1. Holden Caulfield Patient File: Psychological Evaluation
An overview of your Catcher Reading AND final project
*this project does not include the essay you will be doing after we finish this book

2. Things you need to know:
You will read continue reading Catcher as if you are Holden’s chief psychologist, as he tells his story following his Christmas in 1949.
As you read, you will use the notes you take from this and keep track of symptoms.
In the end you will write a letter to his parents ‘proving’ what psychological disorder, if any, does Holden exhibit symptoms of? If you decide he does NOT have a disorder you will prove what he IS exhibiting.

3. Options for diagnosis:
Clinical depression
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety/Depression
GRIEF…not mental disorder
Social Phobia
Panic disorder
Normal teenager !!??

4. Normal stages of GRIEF 1. Denial and Isolation
2. Anger at the “universe” God, people, doctors, etc.
3. Bargaining …guilt…”If only I’d been…”
4. Depression
5. Acceptance (not everyone reaches this phase)

5. Grief symptoms Abnormal eating patterns Anger
Confusion or feeling disoriented
Physical aches and pains without cause
Tight chest
Isolation or great desire to be alone
Exhaustion and sleeplessness or excessive sleep

6. Clinical Depression
Can be either genetic or caused by environmental factors
Can be made worse when there is stress, mentally or financially
Sad mood/emptiness/hopelessness
Lack of enjoyment in activities that were once fun
Lack of energy & motivation
Difficulty paying attention/focusing
Suicidal thoughts
Anger outburst/short temper
Insomnia
Unintentional weight gain/loss

7. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms
A traumatic incident causes fear/ helplessness afterwards
Nightmares/insomnia
Obsessive thoughts
Flashbacks (remembering the trauma)
Avoidance of situations that are similar to the trauma experienced
Increased overall anxiety
Questioning safety

8. Antisocial Personality Disorder
Anger towards/difficulty with authority
Social awkwardness or discomfort with peers
Cruelty to animals
Impulsiveness
Irresponsibility
Difficulty with conformity/following rules
History of lying/deceitfulness
Angry outbursts/irritation/physical violence
Inability to respond to or feel empathy others’ feelings
High levels of judgmental opinions toward others

9. Adjustment disorder with Anxiety or with Depression
A stressful event causes someone’s life to change in a way that is unhealthy
Some stressful events include divorce, death, a move, break-up, etc.
Nervousness/worry/fear of the future
Depressed mood/fearfulness/loss of hope
Social withdrawal or ‘loner’ syndrome.
Lack of progress in school

10. Panic disorder
A panic attack is the abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and includes at least four of the following symptoms:
Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feelings of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint
Chills or heat sensations
Paresthesia (numbness or tingling sensations)
Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself) 
Fear of losing control or “going crazy”
Fear of dying

11. Social Phobia Emotional and behavioral symptoms
Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include persistent:
Fear of situations in which you may be judged
Worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself
Intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers
Fear that others will notice that you look anxious
Fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment, such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice
Avoiding doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment

12. Social phobia
Avoiding situations where you might be the center of attention
Having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event
Enduring a social situation with intense fear or anxiety
Spending time after a social situation analyzing your performance and identifying flaws in your interactions
Expecting the worst possible consequences from a negative experience during a social situation

13. Clinical Diagnosis Assignment Analyzing Holden Caulfield
The Catcher in the Rye
Clinical Diagnosis Assignment
Analyzing Holden Caulfield

14. A Clinical Diagnosis
This power point will present facts on different types of mental illness.
As we know from the opening of the novel, Holden is in a hospital of some sort.
Your writing voice is that of a doctor, who has spent time with Holden (via the novel) and are now preparing a two page clinical diagnosis paper.
Please follow these guidelines:

15. Guidelines The report must include:
Four text examples (quotes) from the novel to support your diagnosis.
A summary, in your own words, of the mental illness you think he suffers from.
A recommendation about what medicine he should take.
A warning about side effects.
What other treatments (i.e. therapy) you recommend.
A detailed explanation of why you feel Holden suffers from this condition.

16. Bi Polar Disorder
Bi Polar disorder, which used to be called having a split personality, causes dramatic mood swings, which are sometimes referred to highs and lows.
The clinical term for a High is: Manic episode
The clinical term for a Low is: Depressive episode.
Both have varying symptoms which can range from moderate to severe.
Bi Polar disorder is treated with medication to attempt to control the frequency and intensity of the episodes.
Counseling is also recommended (Therapy)

17. Bi Polar Disorder: Manic Episode
A manic episode of this disorder may exhibit itself in restlessness, or increased activity at first.
A person suffering from a manic episode might be very happy and then quickly very irritable.
Their thoughts will be rapid and their speech will be fast.
They will show poor judgment and often indulge in spending sprees.
There may be an increase in drug use, such as alcohol or cocaine.
Severe episodes may involve overtly aggressive behavior.

18. Bi Polar Disorder: Depressive Episode
The depressive episodes will manifest with feelings of anxiety, sadness, or hopelessness.
There will be a loss of interest in any activities, including sexual activity and an overall feeling of fatigue.
The person may have a difficult time concentrating or recalling easy facts.
There will be a change in appetite and a change in sleep patterns and weight.
In a severe case, there will be thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.

19. Schizophrenia It is a chronic and severe disorder of the brain.
Individuals who suffer from this may hear voices or see people who are not really there.
They may think others are reading their minds or controlling their actions.
It is a terrifying illness, because the sufferer believes that people are plotting to harm them.
There are many symptoms, which range from moderate to severe…

20. Schizophrenia
People may experience withdrawal from society or extreme angry or anxiety.
They may not make sense when they talk or may talk about unusual or strange topics.
They can sit for hours without moving or talking, at times.
It is difficult for sufferers to hold a job or care for themselves for any real length of time.
It is treated with medication and therapy, but there are always residual symptoms.
Sufferers have to learn to cope as best they can.

21. Schizophrenia Symptoms
Sufferers may exhibit one or more of these symptoms at any given time:
Unusual thoughts.
Hallucinations (auditory/visual)
Decrease in verbal interaction
Decrease in emotional expression
Lack of pleasure in everyday life.
Organizational problems.
Attention problems.
Memory or sensory issues.

22. Your task = what you will write to Holden’s parents when we finish reading.
As you read, imagine you are a psychologist in therapy listening to what brought Holden to the hospital for observation and testing…look for symptoms of the disorders we took notes on.
You’ll need to diagnose Holden at the end of the book.
Keep your notes in your packet each time your read tracking behaviors/symptoms AND page # of ‘proof’ or evidence.