Mental Health and Mental Illness in J.D Salinger’s Work

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Psychological disorders are also known as mental disorders where there are multiple trends of behavioral or psychological symptoms that could be seen that might have an impact in an individual’s life. For instance, mental disorders “can be caused by one-time events” as stated on HelpGuide.org which might have encountered one’s life. As a matter of fact, “mental disorders are most common among adolescents than adults” according to the statistics of National Institute of Mental Health. Thus, this illness can become a burden for those who suffer it until the end of their life if one doesn’t get any therapy. In one of J.D Salinger’s work of literature, he creates a seventeen years old fictional character, Holden Caulfield who suffers with mental disorders. Holden is the narrator in the story who gives no importance towards life and future. In the novel, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield, the protagonist is a teen who copes with various undiagnosed psychological disorders that might have affected his youthful life; hence, his character can be understood through the roots in the field of psychology.
Holden Caulfield’s character is clearly identified psychologically in the views of some readers of the novel. For instance, Holden’s psychological disorders can be broken up into several parts such as depression, anxiety, nervous breakdowns, post-traumatic stress disorder, and inferiority complex. All of these disorders can help unravel Holden and his character in the novel. As a point, these disorders can explain his actions and the answer to why he might be reacting that way. In other words, mental disorders can make individuals feel a different emotion or they might think differently whereas compared to normal people ...

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...phonies. Instead, they just depress Holden and puts Holden into another state that falls in the category of psychological disorders. Also, Holden learns a lot from life that life requires many changes as one gets older that no one can stop from doing so. However, mental disorders can be treated through cognitive-behavioral therapy. As explained on HelpGuide.org, this therapy “helps [one] process and evaluate [ones] thoughts and feelings”. This way it could help an individual and especially Holden himself with emotions, and stress. In addition, it could help everyone who suffers psychological disorders lower tension and be able to live a happier life. As a final note, one day, everyone will grow up and realize that their not kids anymore, but it’s not a whole lot of difference entering adulthood from adolescence besides accepting the fact that it’s just part of life.

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