Diagnosing Heathcliff, What Could be Wrong?

Emily Bronte’s, Wuthering Heights, includes the struggle for happiness, like marry like, and revenge. Heathcliff grew up neglected and abused. When he fell in love with his long time friend, Catherine Earnshaw, she betrayed him by choosing another man over him, causing Heathcliff to become bitter and rude to everyone who comes in contact with him. He goes out of his way to make everyone miserable and unhappy just like himself. Although the perspective of Heathcliff is seen as “a mad man,” he is actually suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Depression.

An adult that has Antisocial Disorder normally begins with Conduct Disorder as a child . Children with CD (Conduct Disorder) are found when the child has a history of “repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms of rules are violated, as manifested by the presence of three (or more) of the following criteria in the past twelve months, with at least one criterion present in the past six months.” These criteria include, aggression towards all living beings, such as people and animals,the defacement of property, deceitfulness and thief, and having no regards for the rules. Conduct Disorder is based on three levels: mild, moderate, and severe. Mild cases are people who lie, skip school, and staying out late without consent. Children starting at the age of 10 must have at least one of the symptoms that make up CD, they would then be categorized under the mild stage since their symptom is deceitfulness and thievery. The moderate form of this disorder includes stealing and defacing property. Severe CD is when a person either acts upon or deeply considers rape, abuse, theft, vanda...

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...s occupation and or schooling. In the 40’s there are impairments with his reality or communication with some severe impairments to his work, schooling, family, judgment, thinking, or behavior. The 30’s where behavior is affected by hallucinations or delusions. There can also be severe issues with communication or judgement, as well as, having trouble functioning in all areas. Stage 20 is minimal danger of hurting self or others, failing in maintaining personal hygiene, or impairment of communication. Level 10 is to the point of severely hurting self or others, failing in maintaining personal hygiene, or having suicidal act with the expectation of death. If Heathcliff were to be diagnosed he would be found to be close to a 30. This number is given to him because he is becoming delusional, the main example being that he began to believe that Catherine was haunting him.