On playing characters with mental illnesses

[Nako Vesh]

I don't think stating that mental illness isn't glamorous is at all putting down people with mental illnesses. In fact, it's much more refreshing to hear than "your illness isn't real." Someone saying that mental illnesses can be debilitating is no more saying "you're damaged" than saying that a broken bone can be debilitating is calling someone "damaged."

Exactly this. 

 

Also, comparing the Joker to real life criminals is so absolutely irrelevant. Of course I believe people are products of their environments, but your brought up the Joker, not a real criminal. My point is the Joker makes his choices and is aware of the consequences and implications.

 

And now I am done with this conversation a hundred years ago.

[Dravus]

The people who portray mental and physical health issues as nothing more than a gimmick tend to be doing me a favour since it gives me a pretty good idea as to who I should avoid. Not just because it makes me cringe whenever I see someone pulling them off poorly but also because 'gimmicky' role-play isn't something I enjoy at all.

 

I hold the firm belief that such issues should be approached with care and dignity. Research should be done to ensure that it's being done tastefully. Furthermore, it's always baffled me when people make their character blind or an amputee but then give their character absolutely no drawbacks or ever twist it as an excuse to make their character even more gifted than everybody else.

 

It...ceases to be a disability at that point. If you're character is 'blind' but can see perfectly due to magic then it begs the question as to why they were made blind in the first place. To fish for sympathy, perhaps? To try and justify making their sense of sight even more powerful than most other character's sight?

 

That's my penny's worth.

[GloryRhodes]

It...ceases to be a disability at that point. If you're character is 'blind' but can see perfectly due to magic then it begs the question as to why they were made blind in the first place. To fish for sympathy, perhaps? To try and justify making their sense of sight even more powerful than most other character's sight?

 

That's my penny's worth.

 

 

Never underestimate a disability making for a more compelling character rather than a less compelling one, even if they seem barely hampered by it.  You can't generalize this particular topic. Each character and player is going to produce something of a different quality with the same ingredients.

[Warren Castille]

"Aww! He's confined a wheelchair! That's so adorable!!"

 

"Look, she was born with nonfunctional limbs! Isn't that just precious??"

 

"Look at that person! They can't see anything! Fuckin' kawaii!"

 

"Aw, she stutters! I just wanna huggle her up and snuggle and shelter her!"

 

Edit, in case that's somehow not clear: Don't do this.

[Hammersmith]

Can chars have mental illnesses?

 

Yes.  They can.

 

Should you be playing one with such?

 

If the answer to this involves "I don't want to do the research to portray it correctly and without being an asshole to the people who also have it", the answer is probably no.

 

This shit is complicated.  

 

There's an old term for RPers who do it shittily, "Fish Malk", referring to the "Lol so randum" portrayals of insanity in RPGs from the mid/late 90s in stuff like Vampire the Masquerade.  It's stuff like that that trivializes the struggle with these conditions in real life, and marginalizes the people who have to deal with it.

 

Being someone's joke, someone's punchline, being handy attention seeking hook of the hour, is not how any mental illness works and if it's being played as such there's probably a long walk off a short plank you should be contemplating because, I hate to tell you, you are the asshole here.

 

 

Now, if you're still set as playing mental illness as a facet and a condition, not a quirk of the hour, a cute thing that is extra cute to add to cute, or the extra tortured soul who is more tortured than thou I mean look at this really, the worst gib sympathy plz, then read on.

 

Look up how these things work.  How they change perspectives.  How they grind the edges off things like enjoyment and satisfaction.  Some do it fast, some do it slow, some do it dramatically.  See how it's going to lash out against those around you.

 

It's called an illness because it inhibits, not because it's neat.,  Mental illness prevents you from operating at a baseline point.  It doesn't just come up whenever it's convenient.

 

Which makes portraying it hard.

 

Really: I'd recommend not doing it.  It's really easy to be an asshole instead of being interesting with it.  Personality traits are one thing.  Actual conditions are another.   They arn't fun and, for the most part, we're all here to have fun.

[ShoggMommy]

"Aw, she stutters! I just wanna huggle her up and snuggle and shelter her!"

 

Edit, in case that's somehow not clear: Don't do this.

 

C'sien stammers actually, it was something that picked up early from her rp start. It's something that does have reason and background. So yes, I have to agree with this comment.

 

It does upset her a lot when people do this, it has happened often and people don't understand that doing this gets her more worked up. She doesn't find it cute and sees it as embarrassing.

 

And in truth it has hindered her even in an rp setting. She does get negatives from it, and while I don't edge-it-up, there are consequences and I take it seriously with the char.

[Warren Castille]

In addition: It's possible to be shy without slapping Social Anxiety onto the label. There's a world of difference between "uncomfortable with strangers" and "mentally and physically unable to make eye contact for fear of doing some horrible offense however slight or imagined and oh my god I just don't want to be here I want to lock myself in my room and never look at another person again why can't I just go home go awaaay."

[Aris]

But just. The thing is. Mental illness is much more complicated than many people think, or the media portrays.

 

For example, often people talk about shyness, but as Warren has mentioned above it isn't necessarily social anxiety. Everyone gets a little shy on time to time, some more than others. Most people are able to work through it. Social anxiety on the other hand is intense and in some cases, crippling. It isn't just worrying about a social situation. Worries are going around and around in your head for ages before and then ages after going over the situation and analysing it. You might start to withdraw from social situations entirely. Your entire life is impacted. There's the physical sensations no-one talks about: finding it hard to breathe, wanting to be sick, feeling like you're legs have disappeared, dizziness, sweating, feeling like you might shit yourself, and more. Then sometimes a full blown panic attack.

 

If you're going to portray a character with mental illness, please do a lot of research on the subject. Proper research. Read stories from the people suffering. Read up on the mental and physical symptoms. Learn about it was a medical perspective as well as a personal one. Don't look to the media for research because as mentioned, it isn't portrayed well.

 

I second Hammersmith's post here. Think about how your character is managing it, or if they aren't. Depending on circumstances it will slowly leak into every aspect of a person's life . It's called an illness for a reason.

 

I have so many feelings and things I want to say regarding this thread but I can't put them into words.

[ShoggMommy]

Agreed with Aris.

 

Should I choose to do something with my character that is extreme, I seriously read up on it, watch interviews etc.

 

Edit: I remember watching this video about 'so-called-headmates' which 'fronted', it made me so disgusted because it fantasized schizophrenia and made it almost 'fun' to have it. To have friends like Loki and Sherlock sharing your brain pan. It was seriously fucked up (excuse my language but it was appropriate in this case).

 

Admittedly I personally deal with social anxiety, not shyness. People who know me know I'm not shy. It sucks a lot. It's scary and really not fun. I have had panic attacks.

 

I used to play a character that had some pretty traumatic stuff happen in a past mmo, but when I chose to go that path with her I read up on it a lot. It was scary just reading some things actually.

 

I don't think people should bar it from their rp, but be mindful instead.

 

On another note something to say, when doing it you have to be really careful as well to mind yourself. There are reasons why Jack Nickleson told Ledger to be very careful with his role.

[Warren Castille]

Edit: I remember watching this video about 'so-called-headmates' which 'fronted', it made me so disgusted because it fantasized schizophrenia and made it almost 'fun' to have it. To have friends like Loki and Sherlock sharing your brain pan. It was seriously fucked up (excuse my language but it was appropriate in this case).

 

I'm of the opinion there's an entire subset of internet people who attempt to co-opt actual illnesses specifically for the attention and inferred glamour or exoticism.

[ShoggMommy]

Edit: I remember watching this video about 'so-called-headmates' which 'fronted', it made me so disgusted because it fantasized schizophrenia and made it almost 'fun' to have it. To have friends like Loki and Sherlock sharing your brain pan. It was seriously fucked up (excuse my language but it was appropriate in this case).

 

I'm of the opinion there's an entire subset of internet people who attempt to co-opt actual illnesses specifically for the attention and inferred glamour or exoticism.

 

Oh and that was the point of the video too. I can send it to you in PM if you want. But it has quite a bit of language and I don't want to share that publicly.

 

I agree I do think there is a subset of people who use it for attention. It's wrong and I don't approve of that sort of behavior at all.

[cuideag]

Going to echo quite a few people here. If you must, do your research. Mental illnesses are a pretty serious thing and dressing it up as a cute quirk or whatever doesn't do those who suffer from one thing or another (or several) much credit.

[allgivenover]

Edit: I remember watching this video about 'so-called-headmates' which 'fronted', it made me so disgusted because it fantasized schizophrenia and made it almost 'fun' to have it. To have friends like Loki and Sherlock sharing your brain pan. It was seriously fucked up (excuse my language but it was appropriate in this case).  

 

I'm of the opinion there's an entire subset of internet people who attempt to co-opt actual illnesses specifically for the attention and inferred glamour or exoticism.

 

They call it tumblr these days. 

 

Before that it was LiveJournal.

 

Yes I know tumblr isn't all bad. I use mine to follow artists and reblog shit that amuses me.

[Zyrusticae]

Well, I confess this thread made me anxious enough that it affected my sleep. Heh. Perhaps this was a mistake.

 

Well, ignoring it won't make me feel any better, so I'll just keep going.

 

I realized something earlier - I think I've developed something of a blind spot for this sort of thing because I've been mired in Japanese moé culture for so long where they have absolutely no objections to exploiting highly visible character flaws for that sort of appeal. I always thought that sort of thing was at least a little gross (especially with particularly unrealistic saccharine-type characters that are more bags of tropes than characters), so the thought that I may have been subconsciously engaging in similar behavior was pretty eye-opening. I have this thread's posters to thank for that, so good work! (That's not sarcasm, by the way. Just making sure.)

 

That being said, people keep mentioning characters being overpowered by traits or exploiting them unfairly, and I feel compelled to mention that, well, that's pretty obviously bad writing. Of course you want characters to feel more like well-rounded characters (i.e. human beings) than a collection of tropes and plot devices. I don't think it even needs to be pointed out since it's such a matter-of-fact thing, but this is something I internalize on a daily basis, so maybe I'm not the target audience for those statements.

 

On another note, I keep seeing people emphasizing shyness =/= social anxiety disorder. I'm sure folks are just trying to make sure people are on the same page on this, but I keep getting this implication that people feel I am being disingenuous on my claims of possessing such a disorder. As I don't feel like doing an impromptu psych eval or listing off symptoms on a public forum is very appropriate, you'll just have to take my word for it that, yes, I am very well aware of the difference between the two and I am not co-opting the disease for my own gain (although what sort of gain that would be, exactly, I'm not sure). I've already explained why I try to look at these things positively despite the hardship, so I wager I don't need to repeat myself here.

 

At any rate, I'm still glad I made this thread despite how anxious it's made me, as I am learning quite a bit here and I really appreciate the varied perspectives. I hope I haven't hurt anyone with some of my insensitive statements and I'd like to be able to leave the thread alone with no hard feelings, so don't be afraid to let me know when I'm being a moron, yeah? (Though I would hope you would at least be a little nice and understanding about it, eheh...)

[Aris]

Just to clarify and hopefully ease your concerns, I went into a bit more detail regarding shyness not because of anything you've said but in regards to mental illness sometimes being an 'accessory' nowadays (in culture in general, not necessarily roleplaying). Shyness/anxiety is one of the easiest example of that, and I felt it important to reinforce the distinction between the two and hopefully explain how serious it can be for anyone who doesn't know already.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

It is a personal subject for many of us, but imo it's interesting (although a bit strange) to see mental illness in RP being discussed in a practical way and not have had the thread go downhill.

[Raine]

Just to clarify and hopefully ease your concerns, I went into a bit more detail regarding shyness not because of anything you've said but in regards to mental illness sometimes being an 'accessory' nowadays (in culture in general, not necessarily roleplaying). Shyness/anxiety is one of the easiest example of that, and I felt it important to reinforce the distinction between the two and hopefully explain how serious it can be for anyone who doesn't know already.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

It is a personal subject for many of us, but imo it's interesting (although a bit strange) to see mental illness in RP being discussed in a practical way and not have had the thread go downhill.

I actually thought you were calling me out for my post *phew* I honestly dislike talking to anybody outside of the internet (and even then, I still sometimes feel really sick, even if I'm comfortable with the community). I rarely leave my room at home, and when I have to I take my headphones and music, that way I avoid communication, and I don't look at other people (in the eyes at least, I avoid looking at people altogether unless there's no choice, and for this reason along with my appearance I've been labelled a psychopath and a future murderer in high school, but meh) until going back up to my room, checkout at a store or whatever. When I communicate with family, it's a sentence or two and then I go upstairs. With people on the internet. I can talk with, but I mostly listen to them, chiming in when they want me to.

 

I don't stutter, so I'm not really sure what it is that's wrong with me, or what it's classified as.

[xelliexell]

T'rahnu, I'm sorry you've lost sleep over the topic. It might help to keep things in perspective: that this is just a thread that holds many different subjective opinions, but isn't necessarily one of scientific fact. At the end of the day, one person's opinions aren't any more or less valuable than your own, because... opinions aren't facts, unless we want to start throwing empirically reviewed postgraduate research up in here.

 

Anyway, just trying to help relieve some of that anxiety! We're just an internet forum for a video game where we all make a hobby of playing pretendsies.

 

But more to the topic, personally speaking, I have a BA in Psychology, so I may have a pretty different / skewed perspective on this. Many of my jobs in my teens and early 20's involved people who were mentally and physically disabled. I really wish I could convey all the experiences and knowledge I have in my brain to everyone I meet, but that's silly and impossible. So, I'll just relate what I hope to be the cliff note highlights!

 

One of the first and most important things one learns when undertaking anything with "Abnormal Psychology" is that the person should always come first. When you introduce a friend with a mental disorder, you don't say "Please meet my friend, her name is Schizophrenia!", you say " Please meet my friend, her name is Alis!" Defining a person solely by their mental disorder paints a very nuanced topic with a woefully broad brush, and discredits all of the other aspects that make Alis Alis. Additionally, most personality disorders, like general aspects of personality, exist on a spectrum. Things could manifest more on the slight end, or on the heavy end, and a primary guage of whether or not someone has a -disorder- as opposed to a similar personality quirk has to do with how much it inhibits their capacity to function within society.

 

When viewing mental or personality disorders in RP, it's regretful that many people don't seem to put in research beyond watching a movie with someone who had X Disorder. (And many movies are notoriously inaccurate in their portrayal of more 'severe' disorders.) As with most people, I toss my hat into the "research a lot before playing" ring, and add to the "don't make this personality disorder be a solely defining aspect of the character."

 

My actual focus of study as an Undergrad was social and cultural Psychology, which is kind of a gold mine when it comes to thinking about and developing a character. If there's enough thought put into it, a character who suffers from utter shyness can be just as interesting - if not even more so - than one who's stuck with a buzzword Psychology label. One can accomplish many of the same personality goals by researching and using "mundane" personality traits, because people - regular, "normal" people - can act just as unhinged as those who have alternate chemicals firing in their brain to give them alternate perceptions.

 

So, I guess, I'd just propose giving a good, long thought to the reason why a character is going to be attributed to a crippling psychological disorder. Normal people go through trauma all the time, and it can manifest in a number of interesting ways that can change one's personality and responses forever (without necessarily triggering the ol' stress-diathesis model.)

 

But again... opinions!

[Sailor July]

Aw, don't be anxious, Zyrusticae! There will always be people offended by this RP or that RP, and there will always be people who support those RPs as well. From what I can tell, you're researching and respecting and that's what really counts, I think.  

[Kellach Woods]

An anecdote while it's fresh in my mind.

 

Some of you may be aware that there's currently a RPG speedrunning marathon called RPG Limit Break over yonder on twitch for the benefit of NAMI.

 

So, I'm in chat, someone asks if people want to share stories of mental illnesses/disorders. Since I got a more solid diagnostic... Tuesday, I decided to do so.

 

First thing I got was someone makin' fun of it. So, yeah. Which is typically the reaction I get from whoever I mention this to.

 

* * * 

 

So yeah, when I mention not interpreting others' reactions to your character, that's kinda where I'm coming from - a place where even people who're sensible to the issue can tell me to fuck right off or the equivalent.

 

Chances are if you've remotely thought about your character, if you decide to give them a disorder it'll be played marginally better than someone who just thought X character from Y movie with Z misrepresented disorder is so fuckin' cool that they have to essentially "port" them to FFXIV + a difference.

 

I'd also add "Don't make the disorder the chief explanation for your character's acts". I can understand if it explains certain quirks, etc. But when "They have schizophrenia" is the first thing you utter when someone goes why did you do that, that kinda falls flat.

[Naunet]

Edit: I remember watching this video about 'so-called-headmates' which 'fronted', it made me so disgusted because it fantasized schizophrenia and made it almost 'fun' to have it. To have friends like Loki and Sherlock sharing your brain pan. It was seriously fucked up (excuse my language but it was appropriate in this case). 

 

As the family member of a paranoid-schizophrenic with bipolar, the existence of that video disgusts me on a level I'm not sure I can put into words.

 

I want to contribute to this thread, as I have experience roleplaying mentally ill characters and would like to share it, but it's going to take me a bit to get over the anger that video has caused. ;

[Faye]

On another note, I keep seeing people emphasizing shyness =/= social anxiety disorder. I'm sure folks are just trying to make sure people are on the same page on this, but I keep getting this implication that people feel I am being disingenuous on my claims of possessing such a disorder.

 

I don't think anyone is meaning to imply you're being disingenuous, I think there's just some confusion because you've tried to push for social anxiety to be labeled "cute," or that it's "not that bad" and just a personality quirk, which is a baffling concept to anyone with a deep and personal understanding of social anxiety. It easily leads someone to believe that you don't have a clear understanding of what social anxiety is, or that the only kind you acknowledge and know of is incredibly mild.

 

The realities of social anxiety are:

 

- Difficulty forming and keeping relationships with other people

- Difficulty leaving the house or running errands (and this includes to do important things, like buy groceries when you have no food, going to a medical appointment, filling the nearly empty gas tank in your car, etc.)

- Difficulty making phone calls (once again for potentially important things, like refilling a prescription that's run out, calling your workplace to tell them you're sick today, etc.)

- Difficulty even leaving your room/getting out of bed if you live with other people

- Difficulty finding and keeping a job, or difficulty attending school and keeping your grades up

- Panic attacks (which feel like you're literally dying)

- Shortness of breath, increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness,

- Acid reflux, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, digestive problems

- Insomnia, sore muscles, headaches, exhaustion, problems with your teeth from reflux or grinding

- Long term effects of stress like stomach ulcers, skin problems, aging more quickly, weight loss/gain etc.

- Potential to spiral into depression, including self-harm and suicide

- Potential to develop a dependency on drugs or alcohol or other addictions to cope

- Money spent on therapy and medications

- Side effects from those medications, as well as the fact that starting a new antidepressant typically worsens anxiety until your body adjusts

- Potential to get addicted to medications prescribed for your anxiety (i.e. Xanax)

 

Looking at the realities many people with social anxiety face (and that was only to name a few of the more objective/common ones), it can sound absolutely ludicrous to expect people to find it to be a cute and endearing condition, or one that's easy to brush aside or cope with, so I believe some of us are under the impression you don't really understand what social anxiety is and that you've simply made a shy character rather than a character legitimately afflicted with social anxiety.

 

As far as the theory that social anxiety is "a part of your personality," I can promise you, it's not. You know it's not you when it happens. It feels wrong and foreign, probably not much different than how a transgender person knows they were born the wrong sex. You just know it's wrong, it's not you. Plenty of people afflicted with social anxiety are actually outgoing or extroverted, our anxiety just squanders that part of us and it's painful not being able to express who you know you really are.

[Saefinn]

There will also be a number of us in this game who do suffer from mental illnesses and of course, we employ ourselves in a certain degree into our characters. I have a mental illness myself, but I am very private about it, it prolly comes out in some of my characters unintentionally.

 

But I do agree with what people say about being research, the problem is, mental illness can become stigmatised in general and you bare the risk of bringing that stigma into how you play your character and then it may come off as offensive.

 

Getting into the head of somebody who has a mental illness is very difficult and it is very difficult to see the world through their eyes - even though I suffer from one myself and am very compassionate and understanding of people and make the effort to learn and understand people, those with other mental illnesses, I still find it difficult to see the world through their eyes, even when I try. So I would say writing a character will mental issues becomes more of a sensitive thing when you yourself do not have it. But, if you are the empathetic sort who makes an effort to do it right, then not an issue.

 

However, I would say, generally, people who have mental problems, that they wish to only be treated as equals and not be misunderstood. It is something I wish, hence I'm generally not that forthcoming about mine. So, if you don't respect people properly, you do run into as risk of pissing them off or even come off as patronising.

 

 

I don't think playing a mental illness needed necessarily be a character flaw, but is something 3 dimensional that gives your character, well, their character. You can gain some positive traits that many not be typical of those who do not have it.

 

If it is something that interests you, particularly, if you're interested in understanding what it is like, then do your research - if you can, maybe speak to somebody with experience. Like any good writer would. It's misrepresentation that's likely to get you flack, especially with stigma and how mental illness is generally misrepresented anyway.

 

If you wish to have a mental illness because you think it gives your character an interesting character flaw and proceed to misunderstand what it means to be a sufferer, then you might get a roundhouse kick to the face.

[ArmachiA]

On another note, I keep seeing people emphasizing shyness =/= social anxiety disorder. I'm sure folks are just trying to make sure people are on the same page on this, but I keep getting this implication that people feel I am being disingenuous on my claims of possessing such a disorder.

 

I don't think anyone is meaning to imply you're being disingenuous, I think there's just some confusion because you've tried to push for social anxiety to be labeled "cute," or that it's "not that bad" and just a personality quirk, which is a baffling concept to anyone with a deep and personal understanding of social anxiety. It easily leads someone to believe that you don't have a clear understanding of what social anxiety is, or that the only kind you acknowledge and know of is incredibly mild.

 

The realities of social anxiety are:

 

- Difficulty forming and keeping relationships with other people

- Difficulty leaving the house or running errands (and this includes to do important things, like buy groceries when you have no food, going to a medical appointment, filling the nearly empty gas tank in your car, etc.)

- Difficulty making phone calls (once again for potentially important things, like refilling a prescription that's run out, calling your workplace to tell them you're sick today, etc.)

- Difficulty even leaving your room/getting out of bed if you live with other people

- Difficulty finding and keeping a job, or difficulty attending school and keeping your grades up

- Panic attacks (which feel like you're literally dying)

- Shortness of breath, increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness,

- Acid reflux, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, digestive problems

- Insomnia, sore muscles, headaches, exhaustion, problems with your teeth from reflux or grinding

- Long term effects of stress like stomach ulcers, skin problems, aging more quickly, weight loss/gain etc.

- Potential to spiral into depression, including self-harm and suicide

- Potential to develop a dependency on drugs or alcohol or other addictions to cope

- Money spent on therapy and medications

- Side effects from those medications, as well as the fact that starting a new antidepressant typically worsens anxiety until your body adjusts

- Potential to get addicted to medications prescribed for your anxiety (i.e. Xanax)

 

Looking at the realities many people with social anxiety face (and that was only to name a few of the more objective/common ones), it can sound absolutely ludicrous to expect people to find it to be a cute and endearing condition, or one that's easy to brush aside or cope with, so I believe some of us are under the impression you don't really understand what social anxiety is and that you've simply made a shy character rather than a character legitimately afflicted with social anxiety.

 

As far as the theory that social anxiety is "a part of your personality," I can promise you, it's not. You know it's not you when it happens. It feels wrong and foreign, probably not much different than how a transgender person knows they were born the wrong sex. You just know it's wrong, it's not you. Plenty of people afflicted with social anxiety are actually outgoing or extroverted, our anxiety just squanders that part of us and it's painful not being able to express who you know you really are.

 

To add, one of the WORST things about the disorder is constantly worrying about if it will kick in when you do something new or... anything at all. Again, I'm not shy, but if I get invited to a party, or invited to a movie, or an amusement park (Which I LOVE AMUSEMENT PARKS) I have to spend the next few days deciding whether or not I can even go or if my disorder is going to come up and make everything embarrassing and awful. You can't spring something on me that day. "Want to go to a movie in an hour?" is not possible with me, unless your my mom, you have to give me 24 hours notice generally. I hate that because I'm pretty spontaneous, before I had the disorder (It started when I was 25) I would just go do whatever I wanted, no problem.

 

I like traveling. I also know if I travel the first time in a hotel I'll have a panic attack. I went to New York City and Las Vegas last year, both times the first night my brain was telling me to go home even though I WANTED TO BE THERE. Traveling is hard. I have to make sure it's something I really want to do before I decide to go because I know what it means. It means a panic attack.

 

It's beneath the surface all the time. And you worry about it all the time. And it's awful - the disorder becomes being afraid of the disorder. It took me 5-6 years to control it on the level I do now. I went from having 3-4 panic attacks a week to having 1-2 a year. But it is not an easy road and I can slip at any time.

 

And I know that. And it's terrifying.

[Imo]

Sturgeon's Law applies heavily to characters with mental illnesses. Some people manage to play them well, most people don't. When in doubt, exercise caution, be respectful, and do research to make sure you portray the disorder accurately instead of going for a Holywood version.

 

Also, reason is important. If you give your character a disorder in order to make them cooler, more speshul or edgier, then you're doing it wrong and I guarantee you're not going to play it in a tasteful manner. Bonus points if it's multiple personality disorder.

[Darien Cadell]

My characters don't really have mental illnesses per se. They have things that happened to them and ways they reacted to those things that if transported into modern reality would more than likely have them diagnosed and in therapy.

 

If I were trying to portray a particular set of symptoms for... some reason? (Why would I do that? To teach people what it's like? To be more authentic to some real world situation?) Then I'd be honor-bound to do the research?

 

As it is, what I'm actually doing is thinking 'how would this person with these experiences and these values and ideals react to this situation'? And the resulting answer is highly unstable. I'm not really interested in what the DSM has to say about that result, what it categorizes as, or how to treat it, unless it happens that the character ends up wanting a diagnosis for some reason? Should they be seeking out an Eorzean psychiatrist? That's not likely.

 

When I played with amnesia, there wasn't anything real-world about it. It was a magic side effect of magic things that happened. How it happened to the character was a fictional construct. How the character reacted to it was a fictional construct. Yes, it sucked for him. No, I wasn't interested in how real people in reality react to or live with amnesia. It was all about the trope and unashamedly so. I was only interested in how he reacted to and lived with the memories he did or didn't have.

 

Maybe if I was working with some difference the character was born with and had to grow up with, I'd want to know a bit more about other people, real and otherwise, who grow up with similar issues. But since I'm inducing fake reactions to fake circumstances, I'm okay with having thoroughly fake results that someone else might point to a psychology textbook and say "they wouldn't do that" and I just shrug and say "well, that's what they did".