PTSD and Addictive Personality in White Oleander...

In White Oleander, Astrid, a 15-year old girl, lives with her mother, Ingrid who is a beautiful, but free-spirited poet. Together, they live a happy life; however, one day, after getting her heart broken, Ingrid kills her boyfriend, Barry Kolker, with the deadly poison of the White Oleander, her favorite flower. Ingrid sentenced to life in prison and Astrid moves from foster home to foster home while keeping in touch with her mother through letters. In the White Oleander, it is apparent that Astrid experiences Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the addictive personality is present in Starr as well as Ray.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Astrid...

According to the National Institue of Mental Health, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops through exposure to a traumatic event, severely oppressive situations, severe abuse, and natural and unnatural disorders. There are several signs and symptoms that a person may experience that will lead to the diagnosis of PTSD. A person may experience flashbacks where a person might relive the traumatic event. A person may also have frightening dreams and negative thoughts. These symptoms are considered re-experiencing symptoms. These symptoms will affect a person's everyday life. There are also avoidance symptoms, where a person will not go to certain places because seeing certain places will trigger them to relive the event. A PTSD victim may experience feelings of strong guilt and depression. Victims may also loss interest in doing activities that they once found enjoyable and they might stay away from places that trigger their memory of the event (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2009).

Astrid experiences PTSD when she is laying in bed at her first foster home, Starr's house. When she hears the bed rocking in Starr's room, she has a flashback from when Barry comes to her house banging on the door. Her mom just sits at the desk and opens up a pocket knife. Barry then proceeds to break the window and Ingrid cuts him with pocket knife. The film then goies back to Astrid laying in bed with the pillow over her head. Astrid experiences some symptoms of PTSD. The main symptom is the flashback that she has, which is triggered by the bed hitting the wall. She experiences it after this traumatic event that she witnesses. Astrid is experiencing avoidance symptoms because certain noises and events trigger the flashbacks that she has. Her flashback occurred a significant amount of time after the event because Barry was dead at the time, Ingrid was in prison, and Astrid was at her first foster home. The viewers know that this was her flashback, so as far as the viewers are concerned, this was the first flashback Astrid experienced. Unlike most indivduals victimized by PTSD, Astrid did not experience symptoms in the first couple of days. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, children may have different symptoms compared to adults. One that could apply to Astrid is her attachment to Ray, Starr's boyfriend; however, the attachment is partly from the fact that Astrid did not have a father around growing up. She would talk to Ray a lot and do certain things with him; Astrid hung around with Ray so much that Starr questioned whether there was something going on between Ray and Astrid. Astrid experieces some of the key symptoms that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder victims experience. Here is a link from White Oleander showing Astrid's flashback, a symptom of PTSD.

Starr and Ray's Addictive Personalities..

Addiction refers to a very vast range of behaviors. The most familiar are alcohol or drug dependence, and smoking; however people can have other addictions, such as some assiciated with food, exercise, etc. Researchers say that there are five interrelated aspects that describe addictive behaviors: patterns, habits, compulsions, impulse control disorder, and physical addiction. Addiction is most often associated with relieving anxiety or blocking out uncomfortable feelings. Addictions are often difficult to treat because addictive behaviors and personalities usually involve long-term psychological effects and problems. For example, physical addiction, exspecially of alcohol or drugs, can change a person's brain chemistry. Abstinence is usually required for recovery of substance dependency (Addiction/Addictive Personality, 2009).

When it comes to Starr and Ray, they both have addictive personalities; however, they are both addicted to different things. Starr suffers from alcohol and drug addiction while Ray suffers from an addiction to gambling. There addictions are displayed in this video clip starting at 7 minutes and 16 seconds. In the clip, Ray and Starr are arguing over the money that Ray loses and occasionally wins from gambling. Also, the boy comes into Astrid's room and the viewers find out that she is drinking again. Despite the period of time that she was not using, once a person develops an addiction it is hard to break that addiction. Starr had been clean from alcohol and drugs, but when she assumed that there was something going on between Ray and Astrid, her addiction re-ignited. Starr was smoking a cigarette when she confronted Astrid about if there was anything going on between them two and it was clear that she was drinking when her son went into Astrid's room when Ray and Star were arguing. According to Drug Rehab Treatment, because humans are such a diverse group and different drugs fulfill different needs for different people. Since this is the case, there are many addictive personality factors. Compulsive behavior is what Starr and Ray suffer from; it is when people cannot enjoy alcohol, drugs, smoking, and gambling in moderation. Ray lost 200 dollars in one night and according to Starr, he has been doing that weekly. He cannot just gamble once; he does it every week and as a result, he is a compulsive gambler.

The White Oleander displayed several psychological principles, but Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addictive Personalities were two principles that particularly stuck out in the film.