Comments on: Another Session with the Calculator

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adult cock in magazine male movie naked picture star — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 11:42:30 +0000

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By: Mental Health Update

Mental Health Update — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:03:41 +0000

Another Session With The Calculator

A diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder for The Calculator character in the Birds of Prey comic….

By: BPK

BPK — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 01:08:43 +0000

Hi, I’m a resident in psychiatry in Boston. Love your site and have been thinking how many great psych issues show up in comics. I follow with your thoughts on re-diagnosis, but I’d argue against schizoaffective disorder. Those patients exhibit features of psychosis even when not involved in a mood episode. We have no reason to think that’s the case. Instead, you could explain everything with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, as patients who are actively manic frequently have psychotic features, including hallucinations. Then that brings up whether he is in fact bipolar I disorder or bipolar II disorder, the latter having hypomania when in the “up” phase instead of the more severe full mania. But the degree of impairment he seems to be experiencing would be more consistent with mania, I suppose. In any case, as you know, SSRIs would be strongly contraindicated for someone with either bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, as they might well INDUCE mania. Worsening of a manic or hypomanic condition upon withdrawal of SSRIs wouldn’t be consistent with that.
Honestly, my diagnosis is that he’s experiencing mood (i.e. manic) and thought (i.e. psychotic) disorder symptoms as a result of acute intoxication. I’ve seen guys who walk into the psych ER looking exactly like this on cocaine or crystal meth. Luthor probably slipped him something. And quite possibly, he has an underlying mood and/or psychotic and/or anxiety and/or personality disorder. How’s that for covering the bases!

By: e

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 06:31:39 +0000

I love your site, it is usually one of the highlights of my morning routine.
Also, you consistantly show a better understanding of psychological diagnosis than most non-psychiatrist MDs I know.
Looking at your DSM checklist above, I’m not sure Calculator shows any negative symptoms – flattened affect seems the only one (listed above) he could realistically have, but he got pretty excited about catching Oracle in the Birds of Prey arc and he’s usually drawn with some facial expressions (but that could be the artist’s problem, right?).

What negative symptoms were you thinking of, because I am coming up empty.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 09:23:15 +0000

But… but… how can you perform open heart surgery ON YOUR SELF???? That’s as physically imppossible as looking at your own back without the use of reflective surfaces.

That’s so stupid I can actually feel a facial twitch coming on.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:59:14 +0000

Tim,

I’ve got in buried in my “to read” pile. I see I’ll have to move it up to the top now.

By: Tim O'Neil

Tim O'Neil — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:32:43 +0000

Hey, on another topic, are you planning on takign a look at the last issue of Gotham Knights? Not a book I normally read, mind you – but I flipped through it and saw Hush attempting to perform open heart surgery on himself after shooting up some heroin. Now that’s comic book medicine at it’s finest!

By: DrObvious

DrObvious — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 14:31:33 +0000

I was thinking the same thing Nina, but I’m not sure that’s the case for Calc. Clearly, that would apply for someone like the Joker, but I think the Calc is a little different. I don’t think he does what he does for pleasure. I think its more of a job for him.

By: Nina K

Nina K — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 13:02:13 +0000

Your analysis rings true, and then some. After reading the entry, I think you should also put a checkmark besides #7, “excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences”. Which is as good a capsule explanation of DCU supervillainy as any other.

By: JMD

JMD — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:41:37 +0000

Hmmmm,

This is a very interesting diagnostic, especially in light of what Simone said in an interview on Newsarama a couple days ago about her upcoming new Secret Six minseries:

“GS: Right. The Six has one new member you can probably guess, and one new one you probably won’t. But the newest member, who is long-established, might secretly be the most *&%ed-up villain in the DCU. As bad as you think this character might be? He’s much, much more insane than that. “