MovieChat Forums > Crumb (1995) Discussion > Was Charles Crumb schizophrenic ?

Was Charles Crumb schizophrenic ?

posted 16 years ago by rchoconnor
4 replies | jump to latest

From what I have read and heard, schizophrenics often are talented individuals who are well-spoken in certain settings, but of course have major emotional problems, and physical abnormalities of the brain.

It all could be hereditary, as the mother seemed to have problems as well with her seeming denial of her sons' problems and her paranoid delusions of "invisible enemies" which were being kept out by the coverings on the windows.

All-in-all a very sad tale. It's amazing that Robert himself did not succumb to despair from his own emotional issues.

Many are cold ; few are frozen

[–] diamonddavej 15 years ago

Absolutely not. Anyone with basic knowledge of autism would instantly recognize that Charlies had a severe autism spectrum disorder - most likely severe Asperger's syndrome (AS). Robert and Maxon also appear to have milder degrees of AS (or in the case of Maxon, Schizoid personality disorder - a mild intermediate of schizophrenia and autism).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsgwezeTsQY

Regrettably adults with mild autism are all too frequently misdiagnosed as schizophrenic; many psychiatrists who only deal with adults don't know what autism in adults looks like. The most obvious difference is 1. intellectual obsessions and 2. the conspicuous existence of repetitive routines; Charles obsession was Treasure Island and he drew repetitive and painstaking concentric lines, Robert its Comic books and collecting old 78s ("To Be Interested in Old Music is To Be a Social Outcast!" - Robert) & Maxon is aesthetic hermetic spiritualist.

It possible that their mother had schizophrenia (evinced by paranoia) and their father mild autism (lack of empathy and violence). Both are highly genetic (90%) and can co-occur in the same family. Its speculated that autism is due to an under devloped social mind (leading to social disinterest), whereas on the other end of the same spectrum, schizophrenia maybe caused by a vastly overactive social mind (leading to paranoia) - they are mirror images of each other.

See e.g.

Adults with Asperger disorder misdiagnosed as schizophrenic. L Perlman, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2000

Psychosis and Autism as Diametrical Disorders of the Social Brain. B Crespi, C Badcock - Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2008

[–] KingVidor 15 years ago

Very interesting post, Dave. Thank you.

You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.

[–] Gwasgray 14 years ago

Sorry but diamonddavej's post doesn't explain at all what schizophrenia, autism and asperger's syndrome is. And I don't think the father and the mother were autistic/schizophrenic, the mother's behaviour was probably caused by the drugs she used to take (she was probably like Ellen Burstyn in Requiem For a Dream) If you want to have a better understanding of these things, do some reading or talk to someone who has proper qualifications in psychology/psychiartry. But even today the medical community doesn't completely understand these conditions.

Charles Crumb definetely seemed to have a mental illness or a condition, it's possible he was autistic, but it's hard to get a true picture of his personality from just the segments in this film.

[–] Anchovy_Special 14 years ago

You're right Gwasgray. Diamonddave just finished freshman psyc and wanted to impart his knowledge. ha.