On Diagnosing Shutter Island

Movie: Shutter Island (2010)

I don't know, but I really enjoyed watching this movie as much as I loved Gothika starring Halle Berry years ago.

It was intense in a way, especially since we were told to look into movies with psychiatric illnesses since the start of my rotation in this fascinating specialty. So throughout the whole movie, I was trying to figure out what Teddy (starred by Leonardo diCaprio) really had. Schizophrenia? Major depressive disorder? Bipolar disorder?

Somehow, the major trauma of his wife killing their children leading to his impulsivity in shooting his wife, led him into major depression. His wife probably had some mental illnesses in the first place, probably some major depressive disorder or some sort. If I'm not mistaken, there was a scene when his wife actually asked of them to move back to their previous house instead of being in that isolated lakeside bungalow. Assuming that he felt guilty after he ignored his wife's suggestion, which led to all those death in his family, it's only explainable that he has some form of post-traumatic stress disorder.

All those hallucinations and delusions that he had, where he had all these false believe that surgeries were being carried out in the lighthouse, or that he met the ex-psychiatrist in the cave, or this delusions that people on the island are trying to harm him, they're pretty much sufficient for diagnosing Schizophrenia.

But then again, when I had a second thought about it, delusions and hallucinations could also happen in depression with psychosis.

Which led me into looking back into his past history, where he murdered his wife. It's only natural that someone who lost all his loved ones in a day to suffer from such major depression.

But then again, he didn't really have all these symptoms of depression. There's no loss of sleep or concentration or appetite or interest. In fact, he was very keen in finding out who Edward really was; without knowing he is actually Edward.

And to consider he's re-experiencing his trauma in so many ways, i.e. seeing images of his dead wife and daughter, I could only relate his condition to a really bad condition of post traumatic disorder.

But then again, in post traumatic disorder, patient usually avoid talking or thinking about the trauma; which he did, but in a rather bizarre manner. He simply created a whole new person and make believe he's not who he was and totally forgot who he was.

Which was quite bizarre and could be considered a form of delusion seen in Schizophrenia.

So.

Now that I'm looking into all those possible diagnosis, I think I might have some traits of rumination obsessive compulsive disorder.

Then again, I think this Teddy has post traumatic stress disorder with psychosis. If there's such a diagnosis.

Go watch the movie if you have not. I rate it 5/5. :D It's seriously no-shit cool! I haven't even gone into the withdrawal symptoms even. LOL.

ps: Friend told me, her lecturer said Teddy suffers from delusional disorder. Hmmmm...