How Is Holden Caulfield Mental Illness

Holden Caulfield is a seventeen year old male who shows evidence of a possible diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) and Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD). This possible diagnosis is due to sudden outbursts of anger,constant deceitfulness, feelings of emotional numbness, and many other symptoms. Some people who say that he’s just a spoiled child however, there is evidence to prove that there is a much deeper issue. Traumatic events such as abuse(emotional,mental,and sexual), neglect,death of a loved one,abandonment, feelings of emptiness, and suicidal thoughts can cause these mental illnesses. With his long list of symptoms, the evidence proves that he suffers from PTSD and BPD.
Mr. Caulfield is being diagnosed with Post Traumatic

(Being yellow, his gloves, movies) At the end of chapter fourteen, he talks about committing suicide. “ What i really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would have done it too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory.” Holden maintains a negative attitude that makes him find fault in people, his parents, teachers, classmates, strangers even.(He especially negative toward adults) However, Holden’s negative attitude changes when it comes to children, nuns, etc. People of innocence. Holden likes children, and Jesus, because they are innocent, have not done any wrong. In chapter fourteen he talks of liking Jesus in the bible but not the disciples. Holden says “They were alright after Jesus was dead and all, but while he was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head. All they did was keep letting Him down. I like almost anybody in the Bible better than the Disciples.” Holden also talks of another person in the Bible. “ If you want to know the truth, the guy I like best in the Bible, next to Jesus, was that

Caulfield is being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder due to the multiple symptoms that observed. BPD is not a common mental illness for males. There is a 1.6% chance for adults to obtain this mental disease, This is an intensively severe disease due to the symptoms that begins during adolescence. 70 percent of people with BPD are will attempt suicide or have suicidal thoughts.Mr.Caulfield meets 8 out of the 9 major symptoms that is pre-evident with this mental illness. Many things in Holden’s childhood that could lead him to be BPD. First and foremost, he lacks self awareness which consists of constantly getting kicked out of schools. He does impulsive and unsafe acts such as substance abuse,(smoking a pack of cigarettes), and almost engaging in sexual activity with a prostitute named Sunny in chapter thirteen and also engaged in a fight with Stradlater in chapter six and Maurice in chapter fourteen. From observations that has been occurred, evidence shows that he has been abused,neglected, and molested on numerous occasions throughout his childhood. Mr. Caulfield has instability such as constantly getting abandoned by his friend,and inability to have any positive type of relationship with people other than kids, for example chapter thirteen with Sally Hayes. Mr.Caulfield also has evidence of suicidal thoughts such as the one after the incident after with Maurice and Sunny in chapter fourteen. He has sudden outbursts of anger for instance after Allie