Good will hunting is a 20th century drama film that features the life of a boy who works as a janitor at M.I.T. Even though this character has a gift in mathematics, he needs the help of a psychologist because he suffers from depression and anxiety disorders. In the film, Will is presented as a rebellious character mainly because he was subjected to an abusive and violent childhood. While growing up, he was put under the foster program and as such, he is adopted by different families. As a result of the abuse from the families, he ends up with post-traumatic stress disorder as well as mood and anxiety disorders. These negative childhood experiences make him to develop a negative view of the society because he feels he has been betrayed by everyone around him. The purpose of this coursework is to provide an analysis of anxiety disorder and depression as seen in the main character of Good Will Hunting.
Nature of the Disorder
Will is portrayed as a troubled character who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He particularly has a severe case of depression referred to as dysthymia as well as anxiety disorder. According to Kahn (2013) , these conditions may result in severe mental conditions if they are left untreated. From the movie, it is possible to note that Will developed these problems from some negative experiences during his childhood under foster care. As a young man, he is left with scars of his past life and as such, he has trouble developing positive and long lasting relationships with others. He exhibits poor concentration abilities, loss of interest in fun activities, feelings of helplessness and worthlessness, lack of self-esteem and anger among other symptoms. Will has trouble relating to those around him because he does not trust them. He thinks that they will ignore and neglect him just as the members of his foster family watched as he was abused and tortured as a child.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Portrayal of the Character
Will is the main character of the story who work at MIT as the janitor. As the story progresses, we learn that he is also a prodigy who possesses genius-level intelligence in life. He has a distinctive gift in mathematics and also possesses an eidetic memory. Will is a poor orphan from a very young age who lives under the care of an alcoholic and abusive foster father who used to beat him with a wrench and burn him with cigarettes ( Damon & Affleck, 1998 ). In the film, he is presented as a young man from South Boston who spends his time alone reading books and tackling complex subjects. From childhood, Will lives an antisocial life and tends to build barriers so that he cannot get any personal attachments with other characters in the story. He suffers from depression and anxiety disorder and as such, he often ends up in fights and physical altercations in bars.
The society where Will lives in does not discriminate individuals based on their mental conditions. Throughout the film, there is no evidence of stereotyping individuals with psychological disorders. This is evident when Will is pardoned by the judge after he assaults a police officer. Even though the judge wanted to teach Will a lesson because the latter had appeared in court several times, he works out something with Professor Lambeau. Since he is a mathematics genius, Will is instead supposed to seek psychological counselling and help the professor with mathematical problems at the college. The characters in the society understand that psychological disorders may arise from rough childhoods as such, they try to help out in any way they can, as seen in the professor and judge’s case.
Etiology of the Disorder
Will suffers from dysthymia, which is a continuous and long term chronic form of depression. The trauma and suffering he underwent as a child was accumulated over the years as he grew up. This may have also been brought about by personality traits of negativity which include self-criticism, low self-esteem and a history of other mental conditions such as anxiety disorder. This makes the affected person to have a depressed mood as seen from the main character of the film. In addition to this, this form of mental stress reduces an individual’s ability to concentrate and make good decisions in life. As depicted in Will’s character, it basically reduces a person’s ability to become successful in life due to low self-esteem and feelings of worry over the past.
The main character has a hard time forgetting all the bad things that happened to him as a child. These memories and scars prevent him from living a normal life and as such, he always engages in physical fights. He does not care about what others think and as such, he tends to make decisions that land him at the wrong side of the law. In addition to this, Will still suffers from anxiety disorder and as such, this makes him to avoid socializing with others. Generally, his condition can be summarized to post traumatic stress disorder as a result of the abuse he suffered as a child. His character traits and social conditions are different from that of a normal person, leaving us to conclude that he has a personality disorder. According to Priest (2011) , most individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders and depression experienced traumatic events such as the loss of a loved one, an abusive childhood or a highly stressful past life. Will’s disorder probably emerged during his developmental stages as a result of his experience under the care of foster families.
Treatment issues
Psychology sessions are mentioned as the most viable treatment methods for depression and anxiety disorders. The therapy sessions that were recommended to Will in the film were affordable because the Professor covered the costs of receiving this treatment. It is, however, imperative to note that all the initial sessions did not work for Will. Sean was successful in his attempt to treat this disorder because he developed a personal attachment to the character. According to Priest (2011) , children under foster caregivers never get a chance to create bonds and connect with their guardians because they are often neglected at this tender age. Consequently, a psychologist must try to evaluate a patient and determine the root cause of their disorder so that they can use the best treatment method.
In some cases, the disorders can be detected at an early age and treated before mild symptoms start to develop. This was, however, not possible for the main character of the film because the people who he trusted to take care of him were responsible for inflicting the trauma that led to his disorder. It is very important for a psychologist to create trust with their patients because people like Will usually grow up without trusting anyone. Sean therefore used an unconventional treatment method that was focused on building a relationship based on trust and self-disclosure. Individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders must learn to see other adults as people they can trust or else, they will never recover from their past negative experiences ( Priest, 2011 ). Consequently, this means that the other psychology sessions did not work for Will because these therapists failed to build trust during the first meetings.
Message and Impact
In the contemporary society, many individuals are affected by anxiety disorders and depression. Cognitive behavioral therapies are mostly used as rehabilitations for these mental conditions even though treatment methods vary depending on the type of condition being dealt with. In the film, Will is presented as an embodiment of all the troubled individuals in the society who suffer from such disorders. After analyzing this film, the audience is able to see the world from the eyes of the main character. Consequently, these viewers are able to understand and relate to Will as well as the disorders that he suffers from as a result of his trauma. The film introduces these types of disorders and presents the best treatment models that can be adopted to deal with such cases.
A research done by Kahn (2013) shows that therapy is the most effective method that can be used to treat anxiety disorders. This is mainly because this treatment model is focused on addressing more than just the symptoms of the problem. Just like the movie, this therapy treatment is objectively centered on establishing the factors which led to the development of the condition. This means that therapy can help to uncover all the underlying causes of a person’s fears and worries, by teaching them how to relax and look at situations in a less frightening way. In addition to this, it also enables individuals like Will to develop better coping and problem solving abilities. Therapy therefore acts as a tool for overcoming depression and anxiety depending on how it is tailored to address the severity of a mental disorder. In modern health care settings, treatment models vary for patients like Will and as such, unique sessions have been adopted as effective procedures for reducing the effects of psychological problems. It is imperative to note that different therapy models may be combined to treat some severe forms of anxiety based on the cognitive behaviors of a patient.
Conclusion
Good Will Hunting explores the story of a young man who developed mental disorders from a young age. After going through several foster families with abusive fathers, he develops post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that negatively affects his present life. He suffers from depression and anxiety disorder and as such, he develops a sense of worthlessness and anti-social behavior towards others. The society in the movie is supportive towards individuals like Will and as such, they offer support to help treat such mental conditions. Therapeutic treatments are presented as the most suitable methods of dealing with these disorders. These will vary depending on the severity and type of mental disorder affecting an individual. The treatment methods defined in the movie define therefore the methods that are used in the modern world to treat people who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders.
References
Damon, M., & Affleck, B. (1998). Good Will Hunting . London: Faber and Faber.
Kahn, J. P. (2013). Angst: Origins of anxiety and depression . Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
Priest, R. G. (2011). Anxiety and depression: Practical guide to recovery .
