Werewolf Disorders?

[Scott Gardener]

The psychological impact of shapeshifting is a major point of just about any well-written werewolf story in any world where it's not considered normal. Yes, becoming a werewolf would definitely cause all kinds of psych problems. Here's some possibilities:

Post-traumatic stress disorder--could be caused by just seeing a werewolf. Could be made considerably worse by getting attacked by one. Could get really, really, really bad if one then through a very painful process turns into one.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder--can be caused by, among other things, a specific stressful series of circumstances, like, say, a ton of different things that could involve werewolves.

Depression--often goes with prolonged anxiety, or with grieving or loss--like loss of humanity, or dealing with changes--like, say, turning into a wolf

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (as in Adrian Monk from the TV series)--one of the few disorders you can have fun with. It can occur as a reaction against uncontrollable circumstances, creating a need to control very aggressively what little one can. Common compulsions include avoiding germs, arranging things in patterns, and symmetry.

Phobias--one can generalize fearful experiences and direct them towards things that are casually similar--fear of dogs, illustrations of wolves, silver, the moon, or anything that reminds you of the contaminated saliva of the thing that bit you...

[Ronkonkoma]

The psychological impact of shapeshifting is a major point of just about any well-written werewolf story in any world where it's not considered normal. Yes, becoming a werewolf would definitely cause all kinds of psych problems. Here's some possibilities:

Post-traumatic stress disorder--could be caused by just seeing a werewolf. Could be made considerably worse by getting attacked by one. Could get really, really, really bad if one then through a very painful process turns into one.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder--can be caused by, among other things, a specific stressful series of circumstances, like, say, a ton of different things that could involve werewolves.

Depression--often goes with prolonged anxiety, or with grieving or loss--like loss of humanity, or dealing with changes--like, say, turning into a wolf

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (as in Adrian Monk from the TV series)--one of the few disorders you can have fun with. It can occur as a reaction against uncontrollable circumstances, creating a need to control very aggressively what little one can. Common compulsions include avoiding germs, arranging things in patterns, and symmetry.

Phobias--one can generalize fearful experiences and direct them towards things that are casually similar--fear of dogs, illustrations of wolves, silver, the moon, or anything that reminds you of the contaminated saliva of the thing that bit you...

Other disorders could be like keptomania (forgive any misspellings) stealing of random stuff, shiny things, duckies, squeaky toys, or parts of things from hunts/kills like antlers, deer feet, bones, skulls, or the quills from that porcipine that hit you

pulling on hair or fur to the point of developing bald patches or thin fur. Someone with a obessive- compulsive disorder involving keeping things clean might go so far as to shave off their own fur when it starts to grow

paranoid- fearful of hunters, FBI, CIA, mad scientists, furcoat manufacturers are all out to get you!

schizophrenia- "People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behavior can be so disorganized that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others. " -(schizophrenia.com ) imagine a WW that believes that their 'wolf half' is telling them what to do, or starts to growl,bark, make animal noises while in human form?

Mind over matter stuff- I think that WWs that aren't soundly minded have the greater risk of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. If they believe something will go wrong with their changes or reverting, it is more likely it will. if a werewolf believes they are having losing control over when their changes are happening, more likely they'll end up shifting watching a late night movie or when they get stressed or something

A werewolf believing they can't change back to their human self most certainly would probably remain in a partially changed form, like ending up with being stuck with a tail, having pointed ears, being really hairy, or more extreme stuff like having limbs or bodyparts stuck in were form. wouldn't be much fun if you had to hide out in a shed in the woods for several days stuck in gersalt form

packs would have to have a doctor and/or psychologist to help keep from a situation where the aflicted werewolf becomes a potental threat to the pack or exposing the secret of the pack's existance.

Bitten werewolves would probably be more likely to have more disorders than born, born werewolves learn early about whats happening to them while bitten folk have to get a crash course in the matter.

[Scott Gardener]

I can easily see a werewolf who knows good and well that the full moon shouldn't cause him or her to shift, but who none-the-less can't help it, shifting every full moon, as if involuntary, because of a psychological expectation.

I can also see "Hollywood neurosis" taken to extremes, where werewolves become violent and dangerous upon shifting, particularly on full moon nights, beause of expectation.

[Ronkonkoma]

I can easily see a werewolf who knows good and well that the full moon shouldn't cause him or her to shift, but who none-the-less can't help it, shifting every full moon, as if involuntary, because of a psychological expectation.

I can also see "Hollywood neurosis" taken to extremes, where werewolves become violent and dangerous upon shifting, particularly on full moon nights, beause of expectation.

The WWs suffering from 'hollywood neurosis' in milder forms believe that only way to keep other people safe would be to lock themself up in a special room, keyed lock with lock and key on the inside because supposively WWs can't use keys in gestalt form. once shifted into Gestalt form...... they just might lay down and sleep, or eat pizza ravenously, watch badly made WW movies....<shrug> mild cases don't truely infulence behavor, they just have that fear they may turn into a bloodthirsty wolf, and when they do turn into a wolf, they're just worried if they get out of their special room they might hurt somebody