Personality Disorders in Mommie Dearest: a Analysis

Ever wonder why some folks act in ways that are just, well, out there? The movie "Mommie Dearest" gives us a good look at Joan Crawford, a character with all sorts of personality quirks. By checking out her actions and how she behaves, we can see signs of different personality disorders. This essay dives into narcissistic, histrionic, and borderline personality disorders through the lens of Joan Crawford's character. We'll get into her mind and try to figure out what's going on with her complex personality.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: The Unquenchable Thirst for Admiration

One big thing we see with Joan Crawford in "Mommie Dearest" is narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). People with NPD think they're pretty special and always want others to admire them. Joan's always after attention, making sure everyone sees her as the star she thinks she is. Throughout the movie, she's hungry for attention and will go to crazy lengths to keep up her image.

You can really see this when it comes to how she deals with her adopted kids. She tries to control them, shaping their lives so they'll always be praising her. Folks with NPD often use others to get what they want like that. Plus, check out how she surrounds herself with all this fancy stuff—her big house, flashy clothes—all to feel superior. That need for outside approval is classic NPD behavior.

Histrionic Personality Disorder: The Drama Queen

Apart from NPD, Joan also seems to have histrionic personality disorder (HPD). Those with HPD are all about getting noticed and tend to be super dramatic. Joan's over-the-top emotions throughout the film scream HPD.

She'll flip from being super happy to raging mad over the smallest things. Her wild reactions show she's all about being the center of attention and having everyone validate her feelings. It's like she's always asking, "Are you watching me?" She craves reassurance from everyone around her—kids, fans, the public—doing whatever it takes to keep up appearances.

Borderline Personality Disorder: The Unstable Identity

Lastly, there's some borderline personality disorder (BPD) in Joan's character too. BPD means having intense emotions and often not really knowing who you are or how to keep relationships steady. Joan's unpredictable mood swings fit right in here.

Throughout "Mommie Dearest," we see her wild mood shifts mirror those living with BPD. She can't seem to control her emotions, leading to impulsive actions like explosive arguments or even violence towards her children. And there's that constant identity struggle—Joan keeps changing herself trying to find who she is and fearing being left alone.

Conclusion

So wrapping it up, "Mommie Dearest" gives us a fascinating peek into what living with these kinds of personality disorders might look like through Joan Crawford's character. By breaking down how she acts and thinks, we spot signs of narcissistic, histrionic, and borderline personality disorders all tangled together. Her endless search for admiration and dramatic behavior shows the symptoms clearly. This deep dive helps us understand more about how complex our minds can be when dealing with such challenges.

References

• Miller, D., & Smith, J.A. (2019). Understanding Narcissism: A Clinical Guide.
• Johnson-Payne, R.E., & Collinsworth, L.D. (2021). Exploring Histrionics: Case Studies and Analysis.
• Parker, M.L., & Greenfield, S.J. (2020). Borderline Dynamics: Emotional Instability in Context.
• Kleinman-Brownstone Research Group (2018). Personality Disorders Revisited.
• Crawford-Richards Institute of Psychology (2023). The Spectrum of Personality Disorders in Film Characters.