OUAN601 - COP3:
Disney/Pixar & Mental Health
Finding Nemo - Anterograde Amnesia
Dory. Need I say more? It is incredibly obvious that Dory's short-term memory loss is an indicator of a more serious form of amnesia. The story could be looked at as a point of optimism, especially for children who witness family members suffering from illness such as dementia and amnesia. It may teach them that their support and love regardless of a close relative's memory loss could actually help the sufferer: "I just... I remember things better with you" - Dory.
The Lion King - PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
A child having to watch the brutal death of his father would be traumatic whichever way you look at it. Simba obviously suffered from seeing his uncle put his father to death and that is practically what the first film is about. It could be said that this is simply the natural course of trauma and grief and there implying mental illness is part of this film is, well, mad! (No pun intended!) Some of the symptoms of PTSD are recurrent flashbacks, numbing of emotional events, and hyperarousal - all potential warning signs for Simba. Considering TLK was based on Hamlet, the Shakespearean play, it is very much inevitable that a character would show signs of PTSD.
Shrek - SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder)
It could be argued that Shrek has elements of social anxiety and actively shows these symptoms throughout the films. It is mentioned that "ogres have layers" and Shrek has trouble opening up to the world around him. He puts on a front with the intention of scaring those around him away so he does not have to engage in social interaction or any threatening situations. For instance, when meeting Fiona's parents for the first time, he is intimidated in a very logical way, however his urge to avoid this situation could be down to his anxiety of rejection and judgement due to appearance and is so strong that he wishes to leave the event and makes a fuss about it.
Frozen - BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder)
Emotional instability, outbursts of anger, intense efforts to avoid real or perceived abandonment, and unstable interpersonal relationships. Sounds like Elsa. A lot, right? Affecting a whopping 1.6% of adults according to many articles, it can be a hard and horrible rollercoaster of emotional dysregulation, suicide, and self-harm. Although self-harm and suicide aren't tackled in this film (for obvious reasons), Elsa does engage in self-destructive behaviour, a clear pointer towards BPD.
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs - Narcissistic Personality Disorder
For all of us who have watched it, and I can't think of anyone who hasn't, we all know too well that the Evil Queen has a touch of massive-ego syndrome. Talking to a mirror every single day to ask its opinion on your appearance is a little bit on the egocentric side. She's impulsive and cruel and feels nothing of it. You could argue that most evil villains have some form of disorder and it's quite obvious that she does.
