Craig Gilner from It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Description
The character Craig Gilner in It’s Kind of a Funny Story is the protagonist in the film. He dreams about the future. When the movie starts, he is seen yearning to commit suicide on the Brooklyn Bridge. The character grows suicidal after having a series of thoughts regarding his problems (Haywood, 2019). He is taken to a hospital, where he finds other patients with many mental challenges, such as autism and manic depression.
Primary Diagnosis: Anxiety Disorder and Depression
In the movie, Craig Gilner suffers from anxiety disorder and depression. The diagnostic code for the condition is Code F41.9 (Kinderman, 2019). This disorder involves panic caused by fears of contemporary life issues and worrying about unforeseen events or ordinary and routine matters. Gilner does not seem to discover his potential in life because, if he did, he would never be bothered by the uncertainties, since there are many alternatives.
Various occasions prove that Gilner had anxiety disorders. First, he worries about his school performance, but does not want to discuss it with his parents because he feels they have high expectations of him. He is overwhelmed and decides to admit himself into a medical facility without consulting, proving he has mental challenges (Haywood, 2019). While taking food at the hospital cafeteria, Gilner does not seem hungry as he tells Humble to have breakfast, which shows he is symptomatic of a mental disorder. He does not express anger like many of his friends, prefers keeping it inside, and decides to sing music related to his problems, such as ‘Under Pressure,’ which comforts him.
Additional Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder
Gilner’s condition is likely to match a person who has bipolar disorder. The reason is that he is delusional, which puts him on the edge of hallucinating. The fear of failing in his studies is illogical thinking since he can work smart in school and ask his teachers and parents to assist him (Haywood, 2019). Gilner’s decision to visit a mental health facility without his parents is a feature associated with bipolar disorder patients, as they feel what they have in mind is only vital to them. Anxiety disorder is a psychiatric disorder, but it can also result from genes.
Pat Solitano from Silver Linings Playbook
This character is featured in Silver Linings Playbook, and his role depicts a person who does not thoughtfully consider things before taking action. Solitano is a charming young man taken to a psychiatric facility after lethally beating his wife’s lover (Koplewicz, 2022). He has a mental disorder that sends him to an eight-month rehabilitation in a hospital. After leaving the facility, he feels rejuvenated about his condition and knows it is time to change for good.
Primary Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder
Solitano suffers from a mental illness known as bipolar disorder. The code for this disorder is F31.13 on severe and manic extremes (Kinderman, 2019). A person with this condition often experiences mood swings where they have an emotional state that makes them enraged on occasion. In most cases, people with this mental challenge feel hopeless and may make illogical decisions, such as suicide and injuries.
There are various reasons why Solitano could be said to have bipolar disorder. Firstly, he is appealing and scary to the extent of making poor decisions. Secondly, he is obsessed with returning his wife, who had taken a restraining order against him (Koplewicz, 2022). Beating his wife’s lover in extreme measures is another occasion that proves he had mental issues. He runs around the neighborhood while wearing a garbage bag meant to induce more sweating.
Additional Diagnosis: ADHD
The character’s condition could also be related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The reason is that Solitano does not see a problem with his lifestyle, which is mainly characterized by an extreme desire for recognition, even for unnecessary events, such as love for rituals introduced to him by his father (Koplewicz, 2022). He considers himself the odd one out of the family because he believes in love and eccentricity. This condition is genetic because a person may have it if one of the family members has a history of the same.
Ellen from To The Bone
Description
In To The Bone, Ellen spends his teenage years recovering from her eating disorder. In the film, she does not see the sense of escaping from the mental illness since, after a series of activities in therapy, she weighs less than she did when she started (Lubianti et al., 2020). Her character is described as a defiant and undesired influence, although she seems bright and sensitive from her mother’s perspective.
Primary Diagnosis: Anorexia Nervosa
The disorder that Ellen suffers from is known as anorexia nervosa. The DSM-5 Code for this illness is F50.02 in severe measures (Kinderman, 2019). The condition involves an extreme fear of gaining weight, where a person fails to eat or eats significantly less in fear of gaining weight. Additionally, patients may exercise a lot while taking note of the calories they consume. Ellen decides to commit most of her time to drawing, which indirectly puts her to starvation by choice.
The evidence for the diagnosis of the disorder is Ellen’s reluctance to eat and low weight. She confesses to having fears of gaining weight, so she opts to get out of meal points and visit friends or make drawings to ensure she is fully engaged (Lubianti et al., 2020). Her body is weak, and she has a slim physical structure, which is evidence that she has the disorder. Also, Ellen was found to have a low appetite, which is a key facilitator of the condition.
Additional Diagnosis: Pica
Based on the movie’s portrayal of Ellen, her condition could resemble pica. Pica is an eating disorder that involves eating foods that are considered of low nutritional value. For example, persons with this disease may prefer eating non-food substances such as ice, paper, hair, and cloth.
In the movie, Ellen takes many chewing gums to ‘deceive’ his body that she is eating food (Lubianti et al., 2020). Additionally, she often takes popcorn and only fruits for the day. These conditions are evidence that she might be having pica as well. This condition is psychiatric since it develops from personal beliefs and perceptions.
References
Haywood, E. (2019). It’s kind of a funny story: How a film exploring the teenage perils of mental health holds so much contextual relevance nine years after its release. Flip Screen. Web.
Kinderman, P. (2019). A manifesto for mental health: Why we need a revolution in mental health care. Palgrave Macmillan.
Koplewicz, H. (2022). Silver Linings: An irreverent but real look at mental illness. Child Mind Institute. Web.
Lubianti, E., Agustina, M. F., & Utami, S. M. (2020). Ellen’s Anorexia in the Bone movie (2017). J-Lalite: Journal of English Studies, 1(1), 1–4. Web.
Riggs, E. E. (2018). Mental illness and the monstrous mother: A comparison of representation in the Babadook and lights out. Film Matters, 9(1), 30–38. Web.