kenobi, he later expresses extreme negativity towards him, believing that his Jedi Master is his obstacle. Episode III shows a more extreme example in the shift between his two attitudes towards Obi-Wan as he changes from treating him like a good friend and mentor to seeing him as a traitor.
References
Casabianca, S. S. (n.d.). What are personality disorders?
Lucas, G. (Director). (1999). Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Episode I) [Motion picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.
Lucas, G. (Director). (2002). Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (Episode II) [Motion picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.
Lucas, G. (Director). (2005). Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Episode III) [Motion picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.
Sue, D., Sue, D. W., Sue, S., & Sue, D. M. (2015). Understanding abnormal behavior. Cengage Learning.