Psychological Disorders In John Green's Novel 'Turtles All The Way Down'

Ferris Zettlemoyer

Mr. Culver

English III

24 March 2023

OCD, Anxiety, and the downward Spiral of Unchecked Mental Health

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety are common mental health disorders that affect many teenagers. These conditions can create psychological spirals that can be difficult to break out of without treatment. When left untreated, OCD and anxiety can negatively affect a teenager's mental health and social life.

In John Green's novel "Turtles All The Way Down," the main character, Aza Holmes, struggles with both OCD and anxiety. Aza's obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, such as cleaning and constantly checking her finger for infection, are a central part of her character, and her anxiety about her thoughts

“Although anxiety may seem random, the feeling is usually triggered by some internal or external experience.” (Willow Counseling, link) We especially see Aza struggle with internal experiences of anxiety, such as her constant thoughts about C. diff bacteria. Willow Counseling also states that anxiety can make “the world feel… fragile. You may start to doubt your safety or the safety of others around you.” After reading fanfiction written by Daisy, Aza’s best friend, she finds similarities between herself and a character named “Ayala.” She begins to doubt her safety in her best friend, and when confronting Daisy, Aza snaps and assumes that Daisy no longer wants to be friends with her. Willow Counseling also notes that “Many people with anxiety feel anxious about their ability to cope.” We see this in Aza in chapter 1. She talks about how she needs to constantly drain an old wound on her finger to prevent an infection she doesn’t have. She uses draining the wound to cope with her anxiety and “invasives” about bacteria, specifically C.

Crownview Institute states that OCD can cause "Individuals struggling with OCD can significantly impact the lives of family members and close friends. Family and friends often report anxiety and depression and feeling burdened by their loved ones with OCD.” In chapter 18, we see Daisy come clean about her feelings towards Aza, saying that “[her] anxiety… invite[s] disasters” and that she’s “exhausting.” Crownview also mentions that “those who suffer from OCD could struggle with low self-esteem or feelings of shame, humiliation, and self-doubt, developing into a lack of concern for being around other individuals. These behaviors can make friends and family wrestle with their feelings of isolation and unhappiness.” Daisy calls Aza “extremely self-centered” and criticizes her for not thinking about anybody else but herself. Daisy considers herself to be burdened by Aza’s mental problems and thinks she only pays attention to herself, but the reason for this is Aza’s OCD forces her to obsess over her