PROOF OF HELL'S CURRENT STATUS AS A WINTER WONDERLAND
So that Ghinius essay I finally got around to writing, let me show you it
Ah Ghinius, how I never tire of over-analyzing thee. One of the things I’ve pondered on throughout the years is what, if any, specific mental disorder he could be “diagnosed” with based on what tendencies and origins his madness seems to stem from. Only recently have I found the description that best matches the symptoms I see in him.
I can imagine the fandom response now: Ar, don’t be silly! He’s obviously nothing more than a generic mad scientist who’s crazy for the sake of being crazy! Stop thinking so much into things!
If fellow UC fanboys can have lengthy discussions on the specific workings of cartoon robots, I can have a lengthy essay on the specific mental disorder of a Gundam villain. So there.
Anyway, after many years of pondering, analyzing, and keeping psychology major friends up until 4AM while hyped up on Moutain Dew, the conclusion I’ve come to is that Ghinius Sakhalin is actually a pretty textbook case of Borderline Personality Disorder. Why is that? What evidence do I have? Am I actually doing something more than blowing hot air out my ass? Well, I’ll explain. But first...
What the butt is Borderline Personality Disorder anyway?!
Snipped from the Wikipedia aticle:
”Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person (generally over the age of eighteen years, although it is also found in adolescents), characterized by depth and variability of moods. The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the disorder often manifests itself in idealization and devaluation episodes, as well as chaotic and unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, identity, and behavior; as well as a disturbance in the individual's sense of self. In extreme cases, this disturbance in the sense of self can lead to periods of dissociation.
... Individuals with BPD can be very sensitive to the way others treat them, reacting strongly to perceived criticism or hurtfulness. Their feelings about others often shift from positive to negative, generally after a disappointment or perceived threat of losing someone. Self-image can also change rapidly from extremely positive to extremely negative. Impulsive behaviors are common, including alcohol or drug abuse, unsafe sex, gambling and recklessness in general. Attachment studies suggest individuals with BPD, while being high in intimacy- or novelty-seeking, can be hyper-alert to signs of rejection or not being valued and tend toward insecure, avoidant or ambivalent, or fearfully preoccupied patterns in relationships. They tend to view the world generally as dangerous and malevolent, and tend to view themselves as powerless, vulnerable, unacceptable and unsure in self-identity.
...Ongoing family interactions and associated vulnerabilities can lead to self-destructive behavior.”
The emphasized parts are that way for a reason. Bear with me.
That’s nice, but how can you prove Ghinius has it?
First, I can’t prove Ghinius has anything. There’s no litmus test for any mental illness, and certainly not the mental illness of a fictional character with very little backstory information. The only point I’m trying to make with this wall of text is that out of all the disorders in DSM-IV, I think Borderline is the closest match based on what we know and see in canon. For all we know he could actually be a lifelong, born sociopath. He could be hallucinating out the wazoo. But there’s no real canon evidence suggesting either of these things, hence I can’t consider any disorder that requires those symptoms for “diagnosis.”
That said, DSM-IV defines borderline personality disorder as:
“A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, as well as marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:”
Sounds promising. Let’s look at those criteria and see how well Ghinius fits!
1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
Probably the most obvious criteria he meets. Due to the reveal that their mother abandoned the family in Episode 11, a major part of Ghinius’s core motivations and the source of a good chunk of dysfunction are finally able to be pieced together. His demenor shows his mother’s actions are still a source of distress and emotional pain. Even Aina’s actions, which are far from true abandonment (why I stressed “or imagined”) are enough to push him into a nervous breakdown. He copes by clinging frantically to the one thing that can’t abandon him: a cold, inanimate mass of wires and metal dependent on him for existence.
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.
Hello to his entire relationship with Aina in a nutshell! We start the series with him praising her (in contrast to his later feelings, he didn’t fret at all that his prototype was lost because she made it out safely. Proof he does genuinely care for her!) and being very affectionate, and end it with him trying to devalue her perspective and wisdom, and (unsuccessfully) reject her from his life. Given her behaviors and statements throughout (especially in episode 7) it’s clear that even at his nicest he’s still very... clingy. Very intensely attached to her, to the point of forcing her to stay with him at the expense of her own emotional needs. She was his savior whether she wanted to be or not, and then when he perceives she’s done wrong she becomes a fool like their mother and replaced with an inanimate object.
It’s also possible he acted this way in his friendship with Yuri, which could’ve played a role in their falling out. We’ll never know for sure, but the highly unstable way he views and treats Aina certainly leaves room for speculation.
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., promiscuous sex, eating disorders, binge eating, substance abuse, reckless driving).
As anyone who’s familiar with the character knows, Ghinius is very frail physically and requires medication to stay well (possibly even to stay alive). Yet what does he throw to the wind in favor of working on his weapon and makeshift coping mechanism? I’m sure he knows how vital his medications are for his survival, but in the face of something he all but states is more important than his own life, he impulsively toils on it instead of making sure his health needs are taken care of.
Of course there’s one substance he probably made sure to take. As implied by the stressed words, I think it’s very likely he abused stimulants in order to perform the work his body was trying not to. We know stimulants were on the base and being given to the grunt workers by a doctor, and Aina’s later conversation with him seems to imply he’s well aware of it (though he didn’t order it himself, as many fans mistakenly believe).
Later, when we see Yuri’s secretary bound we also see a cart with four vial and two syringes on it. It’s usually assumed that’s what he was using to threaten information out of her, but a friend of mine pointed out it might not have anything to do with her. With all the guns and grenades and other weapons easily available to him, intravenous drugs seems like an odd thing to threaten her with. Combined with the fact that four vials seems like a bit much if he just grabbed some for her, and too few if he grabbed the entire cart. Due to his physical limitations I doubt he abducted and restrained her himself, so I assume he had some underlings round her up and plop her in his office. Which means the cart could’ve and probably was already in there long before she was, and the vials were actually the accumulating stash of stimulants he was using on himself.
Assuming that’s the case, it’s undeniable canon proof of his already-likely stimulant abuse. When combined with an already frail physical state made even worse by neglected medical care, it’s almost a wonder he didn’t drop dead before the completion of the Apsaras.
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
Oh hello to his state in episodes 8, 10, and 11 especially. I don’t think I need to elaborate too much on this one, because I think anyone would say he’s quite unstable due to being intensely moody (to put it mildly).
8. Inappropriate anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
Hello episodes 8 and 11! In 8 we’re treated to him unloading a gun into a communication screen as a result of his anger towards Yuri canceling the Apsaras project, and episode 11 features numerous scenes where he seems to be feeling intense anger (amongst other things) that he deals with in the most impulsive, destructive ways possible.
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation, delusions or severe dissociative symptoms.
As we see in episode 10, Ghinius’s protectiveness of the Apsaras results in him murdering his entire R+D team just so he can have it to himself. Even though they certainly were no logical threat to it and probably had no desire or ability to pilot it themselves. We can only guess at what exactly was going on in Ghinius’s head that made him think he had to that, but I think it’s possible he’d got it in his mind that somehow, they were a threat. That’s certainly a form of paranoia. Not to mention Aina being less interested in him automatically equals her not giving a flying flip about him what so ever and abandoning him just like Mommy-dearest isn’t exactly the conclusion a rational, not paranoia-prone person would come to. And of course, the stress he was already under from the status of the war and his responsibility only fed it further.
The remaining criteria are 3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self., 5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, threats or self-injuring behavior such as cutting, interfering with the healing of scars (excoriation) or picking at oneself., and 7. Chronic feelings of emptiness. Though not directly supported by canon, I think it’s possible he’s exhibited one or more, if not all of these symptoms before in his life. Either way, he’s more than met the minimum for five criteria required for a BPD diagnosis based on canon evidence.
There are other disorders that seem promising at first glance, but IMHO, he doesn’t meet the required criteria for them, at least not based strictly on canon. Let’s have a look at some of them!
Mad Scientist does not a Schizophrenic make: Why Ghinius is BPD as opposed to some other kind of crazy:
Let’s start this section off with a label I’ve seen used by fans who probably haven’t studied psychology too deeply: Schizophrenia, particularly of the paranoid variety.
This diagnostic criteria are:
“1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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).”
On top of having to meet all three of those, for the paranoid subtype:
“hallucinations and/or delusions must be prominent, and disturbances of affect, volition and speech, and catatonic symptoms must be relatively inconspicuous. The hallucinations will usually involve hallucinatory voices that threaten the patient or give commands, auditory hallucinations without verbal form, such as whistling, humming, or laughing, hallucinations of smell or taste, or of sexual or other bodily sensations; visual hallucinations may occur but are rarely predominant. Delusions can be of almost any kind of delusions of control, influence, or passivity, and persecutory beliefs of various kinds are the most characteristic.”
(paraphrased from Wikipedia and http://www.schizophrenia.com/szparanoid.htm)
While Ghinius is undeniably delusional and paranoid on some level, it’s not the level needed to meet Schizophrenia’s diagnostic criteria. There’s no evidence he has hallucinations either, be they audio, visual, etc. The usage of the term with him seems solely due to superficial assumptions by fans who more or less think it’s a more politically correct way of saying “batshit goddamn insane”.
Moving along, here’s another that’s close, but no cigar: Narcissistic personality disorder.
Diagnostic criteria are:
“A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes”
I can hear the cries already “but Ar! That describes Ghinius to a tee! WTF you talkin’ bout?!”. Well children, just because Ghinius seems superficially self-important, arrogant, exploitative and all around those kinds of nasty and more doesn’t mean he actually is in the way that would warrant this diagnosis. NPD is both the kissing cousin and opposite extreme of BPD in a way: both can lead to manipulative, selfish, nasty little people and they can originate from the same kinds of experiences, but while narcissists do all this because they genuinely believe (or are trying to believe) they’re superior spechul snowflakes to their peers, borderlines generally feel quite the opposite inside and instead of trying to compensate by convincing themselves they’re all that and a bag of chips, they just invest their identity and self worth into something or someone else (such as a little sister or giant yonic symbol).
Speaking of, stop and think of how much Ghinius goes on about ME ME ME as opposed to THE APSARAS THE APSARAS THE APSARAS. Sure he’s selfish in the end, but not for himself as person. It’s all for the Apsaras. As mentioned earlier he doesn’t seem to hold his own life in much regard when compared to the Apsaras. That is not what a narcissistic does. That defeats the very purpose of being a narcissist. After all, how are you supposed to be the best when you die of exhaustion or overdose on speed because your giant beam-shooting vagina needed that much attention from you?
There’s also a crucial absence of one of the biggest causes of Ghinius’s dysfunction: abandonment issues. Narcissists certainly have a tendency to abuse and control other people to meet their emotional needs, but they don’t need them like borderlines do, and they tend to lack genuine (albeit unhealthy) concern or affection for them (as Ghinius seems to for Aina early in the series). Having lived with a narcissist, I can say that while manipulating, belittling, controlling, and hurting others is a huge part of what many of them live for, if the person they’re victimizing up and left they wouldn’t break like Ghinius did. Sure they’d be a bit pissed, but they’d quickly move on and find someone else to pick on. They’d be able to function pretty well, unlike Mr. OHMAIGAWDMYSISTERABANDONEDMELIKEMOMMIEHTHEENDISNIGHTHERESNOTHINGBUTMYMOBILEARMORBRBSHOOTINSPEEDANDALMOSTDYING!!11! It’s not a feature of the disorder, therefor it’s not in the diagnostic criteria.
Not to mention people with NPD can be very calculating and in-control of their behaviors even in the midst of nasty tantrums (from personal experience, if someone walks in they don’t want seeing that side of them, they’ll switch to the “innocent victim” act almost instantaneously), something that most certainly DOES NOT describe Ghinius in the end of the series.
Another personality disorder that’s superficially similar yet doesn’t quite fit the bill is Antisocial personality disorder, AKA classic psycho/sociopathy.
The diagnostic criteria for this one are:
“A) There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three or more of the following:
1. failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
2. deception, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead;
4. irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another;
B) The individual is at least age 18 years.
C) There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years.
D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of a schizophrenia or manic episode.
But Ar! That describes Ghinius to a tee as well! How could he not have that!?
Read the bold, italicized criteria. Read it again. Think about it. Think about it in relation to what we see of him prior to the first signs of his breakdown in episode seven and as the sad, sickly teenager we see in the flashback.
Despite how some people believe Ghinius can’t possibly have been anything other than an amoral jackass pretending to be nice for his ulterior motives prior to the series (basically, a sociopath), there’s not a lick of evidence to support this. And to qualify for this diagnosis, we’d have to have clear proof of him engaging in those specific behaviors both prior to the age of 15 and outside of the context of a manic episode. At most, we know he was clingy, controlling, dependent and certainly had underlying abandonment issues and poor coping skills, but as far as we know he was a pretty law-abiding citizen otherwise. And again, abandonment issues are missing as a key feature of the disorder.
Superficial similarities aside, he doesn’t meet enough of the criteria to qualify for that diagnosis. ‘nuff said.
(Side note: Char Aznable and Giren Zabi are closer matches for APD than Ghinius is IMHO. But those are essays for another day!)
I see. But what the heck made him borderline anyway?
To quote Wikipedia yet again:
”As with other mental disorders, the causes of BPD are complex and not fully understood. One finding is a history of childhood trauma, abuse or neglect, although researchers have suggested diverse possible causes, such as a genetic predisposition, neurobiological factors, environmental factors, or brain abnormalities.”
And with Ghinius? There’s no way we’ll ever be able to know. It’s possible he was abused in some way (we all know that’s a favorite fanon of mine), but like the notion that he’s a born sociopath, there’s no real evidence to back it up. He could’ve just been born with a genetic predisposition that was set off when mommy ran away. Or it could’ve been set off by him being dropped on his head as a baby. Or eating lead paint.
The only conclusive things we know about his past are that their mother abandoned the family (which definitely shaped his disorder), that the Sakhalin family has fallen from the graces of high society and he’s trying to earn back respect by success with the Apsaras project, and that he and Yuri used to be friends, but had a falling out for unknown reasons. What, if anything else, happened to him to leave him the wreck he is lies solely in speculation and headcanon.
Alright, alright. But how do we know you’re not just talking out your ass, A.r.?!
To be fair, I am not a psychologist. I’m not a psychology major. At the time of this writing, I’m not yet in college. This very well could be the kind of thing that’d cause a real psychologist to roll their eyes at the dumb kids spouting nonsense on their lawn. However, I’ve spent hours bouncing these ideas and hypothesis off the head of my aforementioned psychology major friend. I’ve read his textbooks, and even poked in his classes a couple times. While I have no formal expertise and education on the subject, I do consider myself to have a slightly-higher than average knowledge of abnormal psychology basics. Though most of my citations and quotes are from Wikipedia, I made sure to cross-reference said friend’s Abnormal Psychology textbook. It seemed to check out fine, though if I am getting some things wrong and you can back up why don’t hesitate to tell me!
This is also only my perspective and interpretation of Ghinius’s character. Some things we’ll never know for sure, and some people might read this and be baffled because their impression of Ghinius left them to draw completely different conclusions about him. He’s not an easy character to understand, and I don’t think anyone will know for sure what the writers really intended with him. No, not even me. But I think he’s a character that deserves far more consideration and thought than he gets.
I hope this brings something else to the plate to gestate on when he and his psychology get brought up in discussion. Even if you don’t agree, I hope you can at least see where I’m coming from and that I do have reasons for my conclusions. Different perspectives make the world an interesting place, both inside and outside of fandom.
Ah Ghinius, how I never tire of over-analyzing thee. One of the things I’ve pondered on throughout the years is what, if any, specific mental disorder he could be “diagnosed” with based on what tendencies and origins his madness seems to stem from. Only recently have I found the description that best matches the symptoms I see in him.
I can imagine the fandom response now: Ar, don’t be silly! He’s obviously nothing more than a generic mad scientist who’s crazy for the sake of being crazy! Stop thinking so much into things!
If fellow UC fanboys can have lengthy discussions on the specific workings of cartoon robots, I can have a lengthy essay on the specific mental disorder of a Gundam villain. So there.
Anyway, after many years of pondering, analyzing, and keeping psychology major friends up until 4AM while hyped up on Moutain Dew, the conclusion I’ve come to is that Ghinius Sakhalin is actually a pretty textbook case of Borderline Personality Disorder. Why is that? What evidence do I have? Am I actually doing something more than blowing hot air out my ass? Well, I’ll explain. But first...
What the butt is Borderline Personality Disorder anyway?!
Snipped from the Wikipedia aticle:
”Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person (generally over the age of eighteen years, although it is also found in adolescents), characterized by depth and variability of moods. The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the disorder often manifests itself in idealization and devaluation episodes, as well as chaotic and unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, identity, and behavior; as well as a disturbance in the individual's sense of self. In extreme cases, this disturbance in the sense of self can lead to periods of dissociation.
... Individuals with BPD can be very sensitive to the way others treat them, reacting strongly to perceived criticism or hurtfulness. Their feelings about others often shift from positive to negative, generally after a disappointment or perceived threat of losing someone. Self-image can also change rapidly from extremely positive to extremely negative. Impulsive behaviors are common, including alcohol or drug abuse, unsafe sex, gambling and recklessness in general. Attachment studies suggest individuals with BPD, while being high in intimacy- or novelty-seeking, can be hyper-alert to signs of rejection or not being valued and tend toward insecure, avoidant or ambivalent, or fearfully preoccupied patterns in relationships. They tend to view the world generally as dangerous and malevolent, and tend to view themselves as powerless, vulnerable, unacceptable and unsure in self-identity.
...Ongoing family interactions and associated vulnerabilities can lead to self-destructive behavior.”
The emphasized parts are that way for a reason. Bear with me.
That’s nice, but how can you prove Ghinius has it?
First, I can’t prove Ghinius has anything. There’s no litmus test for any mental illness, and certainly not the mental illness of a fictional character with very little backstory information. The only point I’m trying to make with this wall of text is that out of all the disorders in DSM-IV, I think Borderline is the closest match based on what we know and see in canon. For all we know he could actually be a lifelong, born sociopath. He could be hallucinating out the wazoo. But there’s no real canon evidence suggesting either of these things, hence I can’t consider any disorder that requires those symptoms for “diagnosis.”
That said, DSM-IV defines borderline personality disorder as:
“A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, as well as marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:”
Sounds promising. Let’s look at those criteria and see how well Ghinius fits!
1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
Probably the most obvious criteria he meets. Due to the reveal that their mother abandoned the family in Episode 11, a major part of Ghinius’s core motivations and the source of a good chunk of dysfunction are finally able to be pieced together. His demenor shows his mother’s actions are still a source of distress and emotional pain. Even Aina’s actions, which are far from true abandonment (why I stressed “or imagined”) are enough to push him into a nervous breakdown. He copes by clinging frantically to the one thing that can’t abandon him: a cold, inanimate mass of wires and metal dependent on him for existence.
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.
Hello to his entire relationship with Aina in a nutshell! We start the series with him praising her (in contrast to his later feelings, he didn’t fret at all that his prototype was lost because she made it out safely. Proof he does genuinely care for her!) and being very affectionate, and end it with him trying to devalue her perspective and wisdom, and (unsuccessfully) reject her from his life. Given her behaviors and statements throughout (especially in episode 7) it’s clear that even at his nicest he’s still very... clingy. Very intensely attached to her, to the point of forcing her to stay with him at the expense of her own emotional needs. She was his savior whether she wanted to be or not, and then when he perceives she’s done wrong she becomes a fool like their mother and replaced with an inanimate object.
It’s also possible he acted this way in his friendship with Yuri, which could’ve played a role in their falling out. We’ll never know for sure, but the highly unstable way he views and treats Aina certainly leaves room for speculation.
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., promiscuous sex, eating disorders, binge eating, substance abuse, reckless driving).
As anyone who’s familiar with the character knows, Ghinius is very frail physically and requires medication to stay well (possibly even to stay alive). Yet what does he throw to the wind in favor of working on his weapon and makeshift coping mechanism? I’m sure he knows how vital his medications are for his survival, but in the face of something he all but states is more important than his own life, he impulsively toils on it instead of making sure his health needs are taken care of.
Of course there’s one substance he probably made sure to take. As implied by the stressed words, I think it’s very likely he abused stimulants in order to perform the work his body was trying not to. We know stimulants were on the base and being given to the grunt workers by a doctor, and Aina’s later conversation with him seems to imply he’s well aware of it (though he didn’t order it himself, as many fans mistakenly believe).
Later, when we see Yuri’s secretary bound we also see a cart with four vial and two syringes on it. It’s usually assumed that’s what he was using to threaten information out of her, but a friend of mine pointed out it might not have anything to do with her. With all the guns and grenades and other weapons easily available to him, intravenous drugs seems like an odd thing to threaten her with. Combined with the fact that four vials seems like a bit much if he just grabbed some for her, and too few if he grabbed the entire cart. Due to his physical limitations I doubt he abducted and restrained her himself, so I assume he had some underlings round her up and plop her in his office. Which means the cart could’ve and probably was already in there long before she was, and the vials were actually the accumulating stash of stimulants he was using on himself.
Assuming that’s the case, it’s undeniable canon proof of his already-likely stimulant abuse. When combined with an already frail physical state made even worse by neglected medical care, it’s almost a wonder he didn’t drop dead before the completion of the Apsaras.
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
Oh hello to his state in episodes 8, 10, and 11 especially. I don’t think I need to elaborate too much on this one, because I think anyone would say he’s quite unstable due to being intensely moody (to put it mildly).
8. Inappropriate anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
Hello episodes 8 and 11! In 8 we’re treated to him unloading a gun into a communication screen as a result of his anger towards Yuri canceling the Apsaras project, and episode 11 features numerous scenes where he seems to be feeling intense anger (amongst other things) that he deals with in the most impulsive, destructive ways possible.
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation, delusions or severe dissociative symptoms.
As we see in episode 10, Ghinius’s protectiveness of the Apsaras results in him murdering his entire R+D team just so he can have it to himself. Even though they certainly were no logical threat to it and probably had no desire or ability to pilot it themselves. We can only guess at what exactly was going on in Ghinius’s head that made him think he had to that, but I think it’s possible he’d got it in his mind that somehow, they were a threat. That’s certainly a form of paranoia. Not to mention Aina being less interested in him automatically equals her not giving a flying flip about him what so ever and abandoning him just like Mommy-dearest isn’t exactly the conclusion a rational, not paranoia-prone person would come to. And of course, the stress he was already under from the status of the war and his responsibility only fed it further.
The remaining criteria are 3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self., 5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, threats or self-injuring behavior such as cutting, interfering with the healing of scars (excoriation) or picking at oneself., and 7. Chronic feelings of emptiness. Though not directly supported by canon, I think it’s possible he’s exhibited one or more, if not all of these symptoms before in his life. Either way, he’s more than met the minimum for five criteria required for a BPD diagnosis based on canon evidence.
There are other disorders that seem promising at first glance, but IMHO, he doesn’t meet the required criteria for them, at least not based strictly on canon. Let’s have a look at some of them!
Mad Scientist does not a Schizophrenic make: Why Ghinius is BPD as opposed to some other kind of crazy:
Let’s start this section off with a label I’ve seen used by fans who probably haven’t studied psychology too deeply: Schizophrenia, particularly of the paranoid variety.
This diagnostic criteria are:
“1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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).”
On top of having to meet all three of those, for the paranoid subtype:
“hallucinations and/or delusions must be prominent, and disturbances of affect, volition and speech, and catatonic symptoms must be relatively inconspicuous. The hallucinations will usually involve hallucinatory voices that threaten the patient or give commands, auditory hallucinations without verbal form, such as whistling, humming, or laughing, hallucinations of smell or taste, or of sexual or other bodily sensations; visual hallucinations may occur but are rarely predominant. Delusions can be of almost any kind of delusions of control, influence, or passivity, and persecutory beliefs of various kinds are the most characteristic.”
(paraphrased from Wikipedia and http://www.schizophrenia.com/szparanoid.htm)
While Ghinius is undeniably delusional and paranoid on some level, it’s not the level needed to meet Schizophrenia’s diagnostic criteria. There’s no evidence he has hallucinations either, be they audio, visual, etc. The usage of the term with him seems solely due to superficial assumptions by fans who more or less think it’s a more politically correct way of saying “batshit goddamn insane”.
Moving along, here’s another that’s close, but no cigar: Narcissistic personality disorder.
Diagnostic criteria are:
“A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes”
I can hear the cries already “but Ar! That describes Ghinius to a tee! WTF you talkin’ bout?!”. Well children, just because Ghinius seems superficially self-important, arrogant, exploitative and all around those kinds of nasty and more doesn’t mean he actually is in the way that would warrant this diagnosis. NPD is both the kissing cousin and opposite extreme of BPD in a way: both can lead to manipulative, selfish, nasty little people and they can originate from the same kinds of experiences, but while narcissists do all this because they genuinely believe (or are trying to believe) they’re superior spechul snowflakes to their peers, borderlines generally feel quite the opposite inside and instead of trying to compensate by convincing themselves they’re all that and a bag of chips, they just invest their identity and self worth into something or someone else (such as a little sister or giant yonic symbol).
Speaking of, stop and think of how much Ghinius goes on about ME ME ME as opposed to THE APSARAS THE APSARAS THE APSARAS. Sure he’s selfish in the end, but not for himself as person. It’s all for the Apsaras. As mentioned earlier he doesn’t seem to hold his own life in much regard when compared to the Apsaras. That is not what a narcissistic does. That defeats the very purpose of being a narcissist. After all, how are you supposed to be the best when you die of exhaustion or overdose on speed because your giant beam-shooting vagina needed that much attention from you?
There’s also a crucial absence of one of the biggest causes of Ghinius’s dysfunction: abandonment issues. Narcissists certainly have a tendency to abuse and control other people to meet their emotional needs, but they don’t need them like borderlines do, and they tend to lack genuine (albeit unhealthy) concern or affection for them (as Ghinius seems to for Aina early in the series). Having lived with a narcissist, I can say that while manipulating, belittling, controlling, and hurting others is a huge part of what many of them live for, if the person they’re victimizing up and left they wouldn’t break like Ghinius did. Sure they’d be a bit pissed, but they’d quickly move on and find someone else to pick on. They’d be able to function pretty well, unlike Mr. OHMAIGAWDMYSISTERABANDONEDMELIKEMOMMIEHTHEENDISNIGHTHERESNOTHINGBUTMYMOBILEARMORBRBSHOOTINSPEEDANDALMOSTDYING!!11! It’s not a feature of the disorder, therefor it’s not in the diagnostic criteria.
Not to mention people with NPD can be very calculating and in-control of their behaviors even in the midst of nasty tantrums (from personal experience, if someone walks in they don’t want seeing that side of them, they’ll switch to the “innocent victim” act almost instantaneously), something that most certainly DOES NOT describe Ghinius in the end of the series.
Another personality disorder that’s superficially similar yet doesn’t quite fit the bill is Antisocial personality disorder, AKA classic psycho/sociopathy.
The diagnostic criteria for this one are:
“A) There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three or more of the following:
1. failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
2. deception, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead;
4. irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another;
B) The individual is at least age 18 years.
C) There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years.
D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of a schizophrenia or manic episode.
But Ar! That describes Ghinius to a tee as well! How could he not have that!?
Read the bold, italicized criteria. Read it again. Think about it. Think about it in relation to what we see of him prior to the first signs of his breakdown in episode seven and as the sad, sickly teenager we see in the flashback.
Despite how some people believe Ghinius can’t possibly have been anything other than an amoral jackass pretending to be nice for his ulterior motives prior to the series (basically, a sociopath), there’s not a lick of evidence to support this. And to qualify for this diagnosis, we’d have to have clear proof of him engaging in those specific behaviors both prior to the age of 15 and outside of the context of a manic episode. At most, we know he was clingy, controlling, dependent and certainly had underlying abandonment issues and poor coping skills, but as far as we know he was a pretty law-abiding citizen otherwise. And again, abandonment issues are missing as a key feature of the disorder.
Superficial similarities aside, he doesn’t meet enough of the criteria to qualify for that diagnosis. ‘nuff said.
(Side note: Char Aznable and Giren Zabi are closer matches for APD than Ghinius is IMHO. But those are essays for another day!)
I see. But what the heck made him borderline anyway?
To quote Wikipedia yet again:
”As with other mental disorders, the causes of BPD are complex and not fully understood. One finding is a history of childhood trauma, abuse or neglect, although researchers have suggested diverse possible causes, such as a genetic predisposition, neurobiological factors, environmental factors, or brain abnormalities.”
And with Ghinius? There’s no way we’ll ever be able to know. It’s possible he was abused in some way (we all know that’s a favorite fanon of mine), but like the notion that he’s a born sociopath, there’s no real evidence to back it up. He could’ve just been born with a genetic predisposition that was set off when mommy ran away. Or it could’ve been set off by him being dropped on his head as a baby. Or eating lead paint.
The only conclusive things we know about his past are that their mother abandoned the family (which definitely shaped his disorder), that the Sakhalin family has fallen from the graces of high society and he’s trying to earn back respect by success with the Apsaras project, and that he and Yuri used to be friends, but had a falling out for unknown reasons. What, if anything else, happened to him to leave him the wreck he is lies solely in speculation and headcanon.
Alright, alright. But how do we know you’re not just talking out your ass, A.r.?!
To be fair, I am not a psychologist. I’m not a psychology major. At the time of this writing, I’m not yet in college. This very well could be the kind of thing that’d cause a real psychologist to roll their eyes at the dumb kids spouting nonsense on their lawn. However, I’ve spent hours bouncing these ideas and hypothesis off the head of my aforementioned psychology major friend. I’ve read his textbooks, and even poked in his classes a couple times. While I have no formal expertise and education on the subject, I do consider myself to have a slightly-higher than average knowledge of abnormal psychology basics. Though most of my citations and quotes are from Wikipedia, I made sure to cross-reference said friend’s Abnormal Psychology textbook. It seemed to check out fine, though if I am getting some things wrong and you can back up why don’t hesitate to tell me!
This is also only my perspective and interpretation of Ghinius’s character. Some things we’ll never know for sure, and some people might read this and be baffled because their impression of Ghinius left them to draw completely different conclusions about him. He’s not an easy character to understand, and I don’t think anyone will know for sure what the writers really intended with him. No, not even me. But I think he’s a character that deserves far more consideration and thought than he gets.
I hope this brings something else to the plate to gestate on when he and his psychology get brought up in discussion. Even if you don’t agree, I hope you can at least see where I’m coming from and that I do have reasons for my conclusions. Different perspectives make the world an interesting place, both inside and outside of fandom.