Does the Green Goblin have bipolar? (+3 Causal factors)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
The current blogpost will be answering if the Green Goblin has bipolar. We will also be checking out the various signs and symptoms of mental health issues that the Green Goblin might be suffering from, along with certain causal factors which may have led to this.
Does the Green Goblin have Bipolar?
Yes, the Green Goblin has bipolar. The Green Goblin, more specifically Norman Osborn shows many signs of bipolar disorder in the Spiderman movies and comics. However, this is not confirmed by the makers of the Spiderman franchise.
Norman Osborn, who turns into the Green Goblin, is mostly theorized to be under psychiatric medication and most apparently seeks therapy. When he is off medications, Norman goes through severe mood swings turning him into the Green Goblin.
The mental illness that Norman Osborn suffers from, which ultimately leads him to become the Green Goblin, is mostly caused by the experimental drugs that he takes. He is driven to this since he aims to become stronger in body as well as mind, when compared to Spiderman.
While the common consensus is that the Green Goblin definitely has bipolar or manic depression, other theories have also been tossed around by those who have deeply studied the Spiderman movies and comics. Some of these alternate theories are:
- Schizophrenia: Other than bipolar disorder, some mental health experts and fans of the Spiderman franchise have explained that the Green Goblin may indeed be suffering from schizophrenia.
This is because the Green Goblin portrays high levels of paranoia and even goes through hallucinations. Norman Osborn also shows plenty of psychotic behavior which adds to the theory that he indeed might be suffering from Schizophrenia.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Another mental diagnosis that has been put forward in reference to the Green Goblin or Norman Osborn is Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The character is definitely only focused on himself at all times.
In fact, the important reason why Norman Osborn takes the Goblin serum is because he wants to become stronger than Spiderman and become the master of New York. This narcissism essentially drives Norman even more insane.
- Antisocial Personality Disorder: The Green Goblin may also be suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder. The character is hell-bent on destroying Spiderman and also taking down New York along with him.
With this nasty aim in mind, the Green Goblin does not stop at destroying public property and killing other people. This personality disorder is evident in Norman right from a young age. For example, he kills the family dog without showing guilt or remorse later.
- Split Personality Disorder: Some experts also explain that the Green Goblin actually suffers from Split Personality Disorder. Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin are two very different personalities and do not interact with each other.
The entire reason why the Green Goblin came into existence is because of the ego and evil aims of Norman Osborn. Extreme stress or having an unfulfilled aim is one of the reasons why multiple personalities crop up in a person.
- Insanity: In plain words, the Green Goblin is insane. While most of his signs and symptoms do not conform to the diagnostic criteria of any particular mental illness, he definitely seems to be suffering from some issue.
As a result of his insanity, the Green Goblin is vengeful and extremely destructive to public property and even human lives. His obsession with Spiderman and wanting to kill the character desperately is another sign of his insanity.
Signs of the Green Goblin’s Bipolar
The Green Goblin’s bipolar and his other mental issues can be clearly seen in the Spiderman movies and comics through a multitude of signs and symptoms. Some of the signs and symptoms of the Green Goblin’s bipolar disorder and other mental health issues are listed as follows.
He has an inflated ego
The Green Goblin definitely shows an inflated ego and thinks that he is much better than everyone else. He shows a very high self-esteem and has over-confidence in his abilities. This inflated ego was seen in both Norman Osborn as well as the Green Goblin.
After taking the serum which turned him into the Green Goblin, the ego became even more inflated. Inflation of ego is also seen in many mental illnesses, especially the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
He has hallucinations
The Green Goblin also goes through many hallucinations which are another sign and symptom of some mental illness. Hallucinations are not only seen in psychotic illnesses like Schizophrenia, but even mood disorders like bipolar disorder.
After taking the serum, Norman Osborn continuously hears the voice of the Green Goblin, especially when he is in deep thought or confused about his actions. He also sees the face of the Green Goblin often.
He frequently has mood-swings
The Green Goblin is also very prone to mood swings and can be going through intense emotional reactions. These mood swings were present in Norman Osborn even before he consumed the serum.
Intense mood swings are a sign of bipolar disorder along with rage and anger episodes. In the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, the character can be seen happy and ecstatic at one point and simply depressed at another point.
He is not hesitant to kill
The Green Goblin is also not at all hesitant to kill. In fact, the first thing that Norman Osborn does after consuming the serum and turning into the Green Goblin is killing his own secretary by his bare hands.
After turning into the Green Goblin, the character can be seen going into a killing spree and ready to take down anyone in his path, especially Spiderman. This high tendency to hurt and kill others can also be seen in mental illnesses like bipolar disorder.
Causes of the Green Goblin’s bipolar
The Green Goblin’s bipolar and other mental health issues are caused by numerous factors. In the following points, you will find explanations of the various factors which might have affected the Green Goblin’s mental health.
- The Serum: The most direct cause of the Green Goblin’s bipolar disorder and other mental health issues can be blamed on the serum that Norman Osborn consumes. The serum only accentuates and worsens the existing symptoms of Norman Osborn.
Norman Osborn already had many psychopathic and antisocial tendencies ever since his childhood. It is these tendencies that led him to seek such a serum. Once he consumes it, he finds his animal side unleashed completely.
- His childhood abuse: Norman Osborn might have been born with a silver spoon but definitely did not have a happy childhood. His father, Amberson Osborn, was a wealthy industrialist who regularly physically abused him.
As a result of not having the care and affect a normal child would get from his family, Norman Osborn started to hurt others and developed homicidal tendencies from an early age. He even kills the family dog, stating there is one less mouth to feed.
- The death of his wife: After establishing a huge empire of his own and becoming successful in his field, Norman Osborn faces yet another tragedy after the death of his wife. The trauma stays with him until the very end.
The death of his wife also strains the relationship between Norman Osborn and his own son. He actually blames Harry Osborn for the illness that led to his wife’s death. It can also be said that Norman Osborn became worse than his own father.
Conclusion
The current blogpost has answered if the Green Goblin has bipolar. We have also checked out the various signs and symptoms of mental health issues that the Green Goblin might be suffering from, along with certain causal factors which may have led to this.
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