So I was thinking that a huge number of current EE characters have personality disorders of some description, whether diagnosed or not. It's quite an interesting subject, IMO, as characters who I see as having a personality disorder, others may see completely differently. There's also the debate of whether EE relies too much on casually showing characters committing acts synonymous with personality disorders as a form of entertainment without delving into the psychology behind it.

The following is a list I've compiled of the current EE cast, you can add past characters or argue about the names I've put on there, or add more, if you fancy.

Psychopathy/Sociopathy
Ronnie Mitchell
Ben Mitchell
Bobby Beale
Steven Beale
Claudette Hubbard
Andy Flynn (maybe?)

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Babe Smith
Ian Beale
Abi Branning (early signs)
Pam Coker (maybe? TBH I'm not sure what Pam has, but she definitely has some issues)

Stalker Tendencies
Andy Flynn
Billy Mitchell
Ben Mitchell
Steven Beale

Alcoholism
Phil Mitchell (diagnosed)
Lauren Branning (diagnosed)
Shirley Carter (barely functioning)
Denise Fox (functioning)
Max Branning (functioning)

Sex Addiction
Max Branning
Roxy Mitchell

Gambling Addiction/Issues
Masood Ahmed

Bipolar
Stacey Slater
Jean Slater

Depression
Lee Carter (diagnosed)

General Anger Management/Violent Tendencies
Phil Mitchell
Ben Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (although this seems to have been successfully cured)
Bobby Beale
Denise Fox
Abi Branning
Shirley Carter
Masood Ahmed
Lee Carter
Vincent Hubbard

To the list of alcoholics I'd also add Cora- barely a scene passes without a bottle of gin in her hand. Indeed, whilst being homeless, any spare money was spent of fags and alcohol

Old stumpy has had a very hard life.

She'll be making my life hard too if she ever comes back on-screen

Yes, Cora is definitely an alcoholic. Probably not even a functioning one as it eventually made her homeless.

Brilliant thread and I agree with all of this. However, I think Sharon is a functioning alcoholic. She is always drinking heavily.

Maybe this is what all humans are like because nobody is perfect.

Just to clarify I'm not judging any of these characters for their personality disorders, I just find this an interesting subject. I agree that most of us probably have something that could be classed as a personality disorder!

I think Sharon has a borderline dependency, but as I put Denise on there I should probably have put her too. I'd put them in the same category as characters who drink more than a 'regular' amount but who seem to be able to function without it.

Another one I forgot was Linda - possible issues around bulimia? Though it only seemed to be one episode before it was dropped.

I'd say the following have addictive personalities

Max...sex, alcohol
Sharon...drugs,men,alcohol
Lauren...alcohol
Shirley...alcohol. Also tends to be self destructive
Phil...alcohol

Narcissists

Phil
Ian
Sharon
Babe?
Max
Ronnie
Claudette

I wasn't criticising, merely observing! Everyone I know has got a personality flaw of some description! Even I have!

I personally wouldn't put Sharon or Phil under the narcissist category. These are the generally recognised traits of NPD (taken from this site: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...con-20025568):

Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
Exaggerating your achievements and talents
Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people
Requiring constant admiration
Having a sense of entitlement
Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations
Taking advantage of others to get what you want
Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
Being envious of others and believing others envy you
Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner

I definitely think Babe ticks most of those boxes, and Ian ticks quite a few. I'd also say that Abi shows clear early signs of it and it's an interesting direction to take her character. I think Phil is too self-loathing most of the time to be narcissistic, though he does often look down on others. Sharon is fairly empathetic and though she can sometimes be quite haughty, she is generally very good with younger characters. I also wouldn't say she takes advantage of others. With Sharon, though, it often depends on who is writing her. She's probably the most erratically written character out of the current cast. Sometimes she fits the model, sometimes she doesn't, but I would say it tends to lean more towards the latter with her.

Ah thanks, I just don't want people who struggle with any of these things to think I'm criticising or judging negatively. I suffer from depression myself, so this is a subject close to my heart.

I would. Both have a sense of entitlement and will use others for gain or advantage. Same with Ian. It doesn't matter who gets hurt as long as they come out on top because they believe that's where they belong.

Fair enough. Could you give some examples of Sharon using others for gain and advantage? There was quite a long period when I wasn't really watching EE so it may well be that I haven't really seen that aspect to her personality in recent years.

BTW recognized mental illnesses such as the psychosis suffered by Stacey and Steven should not be lumped with personality disorders.

Also true. I should have thought about the wording. I basically meant it here to mean anything that can affect someone's personality, which obviously mental health issues can.

She was marrying John for his money even though she didn't love him. She used her friendship with Tanya to steal drugs. She embezzled money from Phil even though he'd already built the Albert for her. She let Max go to prison to protect her own little Mitchell empire. She tried to drive Kathy away to protect her own marriage. She refused to admit her son had problems and instead tried to get a girl sacked from her job.

You do realise that only the first two count as personality disorders?

I would say that an addictive personality (which can result in specific additions) usually comes under a personality disorder though I understand there are debates around that. I was wrong to place mental illnesses such as depression and bipolar under a personality disorder without explaining the differences and I apologise for that. I was going to write a separate note about it and completely forgot.

IMO a few of these things are more to do with potentially threatening situations causing someone to make poor decisions. Wasn't she addicted to pain killers during the Tanya situation? That can often lead someone to make poor decisions but I'm not sure its in and of itself an indicator of NPD. I wouldn't say she actively tried to drive Kathy away, and she seemed to adjust pretty quickly. And with the embezzlement of Phil's money, was that before or after the attack on The Albert? IIRC it was after, and she was still very angry that Phil had put her through that so was maybe acting more erratically than usual.

Nah, no need to apologise. It's not deep.

They don't officially count as personality disorders but I can see the link since a lot of alcoholics for one do have a concurrent personality disorder. Same with pathological gambling (it's officially classed as an impulse control disorder but it shares a lot in common with PDs).

I think you're just making excuses for her. When she was addicted to drugs she had the option of seeking professional help but preferred to steal, getting Lauren into trouble. Even when she was found out she continued to lie. The first time she tried to cheat Phil was before the attack and it was Richie that told Phil. As for Kathy she did everything she could to get rid of her without a thought to what was best for Ian and Ben....shocking arrogance.

McBeale meets most of the criteria for being a sociopath.

Lots of addicts have the option to seek professional help but for whatever reason choose not to. Okay I couldn't remember whether she tried to cheat Phil before the attack or after, I suppose she was angry about Dennis but she would have been better off dumping him rather than plotting revenge. With Kathy, I genuinely can't remember any actions she took that were overtly duplicitous? My memory is pretty poor but what exactly did she do to attempt to get rid of her other than tell her to leave?

I'm not making excuses, just for me, Sharon is someone who tends to act emotionally rather than with the detachment I'd associated with NPD. Someone like Babe, who genuinely isn't affected by other people's distress and emotions, and continues because she feels she is owed something, fits the model far more IMO.