Linda Wardell PSY 2230 Movie and Mental Illness Paper Mr. Brooks Introduction Mr. Brooks is a movie about a man who has a psychotic disorder, but it is never clear to what it exactly what his psychosis was is in the movie. Mr. Brooks seems to display symptoms from two psychological disorders: Dissociate Identity Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder but it is never clear which disorder he has and was hard to analyze. However, the movie is about a wealthy business owner who is haunted by his alter-ego (Marshall) who encourages him to kill, and his struggle with that addiction. Which, he thought to previously have under control by going to AA meetings, when Marshall threatens to return and take back control of Earls Brooks life. Thesis …show more content…
Brooks at the beginning of the movie seemed to have split personalities. Which was indicative of the symptoms of DID (Dissociate Identity Disorder). Although, Mr. Brooks did not meet all of the criteria, of this diagnosis because, he only meets one out of the five. To identify the criteria for in the movie you have to look at Mr. Brooks as man who is a loving father, devoted husband and to everyone around him he was a goodhearted person, hard-working successful businessman owner. However, on the other side, the other “ personality” named Marshall is a cold-hearted, serial killer trying to control Earl by tempting him to randomly choose people who he would “enjoy” killing. Yet, the problem is that, unlike most people with DID, Mr. Brooks has complete recollection of the things that he does, and at times he is able to control his other half, able to suppress it and not obey Marshall with the help of group therapy. Most people with DID do not remember when their alter personality takes control and what their other identity does and rarely, if ever, are they able to control that personality. (“Dissociative identity disorder, person experiences a disruption to his or her identity, as reflected by at least two separate personality states or experiences of possession. Person repeatedly experiences memory gaps regarding daily events, key personal information, or traumatic events, beyond ordinary forgetting. Significant distressed or impairment. The symptoms are not caused by a substance or medical condition.”) (Comer, 197). The diagnostic criteria: Dissociative identity disorder is as