Mental Health - Twilight Sparkle

[Comet Tail 808]

 

You can put the notebook and glasses down, Twilight. This thread is about your mental health.

 

 

Now I turn my sights to Twilight Sparkle.

 

 

Like Pinkie, I can see three possibilities:

 

1. OCD

2. Schizophrenia

3. Aspergers

 

OCD -

Do I even need to cover this?

The first part of Lesson Zero and It's about Time covers it very nicely.

She must have everything in order, she has lists and lists of supplies to make lists and lists for lists and all sorts of hyper-organized OCD-ness.

 

As for her response, this is where

 

Schizophrenia - comes in. Well, at least partially. The episode was too short for her to get a diagnosis, but these are the criteria:

 

• Characteristic symptoms: Two or more of the following, each present for much of the time during a one-month period (or less, if symptoms remitted with treatment).
  • Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Disorganized speech, which is a manifestation of formal thought disorder
  • Grossly disorganized behavior (e.g. dressing inappropriately, crying frequently) or catatonic behavior
  • Negative symptoms: Blunted affect (lack or decline in emotional response), alogia (lack or decline in speech), or avolition (lack or decline in motivation)
  If the delusions are judged to be bizarre, or hallucinations consist of hearing one voice participating in a running commentary of the patient's actions or of hearing two or more voices conversing with each other, only that symptom is required above. The speech disorganization criterion is only met if it is severe enough to substantially impair communication.
• Social or occupational dysfunction: For a significant portion of the time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self-care, are markedly below the level achieved prior to the onset.

• Significant duration: Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least six months. This six-month period must include at least one month of symptoms (or less, if symptoms remitted with treatment).

source

 

It might even fall under the "Paranoid" subcategory:

Delusions or auditory hallucinations are present, but thought disorder, disorganized behavior, or affective flattening are not. Delusions are persecutory and/or grandiose, but in addition to these, other themes such as jealousy, religiosity, or somatization may also be present.

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrUuPo6-Q1A

 

And surprisingly enough, that's related to the "Aspergers" possibility as well.

 

What sparked all those delusions about being sent to Magic Kindegarden again? I think the best explanation is she's become obsessed over those reports. Those reports mean everything to her, it's no small deal to be tardy with a single one, it looks like the way she sees it, doing everything just right for the princess is the purpose of life itself. Nothing was more important than that report; she was even willing to make good friends, the CMC's, get in a fight by any means possible, just to get the report in on time.

 

She knows the Princess very well, she looks up to the Princess and trusts her, the only way she'd think the Princess would do that to her, is if she thinks she deserves it for being tardy with a report. And she'd only think that if she was deeply obsessed with getting those reports in on time.

 

And once again, aspergers would reinforce all the OCD points, too, wanting order is another symptom.

 

Read about it through this link, at least a little, and clear up some misconceptions. Those are listed on the page, too.

 

Here's the diagnosis requirements:

Two of the following:

 

• 1. "Marked impairment" regarding nonverbal social cues (doesn't make eye contact, doesn't understand others' body language, etc);
• 2. Failure to make friends;
• 3a. Lack of appropriate social and emotional responses to others; or
• 3b. Inability to spontaneously share enjoyment, interests and achievements with other people.

AND one of the following:

 

• A. An abnormal and intense interest in one subject;
• B. Adherence to a strict set of rules, routines and rituals;
• C. Repetition of certain mannerisms like hand flapping, hair twisting or even whole body movements
• D. An obsession in the parts or mechanics of objects.

Source found here thanks to google.

 

Twilight, has clearly completely failed to get facial expressions at least a few times (not understanding body language), In "Look Before You Sleep". During a game of 20 guesses, Rarity asked: "Are we getting warmer?", and Twili panicked about turning the heat too high, and missed Rarity's facial cues of confusion. Also,

, she didn't catch the facial cues that her "audience", the two ponies, didn't understand a word of what she said.

 

As she gleefully explained her anemometer, and the fact that she spends all of her time reading and pursuing her interests alone fulfills criteria 3b.

 

Also, she fulfilled requirement 2, and only managed to make friends because they followed her, against her will, to go and defeat Nightmare Moon. Were it not for those extraordinary events, she would still be without friends. Aspies are different from autism in that they want friends, and Twili wanted friends, but

, it "did not seem worth the effort it expends", which along with her refusing to go to Moondancer's party, totally ignoring a friendly greeting from Lyra as she rushed to the tower (to do some non-assigned research, I may add), and reluctance to see the different ponies about preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, clearly shows requirement 2 and some level of social anxiety.

 

And she also fulfills requirement A and B.

A. Magic. She avoided friends to read the book in the very opening scene to the series, what I described earlier about ignoring Lyra's friendly greeting and Moondancer's invitation, and even Celestia acknowledged it in the letter to Spike: "...you simply must stop reading those dusty old books!", and without fail, with only a few exceptions, what is she doing when she appears in an episode?

.

 

B. Her lists, and other things cited as evidence for OCD, all fit into this category.

 

So she fulfills three of the first criteria pool, and two of the second. Diagnosis only requires two of the first criteria pool, and one of the second, so she fits it rather well.

 

 

I want to emphasize, though, there's a lot of negative image of aspergers, but you needn't see Twilight any different for this. Most of the popular conception is popular misconception, and if you notice, I didn't change Twilight at all

 

(I think some ponies get up in flames when they see this because they don't want to associate these lovable characters with negative stereotypes, or "ruin the innocence of the show", but IMO it does neither.)

 

So there you have it, the Twilightlicious mental analysis.

_{Oh, and Twilight is best pony. That's not up for debate. It's a fact.}

 

Any Questions?

 

Edited August 8, 2012 by Mattlight

[Shadowed Watcher 183]

Oh cool, Twilight possibly suffers from the same mental disabilities that I have

Aspergers? Got it. Schizophrenia? Yeppers. OCD? Very much so.

Makes me feel special knowing that Twilight and I are alike

[Comet Tail 808]

Oh cool, Twilight possibly suffers from the same mental disabilities that I have

Aspergers? Got it. Schizophrenia? Yeppers. OCD? Very much so.

Makes me feel special knowing that Twilight and I are alike

 

I think those three usually come in a package together

 

That's one of the things I love about this fandom. Such acceptance. Bronies know the reality - it's not an insult, it's just something someone has.

 

I almost wonder if the writers were aware of this when they made Twilight. To be fair, the schizophrenia only came along in "Lesson Zero", but the aspergers was there from the first moments of the series, and the OCD was close behind.

 

But Twilight is the main, lovable, relatable character. I just love that.

[Svinnik 90]

That actually makes a lot of sense, though it probably won't become canon. Your theory also explains filly Twilight's asocial behavior and why she could only make friends with family members.

[Carolina 212]

My friend has Asperger's and Twilight is her favorite character, who she relates to the most. I can certainly see the similarities! "Look Before You Sleep" was the first episode in which I started to like Twilight because her behavior reminded me of my friend.

[Comet Tail 808]

No opposition? My propositions never go by this easily

_{(I can't just let this thread about my little fav. pony just go by with so little response and/or brohoofs, lol)}

[Guile 18]

I disagree about her having aspergers. She's a recluse before she meets the other mane 6, but that's because she wanted to be. It's not like she couldn't make friends, but she didn't know how much fun it would be. She prioritized study because it's the way she grew up. She was introverted because it was the way she grew up, and thought that having friends was a waste of time.

 

Aspies (like me) often want to have friends but can have a lot of trouble making them because of their social anxiety problems.

 

Twilight spoke to strangers really calmly showing little or no signs of anxiety at all. Notice how in the first episode she contrasts Fluttershy with this. I think Fluttershy is much more likely to have AS, if anything.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Guile

[spas-ticShotty 3,584]

 

You can put the notebook and glasses down, Twilight. This thread is about your mental health.

 

 

Now I turn my sights to Twilight Sparkle.

 

 

Like Pinkie, I can see three possibilities:

 

1. OCD

2. Schizophrenia

3. Aspergers

 

OCD -

Do I even need to cover this?

The first part of Lesson Zero and It's about Time covers it very nicely.

She must have everything in order, she has lists and lists of supplies to make lists and lists for lists and all sorts of hyper-organized OCD-ness.

 

As for her response, this is where

 

Schizophrenia - comes in. Well, at least partially. The episode was too short for her to get a diagnosis, but these are the criteria:

 

 

source

 

It might even fall under the "Paranoid" subcategory:

 

 

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrUuPo6-Q1A

 

And surprisingly enough, that's related to the "Aspergers" possibility as well.

 

What sparked all those delusions about being sent to Magic Kindegarden again? I think the best explanation is she's become obsessed over those reports. Those reports mean everything to her, it's no small deal to be tardy with a single one, it looks like the way she sees it, doing everything just right for the princess is the purpose of life itself. Nothing was more important than that report; she was even willing to make good friends, the CMC's, get in a fight by any means possible, just to get the report in on time.

 

She knows the Princess very well, she looks up to the Princess and trusts her, the only way she'd think the Princess would do that to her, is if she thinks she deserves it for being tardy with a report. And she'd only think that if she was deeply obsessed with getting those reports in on time.

 

And once again, aspergers would reinforce all the OCD points, too, wanting order is another symptom.

 

Read about it through this link, at least a little, and clear up some misconceptions. Those are listed on the page, too.

 

Here's the diagnosis requirements:

Two of the following:

 

 

 

AND one of the following:

 

 

Source found here thanks to google.

 

Twilight, has clearly completely failed to get facial expressions at least a few times (not understanding body language), In "Look Before You Sleep". During a game of 20 guesses, Rarity asked: "Are we getting warmer?", and Twili panicked about turning the heat too high, and missed Rarity's facial cues of confusion. Also,

, she didn't catch the facial cues that her "audience", the two ponies, didn't understand a word of what she said.

 

As she gleefully explained her anemometer, and the fact that she spends all of her time reading and pursuing her interests alone fulfills criteria 3b.

 

Also, she fulfilled requirement 2, and only managed to make friends because they followed her, against her will, to go and defeat Nightmare Moon. Were it not for those extraordinary events, she would still be without friends. Aspies are different from autism in that they want friends, and Twili wanted friends, but

, it "did not seem worth the effort it expends", which along with her refusing to go to Moondancer's party, totally ignoring a friendly greeting from Lyra as she rushed to the tower (to do some non-assigned research, I may add), and reluctance to see the different ponies about preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, clearly shows requirement 2 and some level of social anxiety.

 

And she also fulfills requirement A and B.

A. Magic. She avoided friends to read the book in the very opening scene to the series, what I described earlier about ignoring Lyra's friendly greeting and Moondancer's invitation, and even Celestia acknowledged it in the letter to Spike: "...you simply must stop reading those dusty old books!", and without fail, with only a few exceptions, what is she doing when she appears in an episode?

.

 

B. Her lists, and other things cited as evidence for OCD, all fit into this category.

 

So she fulfills three of the first criteria pool, and two of the second. Diagnosis only requires two of the first criteria pool, and one of the second, so she fits it rather well.

 

 

I want to emphasize, though, there's a lot of negative image of aspergers, but you needn't see Twilight any different for this. Most of the popular conception is popular misconception, and if you notice, I didn't change Twilight at all

 

(I think some ponies get up in flames when they see this because they don't want to associate these lovable characters with negative stereotypes, or "ruin the innocence of the show", but IMO it does neither.)

 

So there you have it, the Twilightlicious mental analysis.

_{Oh, and Twilight is best pony. That's not up for debate. It's a fact.}

 

Any Questions?

 

 

I have Asperger's. Makes it hard for me to interact with anyone mah age really well

[Black Star 62]

She definetly has OCD take this from someone who also suffers from OCD. I have to say no to aspergers and schizophrenia. The delusions about being sent to magic kindergarten is because people with OCD tend to go to the worst possibility if they don't do something they obsess over. My arms will start physically hurting if I see a crooked desk or painting and I can't fix it. Also some people talk to themselves not because they think that there is another person but just to calm down lay out the facts just to talk. So definetly OCD not aspergers or schizophrenia.

[Faraday Flask 21]

I disagree about her having aspergers. She's a recluse before she meets the other mane 6, but that's because she wanted to be. It's not like she couldn't make friends, but she didn't know how much fun it would be. She prioritized study because it's the way she grew up. She was introverted because it was the way she grew up, and thought that having friends was a waste of time.

 

Aspies (like me) often want to have friends but can have a lot of trouble making them because of their social anxiety problems.

 

Twilight spoke to strangers really calmly showing little or no signs of anxiety at all. Notice how in the first episode she contrasts Fluttershy with this. I think Fluttershy is much more likely to have AS, if anything.

 

I, too, agree. Asperger's is characterized by difficulty in looking people in the eyes, physical and athletic awkwardness, difficulty in making friends, in speaking, in interacting socially. It's not just being reclusive, stubborn and brainy. Twilight does tend towards the compulsiveness that I find in myself, like looking-up, cataloging information and reading. But that's the extent of Asperger's that I see.

 

I was also thinking Fluttershy seemed more like a likely candidate as well.

 

-FF

Edited July 12, 2012 by Faraday Flask

[Comet Tail 808]

I disagree about her having aspergers. She's a recluse before she meets the other mane 6, but that's because she wanted to be. It's not like she couldn't make friends, but she didn't know how much fun it would be. She prioritized study because it's the way she grew up. She was introverted because it was the way she grew up, and thought that having friends was a waste of time.

 

Aspies (like me) often want to have friends but can have a lot of trouble making them because of their social anxiety problems.

 

Twilight spoke to strangers really calmly showing little or no signs of anxiety at all. Notice how in the first episode she contrasts Fluttershy with this. I think Fluttershy is much more likely to have AS, if anything.

 

We don't have any canon on what her fillyhood was like, aside from being foal-sat by Cadence, lots of study, earning her Cutie Mark and not making time for friends, but we don't know why she didn't make time for friends.

 

It could be social anxiety as much as just not wanting to. But IMO, when she tells the other ponies she's going to study instead of going to Moondancer's party, it looks like she's just trying to avoid the party and do what she's already planned on doing:

B. Adherence to a strict set of rules, routines and rituals

Like we'd seen with the lists, she'd already gotten it into her head that she was going to study, so she really didn't feel comfortable doing anything else, and she really looked uncomfortable to me when she told Moondancer's friends no, and really uncomfortable at the idea of going to the party, because it wasn't in her study routine.

 

As for Applejack, she was incredibly formal, like she was reciting a script, even, and her abhorrance at "why, you're practically part of the family already!" and cringing whenever they say friends, I think shows she's uncomfortable, i.e. social anxiety. Not to mention, she wants to get rid of them at any chance and/or opportunity, she wants to get away from everypony, she doesn't even explain to them the earnestness of the situation, or try to read around them.

 

And then there's the party in her own house, and she just hides up in her room. She's not even reading about The Elements, she's done that already, she's just trying to sleep and being nervous about the prophesy, and avoiding the social party downstairs.

 

 

Going back to meeting the main cast, though, the Ice was kinda broken with RD's entrance, I think Twili wasn't as anxious because she had an opinion already and so had no trouble knowing what to say, because she was speaking her mind, and then manipulating RD into clearing the clouds.

 

Then with Rarity, she hardly got a chance to speak at all, and through the entire episode she was overly formal with new acquantences, which I intirprit as discomfort, and she's following what she's already planned on saying because she's afraid of not knowing what to say. Like with Fluttershy, for example.

 

I have Asperger's. Makes it hard for me to interact with anyone mah age really well

 

I think I know what you mean...

I'm kinda fence-sitting on whether or not I have it, I certainly wouldn't want to stress my family and everyone with getting checked, from what I've seen and know of myself I've got some big signs, (and I've even had someone with a severe case of it tell me I seem to have it) but for the most part I'm able to interact decently, and I'm not sure, but I think I just come off as more shy and quiet than anything major.

And... It fluctuates a lot in severity.

But whatever the case... I know how that feels.

And don't cry, you're not alone.

 

I'm really lucky to have friends I made at church at such a young age... Heavens knows how it happened.

 

As for my high school, where none of my church friends went... I'm so glad that's over!

 

I just hope I can manage better at college...

 

But I'm linkin' to the BYU Bronies, so maybe I'll be there for more ponies like you.

 

She definetly has OCD take this from someone who also suffers from OCD. I have to say no to aspergers and schizophrenia. The delusions about being sent to magic kindergarten is because people with OCD tend to go to the worst possibility if they don't do something they obsess over. My arms will start physically hurting if I see a crooked desk or painting and I can't fix it. Also some people talk to themselves not because they think that there is another person but just to calm down lay out the facts just to talk. So definetly OCD not aspergers or schizophrenia.

 

Well the video kinda shows her reflection moving differently than her, and a back-and-forth conversation. And the incoherent thought that would be associated with not even finding that strange, is kind of schizo. Not to mention, it seems kind of out of Twi's thought pattern to think: "all I have to do is keep. it. together!" What does that even mean?

 

And you didn't provide any counter-points against the aspergers thing. Even if all the OCD stuff isn't used for that, then she still meets enough criteria

 

But, hey, if you don't want to imagine her that way it's fine. I just like to think of her as somepony that's going through a lot. Because those types of ponies are usually the most compassionate humble and sympathetic, and I like to think of her that way. (We've seen the compassion and sympathy by canon plenty of times, the humble, not so much for much of Pinkie Keen, though she did finally give in at the end.)

 

It doesn't mean she's necessarily always awkward or doesn't interact or anything... Just that it's not easy for her.

 

As for the Schizo, it looks like something that only surfaces in extreme stress.

 

But, maybe you're right on that one. I don't know if it's even possible for a pony to have something like that that only surfaces in certain conditions. The extreme stress itself might be enough to do that on it's own.

Edited July 12, 2012 by EASA - Matt

[Black Star 62]

Well the video kinda shows her reflection moving differently than her, and a back-and-forth conversation. And the incoherent thought that would be associated with not even finding that strange, is kind of schizo. Not to mention, it seems kind of out of Twi's thought pattern to think: "all I have to do is keep. it. together!" What does that even mean?

 

And you didn't provide any counter-points against the aspergers thing. Even if all the OCD stuff isn't used for that, then she still meets enough criteria

 

But, hey, if you don't want to imagine her that way it's fine. I just like to think of her as somepony that's going through a lot. Because those types of ponies are usually the most compassionate humble and sympathetic, and I like to think of her that way. (We've seen the compassion and sympathy by canon plenty of times, the humble, not so much for much of Pinkie Keen, though she did finally give in at the end.)

 

It doesn't mean she's necessarily always awkward or doesn't interact or anything... Just that it's not easy for her.

 

As for the Schizo, it looks like something that only surfaces in extreme stress.

 

But, maybe you're right on that one. I don't know if it's even possible for a pony to have something like that that only surfaces in certain conditions. The extreme stress itself might be enough to do that on it's own.

 

 

The part where her puddle moves is just the show just like how pinkie pie can appear through mirrors physics are non-existent. Keep it together means don't freak out like I said she is just talking to herself to calm down lots of people do that. The aspergers part while she does have some symtoms others are missing and the ones she does have can be linked to other things she doesn't have any of the speech problems likeabrupt transitions, literal interpretations and miscomprehension of nuance, use of metaphor meaningful only to the speaker, auditory perception deficits, unusually pedantic, formal or idiosyncratic speech, and oddities in loudness, pitch, intonation, prosody, and rhythm and once she wanted to make friends she did so very easily and people with aspergers have trouble making friends alot they also commonly lack empathy.

[Twiliscael 3,960]

Over-analysis. Over-analysis everywhere!

[Comet Tail 808]

The part where her puddle moves is just the show just like how pinkie pie can appear through mirrors physics are non-existent. Keep it together means don't freak out like I said she is just talking to herself to calm down lots of people do that. The aspergers part while she does have some symtoms others are missing and the ones she does have can be linked to other things she doesn't have any of the speech problems likeabrupt transitions, literal interpretations and miscomprehension of nuance, use of metaphor meaningful only to the speaker, auditory perception deficits, unusually pedantic, formal or idiosyncratic speech, and oddities in loudness, pitch, intonation, prosody, and rhythm and once she wanted to make friends she did so very easily and people with aspergers have trouble making friends alot they also commonly lack empathy.

 

Someone doesn't have to have all of those, and a very important distinction is they can lack empathy, but not sympathy. Lacking empathy just means they fail to understand what someone else is feeling, not that they don't care.

 

And those aren't diagnostic criteria, either. There's a big difference in-between common things associated with it and diagnostic criteria. Those things don't have to be there.

 

It's quiet simply laid out, if she qualifies as having two of the things from the first list, and one thing from the second, then she has it.

 

Two of:

 

• 1. "Marked impairment" regarding nonverbal social cues (doesn't make eye contact, doesn't understand others' body language, etc);
• 2. Failure to make friends;
• 3a. Lack of appropriate social and emotional responses to others; or
• 3b. Inability to spontaneously share enjoyment, interests and achievements with other people.

1. - Cited example from "Look Before You Sleep", and when she was explaining her anemometer to the two pegasi. I'm sure there are plenty of other examples, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.

 

2. - She would not have made her new friends if it weren't for the fact they were both forced on her and happened in extremely unusual circumstances. It doesn't specify whether "Failure" is due to a lack of attempt or lack of ability, but often lack of attempt comes because of unpleasant past experiences making attempts.

 

One of:

 

 

 

• A. An abnormal and intense interest in one subject;
• B. Adherence to a strict set of rules, routines and rituals;
• C. Repetition of certain mannerisms like hand flapping, hair twisting or even whole body movements
• D. An obsession in the parts or mechanics of objects.

A. - Magic, which she studies via reading.

 

B. - Established with the checklists and all at the beginning of Lesson Zero.

Being due to OCD doesn't invalidate it, at least I don't see why it would.

 

 

 

Anyways, I say the diagnostic criteria are all, but even they aren't entirely the best. These things can be learned from an intellectual perspective, so they can hide them, it's just they don't comprehend them intuitively like neurotypical people do. And there's even rare recorded cases of people being "cured", so you have to realize it's all pretty flexible.

Edited July 12, 2012 by EASA - Matt

[Guile 18]

We don't have any canon on what her fillyhood was like, aside from being foal-sat by Cadence, lots of study, earning her Cutie Mark and not making time for friends, but we don't know why she didn't make time for friends.

Actually, the first verse of the extended introduction she explicitly says "When I was young I was too busy to make any friends, such silliness did not seem worth the efforts it expends."

 

It could be social anxiety as much as just not wanting to. But IMO, when she tells the other ponies she's going to study instead of going to Moondancer's party, it looks like she's just trying to avoid the party and do what she's already planned on doing:

 

Like we'd seen with the lists, she'd already gotten it into her head that she was going to study, so she really didn't feel comfortable doing anything else, and she really looked uncomfortable to me when she told Moondancer's friends no, and really uncomfortable at the idea of going to the party, because it wasn't in her study routine.

I think it was just more of a choice on her part to make more time for studying instead of hanging out with friends. When she and Spike are going to Ponyville, she even rolled her eyes and groaned at the idea of making friends. She seemed more like she thought friendship was pointless than being too anxious.

 

As for Applejack, she was incredibly formal, like she was reciting a script, even, and her abhorrance at "why, you're practically part of the family already!" and cringing whenever they say friends, I think shows she's uncomfortable, i.e. social anxiety. Not to mention, she wants to get rid of them at any chance and/or opportunity, she wants to get away from everypony, she doesn't even explain to them the earnestness of the situation, or try to read around them.

She flat out said to everyone that she "had an awful lot to do."

 

And then there's the party in her own house, and she just hides up in her room. She's not even reading about The Elements, she's done that already, she's just trying to sleep and being nervous about the prophesy, and avoiding the social party downstairs.

I think the prophecy was exactly why she didn't feel like partying.

 

Going back to meeting the main cast, though, the Ice was kinda broken with RD's entrance, I think Twili wasn't as anxious because she had an opinion already and so had no trouble knowing what to say, because she was speaking her mind, and then manipulating RD into clearing the clouds.

 

Then with Rarity, she hardly got a chance to speak at all, and through the entire episode she was overly formal with new acquantences, which I intirprit as discomfort, and she's following what she's already planned on saying because she's afraid of not knowing what to say. Like with Fluttershy, for example

She was never tongue-tied around any of them, stuttered, looked away or anything like Fluttershy. She spoke clearly and recognized social cues. Twilight is an overly-formal and organized pony, that's part of her personality. Being formal about meeting them was just another way of being organized for her, she was doing an important task for Princess Celestia, after all.

[Glaceon 793]

Twilight you might have OCD and all these other things people say about you but in my eyes you are still my favorite pony.

[Lostwanderer 367]

i'll agree with OCD, but i think her asburgur like traits are actualy a result of her OCD, as for the schizophrenia, while she had symptoms of it in lesson zero, there really isn't too much to support it. I think her OCD actually managed to cause an anxiety induced schizophrenic episode.

[Leo dash 79]

woo me and twilight are even more alike cuz i have all of those

[Comet Tail 808]

Actually, the first verse of the extended introduction she explicitly says "When I was young I was too busy to make any friends, such silliness did not seem worth the efforts it expends."

 

I think it was just more of a choice on her part to make more time for studying instead of hanging out with friends. When she and Spike are going to Ponyville, she even rolled her eyes and groaned at the idea of making friends. She seemed more like she thought friendship was pointless than being too anxious.

 

She flat out said to everyone that she "had an awful lot to do."

 

I think the prophecy was exactly why she didn't feel like partying.

 

She was never tongue-tied around any of them, stuttered, looked away or anything like Fluttershy. She spoke clearly and recognized social cues. Twilight is an overly-formal and organized pony, that's part of her personality. Being formal about meeting them was just another way of being organized for her, she was doing an important task for Princess Celestia, after all.

 

I mean, you can take from it what you want. Personally, she seemed really uncomfortable to me at all the social encounters, except for RD, but with RD only because she had an opinion already formed (annoyed because she ran into her, annoyed the clouds aren't cleared) and just spoke her mind.

 

Especially when she told Moondancer's friends no. She seemed incredibly uncomfortable then.

 

Throughout the series she's gotten better at it, though. That's for sure.

[tanoshii 131]

I'm not entirely sure about the Asperger's, but I can definitely see some OCD in Twilight.

[Black Star 62]

Someone doesn't have to have all of those, and a very important distinction is they can lack empathy, but not sympathy. Lacking empathy just means they fail to understand what someone else is feeling, not that they don't care.

 

And those aren't diagnostic criteria, either. There's a big difference in-between common things associated with it and diagnostic criteria. Those things don't have to be there.

 

It's quiet simply laid out, if she qualifies as having two of the things from the first list, and one thing from the second, then she has it.

 

Two of:

 

 

 

1. - Cited example from "Look Before You Sleep", and when she was explaining her anemometer to the two pegasi. I'm sure there are plenty of other examples, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.

 

2. - She would not have made her new friends if it weren't for the fact they were both forced on her and happened in extremely unusual circumstances. It doesn't specify whether "Failure" is due to a lack of attempt or lack of ability, but often lack of attempt comes because of unpleasant past experiences making attempts.

 

One of:

 

 

 

 

 

A. - Magic, which she studies via reading.

 

B. - Established with the checklists and all at the beginning of Lesson Zero.

Being due to OCD doesn't invalidate it, at least I don't see why it would.

 

 

 

Anyways, I say the diagnostic criteria are all, but even they aren't entirely the best. These things can be learned from an intellectual perspective, so they can hide them, it's just they don't comprehend them intuitively like neurotypical people do. And there's even rare recorded cases of people being "cured", so you have to realize it's all pretty flexible.

 

Someone doesn't have to have all of those, and a very important distinction is they can lack empathy, but not sympathy. Lacking empathy just means they fail to understand what someone else is feeling, not that they don't care.

 

And those aren't diagnostic criteria, either. There's a big difference in-between common things associated with it and diagnostic criteria. Those things don't have to be there.

 

It's quiet simply laid out, if she qualifies as having two of the things from the first list, and one thing from the second, then she has it.

 

Two of:

 

 

 

1. - Cited example from "Look Before You Sleep", and when she was explaining her anemometer to the two pegasi. I'm sure there are plenty of other examples, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.

 

2. - She would not have made her new friends if it weren't for the fact they were both forced on her and happened in extremely unusual circumstances. It doesn't specify whether "Failure" is due to a lack of attempt or lack of ability, but often lack of attempt comes because of unpleasant past experiences making attempts.

 

One of:

 

 

 

 

 

A. - Magic, which she studies via reading.

 

B. - Established with the checklists and all at the beginning of Lesson Zero.

Being due to OCD doesn't invalidate it, at least I don't see why it would.

 

 

 

Anyways, I say the diagnostic criteria are all, but even they aren't entirely the best. These things can be learned from an intellectual perspective, so they can hide them, it's just they don't comprehend them intuitively like neurotypical people do. And there's even rare recorded cases of people being "cured", so you have to realize it's all pretty flexible.

 

I see where you're coming from but she doesn't absolutly have to have aspergers if she meets those criteria. I meet all of those criteria and for me it is due to AD/HD and some OCD. I think she may have some sort of social skills problem my friend has it and it is a mental disorder I just don't remember the name of it. It makes it so you can't read body language and other things along the line of that. Also are we both in agreement that she definetly has OCD?

[Comet Tail 808]

I see where you're coming from but she doesn't absolutly have to have aspergers if she meets those criteria. I meet all of those criteria and for me it is due to AD/HD and some OCD. I think she may have some sort of social skills problem my friend has it and it is a mental disorder I just don't remember the name of it. It makes it so you can't read body language and other things along the line of that. Also are we both in agreement that she definetly has OCD?

 

Yeah, as somepony stated, we can't really know for sure without doing testing or having interviews, so it's all speculation, based on how you interpret the events in the show.

 

Hmm... Social Anxiety by any chance?

 

And yeah, we're in agreement on the OCD thing. It's pretty much canon after "Lesson Zero", if the checklists and freaking out weren't enough, then her reaction to the "baker's dozen" when she picked up the cupcakes sealed it.

[Black Star 62]

 

Okay then and yeah I thought of social anxiety when I woke up this morning.

[Ganondox 899]

Ok, I'm going to go right out and say I believe TS does NOT have OCD. First, my knowledge of OCD is really based on three things, but it's probably more than most people on the internet. They are 1. Xenocide (Orson Scott Card did a lot of research on OCD before he wrote the book) 2. A forum thread explaining the difference between the OCD and the obsessive characteristics of Aspergers, and 3. Comparing and Contrasting the wikipedia articles of OCD and OCPD.

 

Anyway, I say TS does not have OCD because as far as I can tell she doesn't display any Obessive thoughts in the OCD since and doesn't display any compulsions. All of her obessive behavior can be explained by the love of order associated with OCPD and AS. I guess she could have OCD, but I see nothing that suggests she does have it. In conclusion I say TS either has AS or OCPD, the difference really depends on where her social problems come from, and if she has Schizophrenia it's extremely mild (people with AS are more likeling to later develope schizophrenia).

Edited September 17, 2019 by Ganondox

[silvadel 1,393]

Definitely Asperger's which is actually very common in geniuses. She tends to look at the world "differently." She sees its function on a different level. Note also that Asperger's is something you can learn yourself out of kind of -- you still see the world differently but you can be specifically trained to make friends etc. Like she did.