10-11-2009, 01:53 AM
Sup guise. It's been a few days since my last post like this, but I found the time to work one up for you to stare at and then scroll to the bottom of the page. This one addresses things I've seen again and again, often times played wrong. Hopefully I can shed some light on nastier subjects here. Also, now that I've had a chance to preview this in the CotH box: OH GOD THIS POST IS LIKE TEN PAGES LONG.
Mental Mishaps, Medical Misfortunes and Material Malfunctions
A Ridiculously Long Guide and Partial Rant by Moose
There's a lot of things that can go wrong with our brains while we grow up, and after we're adults. Psychologists and psychotherapists alike can all confirm this (with varying degrees of reliability). But let's face it: not everything goes wrong, and most of the time we don't even know what we're talking about when we mention "nervous breakdowns" or "multiple personality disorder." There's the question of which of these exists, how they come about and what they actually /are/, in the end--through this post, I hope to bring light to the masses as to some of the quirks we give our characters.
Quick disclaimer before you go on: this guide may hit touchy subjects for some of you. I've tried to keep it as clean as possible but it does touch on some truths in society we'd rather not recognize, just for the sake of being as consistent and helpful as possible. It also refers to things you may never see on CotH, but maybe you'll find this guide useful for other projects. And I'm no psychologist, but I have done my best to assure that what I write here is factually correct. If you see any errors or glaring omissions, please let me know and I'll fix it right away.
Your handy list of things addressed in this post (ctrl+f is your friend):
[1.0] Addiction
[1.1] Alcoholism
[1.2] Hallucinogens
[1.3] Nicotine and Tobacco
[1.4] Gambling, Pleasure and Non-chemical Addictions
[2.0] Antisocial Disorder
[2.1] Psychopaths
[3.0] Bipolar Disorder
[4.0] Delusions
[4.1] Erotomanic
[4.2] Grandiose
[4.3] Jealous
[4.4] Persecutory
[4.5] Somatic
[4.6] Other
[5.0] Depression
[5.1] Suicide
[6.0] Eating Disorders
[7.0] Multiple Personality Disorder
[8.0] Schizophrenia
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[1.0] Addiction
One of the greatest ways I have ever read to describe addiction is this: "I can quit any time I want, so long as it's next Tuesday." I believe I saw it in a book somewhere, but the name escapes me. But the essence of this is correct; many people are in denial as to their addictions and convinced that they can quit at any time. But truncating an addiction is an incredible feat, and the success rate of programs is abysmal. Off the top of my head I have no figures; go use Google, dangit.
Whatever the addiction, your character will need a strong will or amazingly stubborn friends to break it, and even then he'll be prone to relapses. But addiction is more than just craving something and then basking in the good feeling it brings; each type of addiction has its own drawbacks and different feelings. Some drugs may not even feel good as you continue to use them, and the only point to abusing them is just to keep from going into withdrawal. Of course, addiction isn't limited just to drugs.
You should take addiction seriously. If left unchecked, it becomes a life-consuming problem and should never be played up lightly. Drunken dwarves are nice, but when it gets down to the question of serious alcoholism, there's the rest of their life to take into account. Personally, it always makes me sad to see a dwarf that can down his booze regularly and seems to let it domineer his life, but the player never considers what they're actually trying to portray. I may be overly serious, but I don't like seeing life issues played as comedy.
[1.1] Alcoholism
Alcoholics are prevalent in Warcraft and real life, from the moderate drinker that sometimes overdoes it to the pot-bellied pig that can't survive without beer in his gut at all times. Many adventurers like to "drown their sorrows in ale" or "have a round and relax." How many of these adventurers can limit this to just one round? With the constant tavern roleplay going around, it's difficult to draw the line between 'enthusiastic' drinkers and alcoholics--if there even is one.
Simply put, an alcoholic is a person whose craving for alcohol surpasses their will to stop drinking. They seek out drinks and will turn to alcohol when they feel stressed or 'need to loosen up.' In mild cases, all it may take is a friend shaking them on the shoulder and/or dragging a character away from the bar for a night while they giggle and hiccup. But as an addiction progresses, the character may begin carrying alcohol on their person so they can have it whenever they like; they may drink alone or seclude themselves from others. The longer they're allowed to waste away with drinking, the more they long for it when they're sober.
Behaviors associated with severe alcoholism:
- Character drinks every single day, or binges on alcohol regularly.
- Character drinks alone.
- Character finds self unable to stop from downing a glass, even with outside help.
- Character feels distant from previously close friends and family.
- Character feels frustrated and irritable and has a tendency to lash out violently at others.
- Character feels depressed, but unable to vent to others and instead uses alcohol to make up for it.
- Character suffers a lack of interest in activities unrelated to drinking.
- Character is unable to perform properly in job or relationships; becomes neglectful and resentful towards others.
Moderate amounts of alcohol cause impairment of judgement and a lack of coherence with muscles. Please do not take this to mean you can do random, silly things with your character just because they're drunk--a night out on the town does not always end with your character waking up in bed with a stranger, or discovering they spent the latter part of the night shrieking in tongues. They may have made some detrimental decisions, however, and what these are exactly is up to you.
Excessive amounts of alcohol will cause blackouts, brain damage, liver damage and possibly death. Your character is unlikely to die from drinking as a direct result, however--they're far more likely to suffer some liver related ailment than collapse from having too high a BAC, as people tend to black out before they can kill themselves. High blood pressure can make alcoholics prone to heart attacks.
Friends can almost always see what an alcoholic is doing to themselves. Most will try to help, but the alcoholic is rarely receptive to anyone else's concerns. As with any addiction, they are in denial. They may lash out at those who try to help, causing hurt feelings--many friends will attempt to reason with the addicted character, often times because they don't understand what's happening themself. Alcoholics can become violent and will always turn back to alcohol when they feel troubled. It's a very serious problem, and I hope you think twice before your dwarf downs his sixth flagon with no problems whatsoever.
[1.2] Hallucinogens
A staple of the so-called druggy era, hallucinogens are often portrayed as giving people wild, vivid visions full of color and strange, surreal happenings. LSD springs to mind, and this idea of hallucinogens is correct--there are trips from use, but not every one is colorful. Sometimes there are spiders and maggots and creepy-crawlies and blood spilling everywhere and your character is living a perpetual nightmare multiplied tenfold in intensity. What your character sees is up to the creative mind, but often times bad trips result in accidental harm to self and others. I recall one story of a girl who had gouged out chunks of her flesh with her fingernails during a bad trip.
In WoW, this translates to substances such as bloodthistle and arcane dust (don't quote me on the latter). Almost anything can be abused in great quantities, though; there's a guide somewhere else on the site that talks about various WoW herbs and their use as drugs. Don't be afraid to go beyond the usual norm when looking for drugs to be addicted to, though; most drugs can be translated into Warcraft equivalents.
I try not to get into drugs too much as I don't feel there's a very large use for them here on CotH; you can dabble in some recreational use if you like but keep in mind that after a certain point your character is downright addicted. I've seen countless drug cartels created and abandoned, mostly in the blood elf areas. If you want to play a drug addict, good for you--just be sure to check around and keep yourself from portraying it unrealistically. I would suggest looking up various drugs and effects of withdrawal, as well as applying the general principles of addiction (I can't stop, I feel helpless, no one wants me around) to your character's RP.
[1.3] Nicotine and Tobacco
It's generally accepted in RP that cigarettes and tobacco exist in character. Fras Siabi owns (owned) a shop; blood elves have hookahs and the rest of us have pipes; why not have some cancer sticks to go with? By now, nicotine is generally a notorious foe for the populace. It's cast as life-destroying, especially for underaged smokers, and something that no one can deal with. But many adults do; cigarettes may leech their money, time and health but they can still participate in everyday activities.
As a smoker, your character's RP will likely not focus on their addiction to cigarettes unless they are trying to quit. When in nicotine withdrawal they may be irritable, restless and depressed in addition to the typical craving, but unless they've gone for a long period of time without smoking it shouldn't go far beyond this. Most adults are able to function as smokers.
Indoor places tend to have bans on cigarettes due to the general knowledge of second-hand smoke. I'm unsure as to whether or not this would apply to Warcraft, but it seems that alongside other drugs it's common knowledge that tobacco is detrimental to one's health. Of course, common knowledge is also, quite often, ignored.
In general, nicotine addiction doesn't get to the level where it becomes outright destructive to one's life; in most cases it's an unfortunate nuisance that chops off a few years of life and threatens to kill you. It doesn't impair your functioning unless you need your lungs in a working condition; your character should be able to handle their cravings without it being a constant plot trouble unless there's a nicotine shortage (or they're trying to quit). Friends and family may disapprove, but are less likely to help on their own as it's not typically seen as serious a problem as other drugs.
[1.4] Gambling, Pleasure and Non-chemical Addictions
When you consider addictions for your character, keep in mind that you can get addicted to almost anything. There only needs to be a psychological dependency holding you in place, though chemical dependencies tend to be harder to get over. All an addict needs is for their addiction to cause problems; then it becomes an issue. She may be the woman who exposes herself in public in order to satisfy her needs, thus violating the law and getting herself arrested; he may be the man who promises himself he just needs to play one more hand of poker before calling it quits. He may be the character that has a problem, but won't admit it.
Rule 30-something: there is someone addicted to it.
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[2.0] Antisocial Disorder
Antisocial disorder is not what you think it is. It is not a character that is quiet and afraid of talking to others; antisocial characters are unable to relate to others. As the Mayo people put it, "When you have antisocial personality disorder, you typically have no regard for right and wrong." Moral codes are beyond an antisocial's comprehension.
A lot of greedy, business-oriented characters are considered antisocial when they plunge into the wrong--a lack of moral ethics is a sure sign of someone who's antisocial. You may also know them as the sociopath; they have trouble understanding some emotions and often feel disconnected from society. On the other hand, they may be narcissistic as well and believe that they're above others because of their inability to connect.
Behaviors exhibited by antisocial characters:
- Character does not take moral ethics in question when making decisions.
- Character has no problem with breaking the law or harming another being.
- Character consistently lies or otherwise decieves others to further own ends.
- Character doesn't understand the concept of others having rights.
- Character is impulsive, impatient and easily irked by others.
Generally, characters that become out of touch with their emotions have been abused in the past (physically, emotionally or sexually) and have shut themselves away as a result. Antisocial disorder also runs in families, but it's fairly uncommon. Men are more likely to be antisocial than women. These people make excellent criminals and are often used as such . . . but then you get to the point of being downright crazy.
[2.1] Psychopaths
Psychopaths, essentially extreme antisocials, have no conscience whatsoever. They are completely out of touch with the feelings of others and have no respect for or comprehension of law and order. They may or may not understand that law can strike them down if they cross the line, and may behave themselves in public for the sake of saving themself. But either way they will be discordant and maladjusted in social situations; their alienation from others keeps them from forming attachments.
A psychopath feels no belonging whatsoever; while an antisocial may find a friend once in a while a psychopath will not. But for some reason, psychopaths tend to be charming and seem like good people initially. They are irresponsible, but coercive, and may manage to coax agreements out of others when they feel no loyalty themselves. As a youth they may have been a delinquent; as an adult a reckless, impulsive nonconformist that is unmoved by the darkest scenes.
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[3.0] Bipolar Disorder
You may recognize this disorder as manic depressive. It typically manifests in adolescence and early twenties, but can extend itself throughout a person's whole life. It's possible to treat this disorder with medication and therapy, though it still creates problems with instability. People with bipolar disorder experience periods of mania and depression; their highs and lows are in many ways polar opposites (hence the name). These mood swings are incredibly intense compared to normal emotions and very difficult to control without treatment.
During episodes of mania, a character will feel constantly elated and hyperactive. They may experience difficulties keeping their thinking pattern straight because too many thoughts come all at once. Other characters may get on their nerves very easily and they may overreact with violence. They will likely feel good about themselves and others most of the time, though, and may come off as overly egotistical.
Depression is exactly the opposite. Your character will feel as though they're worthless and there's no point to their life; they'll be extremely lethargic in thought patterns, movements and actions. They may experience eating or sleep disorders. Interestingly enough, your character will still be quite irritable (but probably can't be bothered to react).
In adults, these mood swings tend to last for weeks or months at a time though they can be shorter; in children the periods can be short as an hour. They can be entirely random but may also be patternized like clockwork, coming exactly in the same manner every year. A person with bipolar disorder is not always undergoing periods of mania or depression, though, and may have perfectly normal periods of functioning. Some people have little to no time in between mood swings but others have plenty of time to function like your average human being.
Bipolar disorder can be worrisome and hard to spot; it may be easily mistaken for a melodramatic whiner who makes a big deal out of everything. Your character may not even know they have it themselves; during periods of depression they may label themself a freak of nature. How far you take the disorder is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that the lack of consistency can be difficult to RP with--others may not want to play with your heavily troubled character.
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[4.0] Delusions
A person with delusions is not the same as someone with, say, schizophrenia. In fact, a schizophrenic is not delusional, as this disorder deals specifically with nonbizarre delusions. That is to say your character believes something untrue or incorrect, but within the realm of plausibility--it could be fairly simple and unobtrusive, such as believing the sky is green (how often does that come up in conversation?), or it may be enough to rip apart otherwise stable relationships with jealousy.
There's a few subtypes of nonbizarre delusions; people with these sorts of delusions can cope easily and often do so without realizing they have a disorder at all. Unless a family member or friend points out their error, they're unlikely to seek out therapy or realize that anything is wrong. Some delusions are naturally more difficult to cope with and/or cure than others.
Your character will likely experience denial if they're delusional, refusing to believe that they're wrong. They may be prone to relapse if 'cured,' and will often times project themselves onto others. Studies have shown that family relationships are turbulent in more severe cases and the delusion may become a serious issue when left alone.
Delusions are present in schizophrenics and other disorders (such as eating disorders), but some delusions are considered a standalone disorder. I only adress nonbizarre delusions here as I feel other varieties are far less likely to come up in RP.
[4.1] Erotomanic
Someone is deeply in love with your character and they feel the same way. They go to great lengths to shower this special someone with gifts and will follow them to the ends of Azeroth . . . but for some reason, that same someone is constantly running away from your character and won't ever return their affections. Your character can't understand why this could possibly be; after all, don't they love you? Your character just knows that person loves them; they've spoken together so many times (never mind that the conversations consisted of polite greetings and maybe a smile, and that was actually just one conversation).
[4.2] Grandiose
Your character is the greatest out there--no one on Azeroth can compare to their greatness. Come, see their fantastic cloaks! Cower before their presence, because there's no one they can't defeat. They could take on the King of Stormwind blindfolded and missing both arms (and one leg). Mere flesh wounds will not defeat them; they have no worries in the world. Their craftsmanship is top of the line and they can do absolutely no wrong! Worship your character, for they are the almighty god and . . . well, they're not, but they can wish all they like.
[4.3] Jealousy and Sin
Your character's spouse is a lying, cheating expletive. Your character should know; they saw their 'lover' going off to do Light-knows-what on the other side of town--they do that every single day, and your character watches them every . . . single . . . day. They don't even bother to consider that that's maybe where their spouse works; after all, everyone knows you only go to work when you want to hook up with someone. But your character can't help but wonder if maybe they're the problem; they're torn to pieces by twin blades of anger and guilt gnawing at their insides--why is their lover cheating on them? Are they not good enough? Will they ever wake up?
[4.4] Persecutory
The most common type of delusions and also considered to be paranoid delusions, your character is under the impression they are being followed, spied upon or otherwise harassed for some reason. They may or may not be aware of what this reason is. They know that something's out there to get them; it's possible that they know who and may even have an elaborate government conspiracy constructed to explain why they think they're being followed; it may be completely coherent and plausible or it may make absolutely no sense at all. Either way, it's wrong.
[4.5] Somatic
There's something wrong with your character's body, they just know it. This is the tenth time they've let that dish fall out of their hands; they must be possessed. Maybe there's parasites in their body, or they've been afflicted with some strange disease. They've been cursed by the ancients; something has gone horribly wrong, they're missing their left hand, their skin is decomposing, their bones are floppy and can't support their body . . . and yet your character can still take a stroll down the street without anyone looking at them like they're in need of serious help. Maybe.
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[5.0] Depression
Everyone gets down from time to time, but recurring, severe periods of sadness may be diagnosed as clinical depression. This is usually something that everyone experiences at some point in their life, but how well they cope with it is based on their upbringing and general methods of dealing with problems. Mature, stable characters are more likely to bounce back from depression than younger, more volatile characters.
Depression can sometimes be difficult to spot until it's been allowed to go on for a long time; many people who have depression are reluctant to accept that they do and would rather assume their problems are "just a phase." Some people are strong enough to do just this and get over their troubles by thinking, talking to a therapist and using force of will; others will turn to medicine to supplement their recovery (and some may abuse it).
Addictions are likely to flourish during periods of depression; your character may be in denial that they are depressed and may drink to forget or gamble their money away. Just about anything can cause depression and anything can compound it; your character may be depressed for . . . well, depressing reasons. Death and illness, wars and loss, financial issues and political oppression--some are inclined to just give up right then and there.
Signs of clinical depression:
- Character loses interest in usual hobbies, self and others
- Character questions the value of life and whether it's worth it to keep on going
- Character is consistently sad, worried or hollow inside; always followed by a cloud of rain
- Character experiences feelings of worthlessness and helplessness
- Character feels lost and alienated from others; feels as though no one understands
- Character acts irritable and hostile towards others
- Character may experience sleep, eating and addictive disorders
Getting out of depression is difficult, but the biggest step your character can make is admitting that they have a problem. Once they accept that they're depressed, getting help for depression itself is easy. Family and friends are willing to support and likely have been for a long time, carrying the depressed character along while quietly trying to convince them that something is wrong. The hard part of clearing oneself of depression is getting rid of debts, addictions and troubles that your character's incurred while in their slump.
[5.1] Suicide
Severly depressed characters may attempt suicide (particularly if you don't like that character any more). It can be difficult to detect suicidal thoughts unless they're expressed openly; a character that is about to kill themselves may be misdiagnosed as 'cured' of their depression. They may snap up from being sad and mopey to bright and upbeat, or disconcertingly calm. But then again. . . .
A suicidal character will probably think about life, death and the meanings thereof. In Warcraft, it's an interesting thing to tackle because you also have undeath and active gods to consider; while what happens after death isn't clear you have more certainty that /something/ happens than /nothing/. As such, suicidal characters may not seek to end their life because they think existence in itself is pointless, as they know there is probably a new existence waiting for them in the afterlife.
Before attempting suicide, many characters will tie up loose ends--wrap up their affairs, go over their will, tell close friends secrets they've held near and dear to their heart. By this time, they likely seem to others as though they're back to normal. They may even feel back to normal, even if your character is just taking solace in the fact that it will all be over in a few days. And keep in mind suicide doesn't have to be character-initiated; they may behave in a reckless manner either consciously or unconsciously as a result of wanting to stop existing. They may also attempt to make their suicide look like an accident.
In general, your character should exhibit signs of wanting to be gone before they die, considering that you won't be coming back at all. Put thought into your character before you off them, or else you may find yourself regretting it when the dead grow restless.
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[6.0] Eating Disorders
We've all heard the classic story of the troubled teenage girl with body image issues, seen her ribs poking out and heard her complain about how she's not pretty enough. Then we take a look at your average blood elf female and see exactly the same thing. On the other hand, not all people with eating disorders are skinny. Keep in mind that starving oneself is not the only sort of disorder associated with food.
Most people who suffer from eating disorders also suffer from body image issues, and these people are usually women. They are prone to going on and on about how they aren't beautiful or are far too fat and lazy; their life is consumed by their need to look pretty in the eyes of others. Ironically, they fail to realize that instead of being goddesses and paragons of beauty they become shattered husks that we shudder to think of.
Friends and family grow worried and frustrated with the constant antics of those with eating disorders; these people are typically in denial that anything is wrong with them. They feel as though they aren't understood, which is usually the case; they're often reviled by strangers and can feel the disapproving whispers of others behind their backs. Depression tends to go hand in hand with eating disorders, as well as poor body image and a general lack of self-esteem.
Be sure to remember that just because your character is skinny does not mean they are anorexic. Being a pseudo-medieval world, Azeroth has a large underfed populace that would gladly jump at a scrap of bacon. In fact, I could go for some bacon right now . . . mm, delicious four a.m. snack.
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[7.0] Multiple Personality Disorder
Now known as disassociative identity disorder (DID). Let me start this off by saying that this is the section that spawned this whole post, mostly as an agitated reaction to how many people get DID wrong. I have psychologists for friends, and it's a little disturbing to me to see that some people use DID as a crutch. I have seen characters with multiple personalities played very well . . . and very, very poorly. There seems to be a common myth that these characters have split personalities, one of which is capable of only good and the other only evil. This is completely wrong.
I will say this again: you are /completely/ wrong.
Your character afflicted with DID suffers from having two separate personalities in one head. These are both full-fledged personalities capable of good, evil, and grey moral areas--they are separate from each other and distinct, and neither one is necessarily good or bad. And the number doesn't just stop at two--you may have hundreds of alternate personalities living inside your character's head, but all of them are well-rounded and can be easily differentiated from one another.
Your character does not have a split personality disorder where their demonic side sometimes takes over and causes them to do evil, horrible things. This is not DID. This is a crutch. Do not claim DID if you aren't actually going to do it /right/. Though there is a lot of lenience in the roleplay world, there are completely wrong ways to do things and using DID in order to not make a real personality for your character is one of these things. There is a reason CotH has banned DID from its playerbase.
There is some confusion as to whether or not DID even exists, and what causes it. For the sake of this guide I present you the two leading theories as to its cause, and am willing to assume that it is a serious disorder that /does/ exist.
Most people consider DID to be a post-traumatic stress response to childhood abuse--especially that of a sexual nature, though there are often other forms of abuse tied in. Alongside blocking the unwanted memories, a second personality may develop and flourish to cover for percieved problems with the first. But some people believe this is not a natural reaction, and DID is actually brought on by improper therapy--that is to say that people do not seem to develop alternate personalities until after they are diagnosed with DID. This is a very controversial subject and I would recommend that you stick to the childhood trauma theory.
DID is actually quite the fascinating tool for character stories. It enables you to play two characters at once (in a way that confuses the fel out of everyone else). Some people with DID refer to their other personalities as siblings or other relatives, sometimes friends or companions. They may be able to summon their other personalities up at will, and may be unsure as to who was 'first.' The personalities may not even be aware of each other, or they may have conflicting opinions as to which personality is what. This is chaotic enough with two personalities; if you ever play a character with DID I seriously recommend not going over three. I've handled one myself and it is very difficult to remain consistent; you can easily frustrate other players as well as yourself.
However, having experienced playing as a character with DID, take this to heart--WHY would you want to put two personalities into one character? It can make for some neat RP, but is clumsy and generally unsound. You can avoid confusing yourself and others by buckling down and ditching the crazy, because you really don't need to try this type more than once. If you really have to, just hop off to some other server for a while (or even a text RP board) and create as many personalities as you could possibly want. See how well you can RP said character, and if it's even enjoyable.
I'm sorry if the above section has been overly subjective; I probably shouldn't write things I'm opinionated about hyped up on caffeine at four in the morning. But hey, what I say stands: DID is not a crutch, and your using it as one is downright offensive.
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[8.0] Schizophrenia
Like with DID, characters that claim to be schizophrenic have a tendency to elicit a disappointed groan from yours truly. Seeing characters scream about the voices and laugh themselves silly is outright disturbing to me as someone who has gone through and looked at what really makes a schizophrenic. You may want to watch The Soloist to see a very vivid interpretation of schizophrenia, although I find it at some points to try too hard at being funny.
Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that, unfortunately enough, is often played for laughs in roleplay. Players who don't understand what they're actually playing as are content to wander around screaming about the voices and rambling on about carrots, making up words and being completely random--or sitting there in the nuthouse hugging themselves and crying quietly.
Tying back into the delusions mentioned way back in this guide, schizophrenics are often under the impression that someone is watching, controlling or otherwise attempting to harm them. They may be subject to audio and visual hallucinations, hearing voices in their head or seeing things that people don't normally see. This does not mean that they scream about the voices, though, and these may come at the worst times.
The main error people make when playing schizophrenics is assuming that the disorder is affecting them 100% of the time. Schizophrenics have the ability to function in normal society, though their ability is often impaired because of their disorder. They are able to have normal, coherent conversations that do not end in them spewing randomness. They may be scatterbrained or obsessed with their delusions, but your character is not constantly bothered by noises and sights not known to the average human mind. Your RP should not be filled with craziness and outright random actions, because there is some method to schizophrenia--perhaps they have particular triggers such as high-stress situations.
It may be worth it to look into playing a pseudo-schizophrenic character in RP--that is to say one that doesn't suffer from all symptoms, only some. This may be explained by outside forces and provides you with the mechanics of playing a schizophrenic without having to claim the mental disorder. A good example of this would be the warlock whose mind has been so warped by shadow that he sees darkness in every corner, or the miner that has been exposed to the mad whispers of Yogg-Saron. Be creative!
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If you managed to read everything above and haven't just scrolled to the bottom or skimmed, I commend you. I started writing this at eleven pm and am just wrapping up five and a half hours later. It's amazing what the wonders of caffeine can do, yeah? I hope you got something out of my writing here, and please keep in mind two things--
First, I am not a psychologist and am certainly not an expert in these fields. I'm just a lady who knows how to use Google and has the foresight to research subjects before she makes a new character. Some of the information in here may be off or incorrect (or dubious at best) but I believe it's reliable enough to base a character around. You, too, have the internet to check if you feel so inclined (though I'd appreciate corrections if you can find any at all).
Second, I seek to offend no one--in fact, I'm posting this primarily because I've been offended by portrayals of disorders in the past. You might have noticed this as my writing got less coherent towards the end there with the subjects I just plain hate seeing done badly. If there's anything about this post that bothers you and you'd like to discuss it with me, send me a PM. Unless it's "I can play a character with the split personality you described really well and I'm angry because you said I was using a crutch!" I won't respond to that.
Whether you read the whole thing, skimmed, or just picked a couple sections that piqued your interest, thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day. I hope I helped you in some way and would appreciate any comments you have. Over and out.
Moose
Mental Mishaps, Medical Misfortunes and Material Malfunctions
A Ridiculously Long Guide and Partial Rant by Moose
There's a lot of things that can go wrong with our brains while we grow up, and after we're adults. Psychologists and psychotherapists alike can all confirm this (with varying degrees of reliability). But let's face it: not everything goes wrong, and most of the time we don't even know what we're talking about when we mention "nervous breakdowns" or "multiple personality disorder." There's the question of which of these exists, how they come about and what they actually /are/, in the end--through this post, I hope to bring light to the masses as to some of the quirks we give our characters.
Quick disclaimer before you go on: this guide may hit touchy subjects for some of you. I've tried to keep it as clean as possible but it does touch on some truths in society we'd rather not recognize, just for the sake of being as consistent and helpful as possible. It also refers to things you may never see on CotH, but maybe you'll find this guide useful for other projects. And I'm no psychologist, but I have done my best to assure that what I write here is factually correct. If you see any errors or glaring omissions, please let me know and I'll fix it right away.
Your handy list of things addressed in this post (ctrl+f is your friend):
[1.0] Addiction
[1.1] Alcoholism
[1.2] Hallucinogens
[1.3] Nicotine and Tobacco
[1.4] Gambling, Pleasure and Non-chemical Addictions
[2.0] Antisocial Disorder
[2.1] Psychopaths
[3.0] Bipolar Disorder
[4.0] Delusions
[4.1] Erotomanic
[4.2] Grandiose
[4.3] Jealous
[4.4] Persecutory
[4.5] Somatic
[4.6] Other
[5.0] Depression
[5.1] Suicide
[6.0] Eating Disorders
[7.0] Multiple Personality Disorder
[8.0] Schizophrenia
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[1.0] Addiction
One of the greatest ways I have ever read to describe addiction is this: "I can quit any time I want, so long as it's next Tuesday." I believe I saw it in a book somewhere, but the name escapes me. But the essence of this is correct; many people are in denial as to their addictions and convinced that they can quit at any time. But truncating an addiction is an incredible feat, and the success rate of programs is abysmal. Off the top of my head I have no figures; go use Google, dangit.
Whatever the addiction, your character will need a strong will or amazingly stubborn friends to break it, and even then he'll be prone to relapses. But addiction is more than just craving something and then basking in the good feeling it brings; each type of addiction has its own drawbacks and different feelings. Some drugs may not even feel good as you continue to use them, and the only point to abusing them is just to keep from going into withdrawal. Of course, addiction isn't limited just to drugs.
You should take addiction seriously. If left unchecked, it becomes a life-consuming problem and should never be played up lightly. Drunken dwarves are nice, but when it gets down to the question of serious alcoholism, there's the rest of their life to take into account. Personally, it always makes me sad to see a dwarf that can down his booze regularly and seems to let it domineer his life, but the player never considers what they're actually trying to portray. I may be overly serious, but I don't like seeing life issues played as comedy.
[1.1] Alcoholism
Alcoholics are prevalent in Warcraft and real life, from the moderate drinker that sometimes overdoes it to the pot-bellied pig that can't survive without beer in his gut at all times. Many adventurers like to "drown their sorrows in ale" or "have a round and relax." How many of these adventurers can limit this to just one round? With the constant tavern roleplay going around, it's difficult to draw the line between 'enthusiastic' drinkers and alcoholics--if there even is one.
Simply put, an alcoholic is a person whose craving for alcohol surpasses their will to stop drinking. They seek out drinks and will turn to alcohol when they feel stressed or 'need to loosen up.' In mild cases, all it may take is a friend shaking them on the shoulder and/or dragging a character away from the bar for a night while they giggle and hiccup. But as an addiction progresses, the character may begin carrying alcohol on their person so they can have it whenever they like; they may drink alone or seclude themselves from others. The longer they're allowed to waste away with drinking, the more they long for it when they're sober.
Behaviors associated with severe alcoholism:
- Character drinks every single day, or binges on alcohol regularly.
- Character drinks alone.
- Character finds self unable to stop from downing a glass, even with outside help.
- Character feels distant from previously close friends and family.
- Character feels frustrated and irritable and has a tendency to lash out violently at others.
- Character feels depressed, but unable to vent to others and instead uses alcohol to make up for it.
- Character suffers a lack of interest in activities unrelated to drinking.
- Character is unable to perform properly in job or relationships; becomes neglectful and resentful towards others.
Moderate amounts of alcohol cause impairment of judgement and a lack of coherence with muscles. Please do not take this to mean you can do random, silly things with your character just because they're drunk--a night out on the town does not always end with your character waking up in bed with a stranger, or discovering they spent the latter part of the night shrieking in tongues. They may have made some detrimental decisions, however, and what these are exactly is up to you.
Excessive amounts of alcohol will cause blackouts, brain damage, liver damage and possibly death. Your character is unlikely to die from drinking as a direct result, however--they're far more likely to suffer some liver related ailment than collapse from having too high a BAC, as people tend to black out before they can kill themselves. High blood pressure can make alcoholics prone to heart attacks.
Friends can almost always see what an alcoholic is doing to themselves. Most will try to help, but the alcoholic is rarely receptive to anyone else's concerns. As with any addiction, they are in denial. They may lash out at those who try to help, causing hurt feelings--many friends will attempt to reason with the addicted character, often times because they don't understand what's happening themself. Alcoholics can become violent and will always turn back to alcohol when they feel troubled. It's a very serious problem, and I hope you think twice before your dwarf downs his sixth flagon with no problems whatsoever.
[1.2] Hallucinogens
A staple of the so-called druggy era, hallucinogens are often portrayed as giving people wild, vivid visions full of color and strange, surreal happenings. LSD springs to mind, and this idea of hallucinogens is correct--there are trips from use, but not every one is colorful. Sometimes there are spiders and maggots and creepy-crawlies and blood spilling everywhere and your character is living a perpetual nightmare multiplied tenfold in intensity. What your character sees is up to the creative mind, but often times bad trips result in accidental harm to self and others. I recall one story of a girl who had gouged out chunks of her flesh with her fingernails during a bad trip.
In WoW, this translates to substances such as bloodthistle and arcane dust (don't quote me on the latter). Almost anything can be abused in great quantities, though; there's a guide somewhere else on the site that talks about various WoW herbs and their use as drugs. Don't be afraid to go beyond the usual norm when looking for drugs to be addicted to, though; most drugs can be translated into Warcraft equivalents.
I try not to get into drugs too much as I don't feel there's a very large use for them here on CotH; you can dabble in some recreational use if you like but keep in mind that after a certain point your character is downright addicted. I've seen countless drug cartels created and abandoned, mostly in the blood elf areas. If you want to play a drug addict, good for you--just be sure to check around and keep yourself from portraying it unrealistically. I would suggest looking up various drugs and effects of withdrawal, as well as applying the general principles of addiction (I can't stop, I feel helpless, no one wants me around) to your character's RP.
[1.3] Nicotine and Tobacco
It's generally accepted in RP that cigarettes and tobacco exist in character. Fras Siabi owns (owned) a shop; blood elves have hookahs and the rest of us have pipes; why not have some cancer sticks to go with? By now, nicotine is generally a notorious foe for the populace. It's cast as life-destroying, especially for underaged smokers, and something that no one can deal with. But many adults do; cigarettes may leech their money, time and health but they can still participate in everyday activities.
As a smoker, your character's RP will likely not focus on their addiction to cigarettes unless they are trying to quit. When in nicotine withdrawal they may be irritable, restless and depressed in addition to the typical craving, but unless they've gone for a long period of time without smoking it shouldn't go far beyond this. Most adults are able to function as smokers.
Indoor places tend to have bans on cigarettes due to the general knowledge of second-hand smoke. I'm unsure as to whether or not this would apply to Warcraft, but it seems that alongside other drugs it's common knowledge that tobacco is detrimental to one's health. Of course, common knowledge is also, quite often, ignored.
In general, nicotine addiction doesn't get to the level where it becomes outright destructive to one's life; in most cases it's an unfortunate nuisance that chops off a few years of life and threatens to kill you. It doesn't impair your functioning unless you need your lungs in a working condition; your character should be able to handle their cravings without it being a constant plot trouble unless there's a nicotine shortage (or they're trying to quit). Friends and family may disapprove, but are less likely to help on their own as it's not typically seen as serious a problem as other drugs.
[1.4] Gambling, Pleasure and Non-chemical Addictions
When you consider addictions for your character, keep in mind that you can get addicted to almost anything. There only needs to be a psychological dependency holding you in place, though chemical dependencies tend to be harder to get over. All an addict needs is for their addiction to cause problems; then it becomes an issue. She may be the woman who exposes herself in public in order to satisfy her needs, thus violating the law and getting herself arrested; he may be the man who promises himself he just needs to play one more hand of poker before calling it quits. He may be the character that has a problem, but won't admit it.
Rule 30-something: there is someone addicted to it.
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[2.0] Antisocial Disorder
Antisocial disorder is not what you think it is. It is not a character that is quiet and afraid of talking to others; antisocial characters are unable to relate to others. As the Mayo people put it, "When you have antisocial personality disorder, you typically have no regard for right and wrong." Moral codes are beyond an antisocial's comprehension.
A lot of greedy, business-oriented characters are considered antisocial when they plunge into the wrong--a lack of moral ethics is a sure sign of someone who's antisocial. You may also know them as the sociopath; they have trouble understanding some emotions and often feel disconnected from society. On the other hand, they may be narcissistic as well and believe that they're above others because of their inability to connect.
Behaviors exhibited by antisocial characters:
- Character does not take moral ethics in question when making decisions.
- Character has no problem with breaking the law or harming another being.
- Character consistently lies or otherwise decieves others to further own ends.
- Character doesn't understand the concept of others having rights.
- Character is impulsive, impatient and easily irked by others.
Generally, characters that become out of touch with their emotions have been abused in the past (physically, emotionally or sexually) and have shut themselves away as a result. Antisocial disorder also runs in families, but it's fairly uncommon. Men are more likely to be antisocial than women. These people make excellent criminals and are often used as such . . . but then you get to the point of being downright crazy.
[2.1] Psychopaths
Psychopaths, essentially extreme antisocials, have no conscience whatsoever. They are completely out of touch with the feelings of others and have no respect for or comprehension of law and order. They may or may not understand that law can strike them down if they cross the line, and may behave themselves in public for the sake of saving themself. But either way they will be discordant and maladjusted in social situations; their alienation from others keeps them from forming attachments.
A psychopath feels no belonging whatsoever; while an antisocial may find a friend once in a while a psychopath will not. But for some reason, psychopaths tend to be charming and seem like good people initially. They are irresponsible, but coercive, and may manage to coax agreements out of others when they feel no loyalty themselves. As a youth they may have been a delinquent; as an adult a reckless, impulsive nonconformist that is unmoved by the darkest scenes.
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[3.0] Bipolar Disorder
You may recognize this disorder as manic depressive. It typically manifests in adolescence and early twenties, but can extend itself throughout a person's whole life. It's possible to treat this disorder with medication and therapy, though it still creates problems with instability. People with bipolar disorder experience periods of mania and depression; their highs and lows are in many ways polar opposites (hence the name). These mood swings are incredibly intense compared to normal emotions and very difficult to control without treatment.
During episodes of mania, a character will feel constantly elated and hyperactive. They may experience difficulties keeping their thinking pattern straight because too many thoughts come all at once. Other characters may get on their nerves very easily and they may overreact with violence. They will likely feel good about themselves and others most of the time, though, and may come off as overly egotistical.
Depression is exactly the opposite. Your character will feel as though they're worthless and there's no point to their life; they'll be extremely lethargic in thought patterns, movements and actions. They may experience eating or sleep disorders. Interestingly enough, your character will still be quite irritable (but probably can't be bothered to react).
In adults, these mood swings tend to last for weeks or months at a time though they can be shorter; in children the periods can be short as an hour. They can be entirely random but may also be patternized like clockwork, coming exactly in the same manner every year. A person with bipolar disorder is not always undergoing periods of mania or depression, though, and may have perfectly normal periods of functioning. Some people have little to no time in between mood swings but others have plenty of time to function like your average human being.
Bipolar disorder can be worrisome and hard to spot; it may be easily mistaken for a melodramatic whiner who makes a big deal out of everything. Your character may not even know they have it themselves; during periods of depression they may label themself a freak of nature. How far you take the disorder is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that the lack of consistency can be difficult to RP with--others may not want to play with your heavily troubled character.
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[4.0] Delusions
A person with delusions is not the same as someone with, say, schizophrenia. In fact, a schizophrenic is not delusional, as this disorder deals specifically with nonbizarre delusions. That is to say your character believes something untrue or incorrect, but within the realm of plausibility--it could be fairly simple and unobtrusive, such as believing the sky is green (how often does that come up in conversation?), or it may be enough to rip apart otherwise stable relationships with jealousy.
There's a few subtypes of nonbizarre delusions; people with these sorts of delusions can cope easily and often do so without realizing they have a disorder at all. Unless a family member or friend points out their error, they're unlikely to seek out therapy or realize that anything is wrong. Some delusions are naturally more difficult to cope with and/or cure than others.
Your character will likely experience denial if they're delusional, refusing to believe that they're wrong. They may be prone to relapse if 'cured,' and will often times project themselves onto others. Studies have shown that family relationships are turbulent in more severe cases and the delusion may become a serious issue when left alone.
Delusions are present in schizophrenics and other disorders (such as eating disorders), but some delusions are considered a standalone disorder. I only adress nonbizarre delusions here as I feel other varieties are far less likely to come up in RP.
[4.1] Erotomanic
Someone is deeply in love with your character and they feel the same way. They go to great lengths to shower this special someone with gifts and will follow them to the ends of Azeroth . . . but for some reason, that same someone is constantly running away from your character and won't ever return their affections. Your character can't understand why this could possibly be; after all, don't they love you? Your character just knows that person loves them; they've spoken together so many times (never mind that the conversations consisted of polite greetings and maybe a smile, and that was actually just one conversation).
[4.2] Grandiose
Your character is the greatest out there--no one on Azeroth can compare to their greatness. Come, see their fantastic cloaks! Cower before their presence, because there's no one they can't defeat. They could take on the King of Stormwind blindfolded and missing both arms (and one leg). Mere flesh wounds will not defeat them; they have no worries in the world. Their craftsmanship is top of the line and they can do absolutely no wrong! Worship your character, for they are the almighty god and . . . well, they're not, but they can wish all they like.
[4.3] Jealousy and Sin
Your character's spouse is a lying, cheating expletive. Your character should know; they saw their 'lover' going off to do Light-knows-what on the other side of town--they do that every single day, and your character watches them every . . . single . . . day. They don't even bother to consider that that's maybe where their spouse works; after all, everyone knows you only go to work when you want to hook up with someone. But your character can't help but wonder if maybe they're the problem; they're torn to pieces by twin blades of anger and guilt gnawing at their insides--why is their lover cheating on them? Are they not good enough? Will they ever wake up?
[4.4] Persecutory
The most common type of delusions and also considered to be paranoid delusions, your character is under the impression they are being followed, spied upon or otherwise harassed for some reason. They may or may not be aware of what this reason is. They know that something's out there to get them; it's possible that they know who and may even have an elaborate government conspiracy constructed to explain why they think they're being followed; it may be completely coherent and plausible or it may make absolutely no sense at all. Either way, it's wrong.
[4.5] Somatic
There's something wrong with your character's body, they just know it. This is the tenth time they've let that dish fall out of their hands; they must be possessed. Maybe there's parasites in their body, or they've been afflicted with some strange disease. They've been cursed by the ancients; something has gone horribly wrong, they're missing their left hand, their skin is decomposing, their bones are floppy and can't support their body . . . and yet your character can still take a stroll down the street without anyone looking at them like they're in need of serious help. Maybe.
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[5.0] Depression
Everyone gets down from time to time, but recurring, severe periods of sadness may be diagnosed as clinical depression. This is usually something that everyone experiences at some point in their life, but how well they cope with it is based on their upbringing and general methods of dealing with problems. Mature, stable characters are more likely to bounce back from depression than younger, more volatile characters.
Depression can sometimes be difficult to spot until it's been allowed to go on for a long time; many people who have depression are reluctant to accept that they do and would rather assume their problems are "just a phase." Some people are strong enough to do just this and get over their troubles by thinking, talking to a therapist and using force of will; others will turn to medicine to supplement their recovery (and some may abuse it).
Addictions are likely to flourish during periods of depression; your character may be in denial that they are depressed and may drink to forget or gamble their money away. Just about anything can cause depression and anything can compound it; your character may be depressed for . . . well, depressing reasons. Death and illness, wars and loss, financial issues and political oppression--some are inclined to just give up right then and there.
Signs of clinical depression:
- Character loses interest in usual hobbies, self and others
- Character questions the value of life and whether it's worth it to keep on going
- Character is consistently sad, worried or hollow inside; always followed by a cloud of rain
- Character experiences feelings of worthlessness and helplessness
- Character feels lost and alienated from others; feels as though no one understands
- Character acts irritable and hostile towards others
- Character may experience sleep, eating and addictive disorders
Getting out of depression is difficult, but the biggest step your character can make is admitting that they have a problem. Once they accept that they're depressed, getting help for depression itself is easy. Family and friends are willing to support and likely have been for a long time, carrying the depressed character along while quietly trying to convince them that something is wrong. The hard part of clearing oneself of depression is getting rid of debts, addictions and troubles that your character's incurred while in their slump.
[5.1] Suicide
Severly depressed characters may attempt suicide (particularly if you don't like that character any more). It can be difficult to detect suicidal thoughts unless they're expressed openly; a character that is about to kill themselves may be misdiagnosed as 'cured' of their depression. They may snap up from being sad and mopey to bright and upbeat, or disconcertingly calm. But then again. . . .
A suicidal character will probably think about life, death and the meanings thereof. In Warcraft, it's an interesting thing to tackle because you also have undeath and active gods to consider; while what happens after death isn't clear you have more certainty that /something/ happens than /nothing/. As such, suicidal characters may not seek to end their life because they think existence in itself is pointless, as they know there is probably a new existence waiting for them in the afterlife.
Before attempting suicide, many characters will tie up loose ends--wrap up their affairs, go over their will, tell close friends secrets they've held near and dear to their heart. By this time, they likely seem to others as though they're back to normal. They may even feel back to normal, even if your character is just taking solace in the fact that it will all be over in a few days. And keep in mind suicide doesn't have to be character-initiated; they may behave in a reckless manner either consciously or unconsciously as a result of wanting to stop existing. They may also attempt to make their suicide look like an accident.
In general, your character should exhibit signs of wanting to be gone before they die, considering that you won't be coming back at all. Put thought into your character before you off them, or else you may find yourself regretting it when the dead grow restless.
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[6.0] Eating Disorders
We've all heard the classic story of the troubled teenage girl with body image issues, seen her ribs poking out and heard her complain about how she's not pretty enough. Then we take a look at your average blood elf female and see exactly the same thing. On the other hand, not all people with eating disorders are skinny. Keep in mind that starving oneself is not the only sort of disorder associated with food.
Most people who suffer from eating disorders also suffer from body image issues, and these people are usually women. They are prone to going on and on about how they aren't beautiful or are far too fat and lazy; their life is consumed by their need to look pretty in the eyes of others. Ironically, they fail to realize that instead of being goddesses and paragons of beauty they become shattered husks that we shudder to think of.
Friends and family grow worried and frustrated with the constant antics of those with eating disorders; these people are typically in denial that anything is wrong with them. They feel as though they aren't understood, which is usually the case; they're often reviled by strangers and can feel the disapproving whispers of others behind their backs. Depression tends to go hand in hand with eating disorders, as well as poor body image and a general lack of self-esteem.
Be sure to remember that just because your character is skinny does not mean they are anorexic. Being a pseudo-medieval world, Azeroth has a large underfed populace that would gladly jump at a scrap of bacon. In fact, I could go for some bacon right now . . . mm, delicious four a.m. snack.
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[7.0] Multiple Personality Disorder
Now known as disassociative identity disorder (DID). Let me start this off by saying that this is the section that spawned this whole post, mostly as an agitated reaction to how many people get DID wrong. I have psychologists for friends, and it's a little disturbing to me to see that some people use DID as a crutch. I have seen characters with multiple personalities played very well . . . and very, very poorly. There seems to be a common myth that these characters have split personalities, one of which is capable of only good and the other only evil. This is completely wrong.
I will say this again: you are /completely/ wrong.
Your character afflicted with DID suffers from having two separate personalities in one head. These are both full-fledged personalities capable of good, evil, and grey moral areas--they are separate from each other and distinct, and neither one is necessarily good or bad. And the number doesn't just stop at two--you may have hundreds of alternate personalities living inside your character's head, but all of them are well-rounded and can be easily differentiated from one another.
Your character does not have a split personality disorder where their demonic side sometimes takes over and causes them to do evil, horrible things. This is not DID. This is a crutch. Do not claim DID if you aren't actually going to do it /right/. Though there is a lot of lenience in the roleplay world, there are completely wrong ways to do things and using DID in order to not make a real personality for your character is one of these things. There is a reason CotH has banned DID from its playerbase.
There is some confusion as to whether or not DID even exists, and what causes it. For the sake of this guide I present you the two leading theories as to its cause, and am willing to assume that it is a serious disorder that /does/ exist.
Most people consider DID to be a post-traumatic stress response to childhood abuse--especially that of a sexual nature, though there are often other forms of abuse tied in. Alongside blocking the unwanted memories, a second personality may develop and flourish to cover for percieved problems with the first. But some people believe this is not a natural reaction, and DID is actually brought on by improper therapy--that is to say that people do not seem to develop alternate personalities until after they are diagnosed with DID. This is a very controversial subject and I would recommend that you stick to the childhood trauma theory.
DID is actually quite the fascinating tool for character stories. It enables you to play two characters at once (in a way that confuses the fel out of everyone else). Some people with DID refer to their other personalities as siblings or other relatives, sometimes friends or companions. They may be able to summon their other personalities up at will, and may be unsure as to who was 'first.' The personalities may not even be aware of each other, or they may have conflicting opinions as to which personality is what. This is chaotic enough with two personalities; if you ever play a character with DID I seriously recommend not going over three. I've handled one myself and it is very difficult to remain consistent; you can easily frustrate other players as well as yourself.
However, having experienced playing as a character with DID, take this to heart--WHY would you want to put two personalities into one character? It can make for some neat RP, but is clumsy and generally unsound. You can avoid confusing yourself and others by buckling down and ditching the crazy, because you really don't need to try this type more than once. If you really have to, just hop off to some other server for a while (or even a text RP board) and create as many personalities as you could possibly want. See how well you can RP said character, and if it's even enjoyable.
I'm sorry if the above section has been overly subjective; I probably shouldn't write things I'm opinionated about hyped up on caffeine at four in the morning. But hey, what I say stands: DID is not a crutch, and your using it as one is downright offensive.
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[8.0] Schizophrenia
Like with DID, characters that claim to be schizophrenic have a tendency to elicit a disappointed groan from yours truly. Seeing characters scream about the voices and laugh themselves silly is outright disturbing to me as someone who has gone through and looked at what really makes a schizophrenic. You may want to watch The Soloist to see a very vivid interpretation of schizophrenia, although I find it at some points to try too hard at being funny.
Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that, unfortunately enough, is often played for laughs in roleplay. Players who don't understand what they're actually playing as are content to wander around screaming about the voices and rambling on about carrots, making up words and being completely random--or sitting there in the nuthouse hugging themselves and crying quietly.
Tying back into the delusions mentioned way back in this guide, schizophrenics are often under the impression that someone is watching, controlling or otherwise attempting to harm them. They may be subject to audio and visual hallucinations, hearing voices in their head or seeing things that people don't normally see. This does not mean that they scream about the voices, though, and these may come at the worst times.
The main error people make when playing schizophrenics is assuming that the disorder is affecting them 100% of the time. Schizophrenics have the ability to function in normal society, though their ability is often impaired because of their disorder. They are able to have normal, coherent conversations that do not end in them spewing randomness. They may be scatterbrained or obsessed with their delusions, but your character is not constantly bothered by noises and sights not known to the average human mind. Your RP should not be filled with craziness and outright random actions, because there is some method to schizophrenia--perhaps they have particular triggers such as high-stress situations.
It may be worth it to look into playing a pseudo-schizophrenic character in RP--that is to say one that doesn't suffer from all symptoms, only some. This may be explained by outside forces and provides you with the mechanics of playing a schizophrenic without having to claim the mental disorder. A good example of this would be the warlock whose mind has been so warped by shadow that he sees darkness in every corner, or the miner that has been exposed to the mad whispers of Yogg-Saron. Be creative!
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If you managed to read everything above and haven't just scrolled to the bottom or skimmed, I commend you. I started writing this at eleven pm and am just wrapping up five and a half hours later. It's amazing what the wonders of caffeine can do, yeah? I hope you got something out of my writing here, and please keep in mind two things--
First, I am not a psychologist and am certainly not an expert in these fields. I'm just a lady who knows how to use Google and has the foresight to research subjects before she makes a new character. Some of the information in here may be off or incorrect (or dubious at best) but I believe it's reliable enough to base a character around. You, too, have the internet to check if you feel so inclined (though I'd appreciate corrections if you can find any at all).
Second, I seek to offend no one--in fact, I'm posting this primarily because I've been offended by portrayals of disorders in the past. You might have noticed this as my writing got less coherent towards the end there with the subjects I just plain hate seeing done badly. If there's anything about this post that bothers you and you'd like to discuss it with me, send me a PM. Unless it's "I can play a character with the split personality you described really well and I'm angry because you said I was using a crutch!" I won't respond to that.
Whether you read the whole thing, skimmed, or just picked a couple sections that piqued your interest, thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day. I hope I helped you in some way and would appreciate any comments you have. Over and out.
Moose
![[Image: lichkingfell.png]](http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/495/lichkingfell.png)
