The Aviator

Howard Hughes was a billionaire aviator and motion picture producer who when examined from a psychological perspective was a prime example of what extreme effects of obsessive compulsive disorder. For the purposes of this analysis, Howard Hughes will be referred to as subject as the symptoms he exhibited are common for most, if not all individuals that suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder, a type of anxiety disorder. The definition of an obsession is a recurring impulse that an individual experiences, while a compulsion is a behavioral pattern that is continually repeated in excessive sequence.

Based on DSM-IV, subject exhibited classic symptoms, both biologically and psychologically of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Key symptoms subject displayed were irritability, irrational thoughts, loud outbursts, and a cleanliness obsession ("Summary of DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria," 2009). Subject had an uncontrollable tendency to wash hands frequently with his own soap. In the movie The Aviator, one scene depicted the subject in the bathroom washing his hands and another man asking the subject for assistance with a towel to dry his hands. Subject refused, having not finished cleaning his hands.

Additional symptoms per DSM-IV indicate that subject while subject had success with his films, that it continual thoughts caused severe, persistent and deep-rooted issues. DSM-IV suggests that individuals that have obsessive-compulsive disorders have underlying issues that they refuse to accept or contend with ("Summary of DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria," 2009). Research on subject shows that both parents died before the age of his 19th birthday and that subject would suggest that obsessive-disorder began at that time. It is important to note that while subject exhibited symptoms of OCD, many symptoms such as irritability, anxiety and persistent thoughts are common components of other disorders including Tourette's syndrome and autism but to be clinically significant, in order for individuals to be deemed obsessive-compulsive, they must have severe distress and dysfunction to the degree by which substantial impairment results (Stein, 2002).

DSM-IV lists additional markers including recognition that both obsessions and compulsions are unreasonable, excessive and notably interfere in occupational functioning and/or relationships. In The Aviator, subject frequently lost his temper with his mates notably Katherine Hepburn when he met her family. One scene depicted subject eating ice cream directly out of the container rather than scooping it into a bowl or cup.

While some individuals have stated that they routinely eat ice cream directly out of the carton, researchers of the Food and Brand Lab found that eating bouts such as the one subject are the result of internal cues such as depression and external cues such as visibility. Studies that the lab performed noted that depressed individuals often use eating bouts to alter their mood, but only end up feeling worse afterward (Wansink, 1994). That particular eating bout by the subject would suggest that he was hoping Hepburn would notice his compulsion with the hopes of getting him help to eliminate his root issues with the ice cream, but he only made matters more complex by continuing the obsessive-compulsive cycle, as she did not notice that’s what he was doing.

Another scene in The Aviator, showed the subject aware of his issues, which is in line with DSM-IV that states individuals are aware of their disorder. The subject repeated the phrase “quarantine,” to calm himself down, which was a word he learned from his mother at an early age during the onset of the film. Toward the end of the movie, subject could not tolerate being discussed and/or seen in a negative light and locked himself in his screening room for an extended period of time not bathing and was naked for most of the time. While in his screening room, subject set up several milk glasses, talked to himself, repeatedly said “come in with the milk” and was detached from reality. Stein (2002) added to the traditional discussion on OCD that symptoms range depending upon the individual. While certain symptoms such as irritability and anxiety are common among individuals such as [the subject], each individual offers different idiosyncrasies with respect to the disorder (p. 397).

Treatment for Subject

To identify the best course of treatment for subject, several theoretical perspectives such as dialectical behavior therapy, client-centered therapy, Gestalt and psychoanalytic therapy were analyzed. The film offers the perspective of behavior therapy indirectly. The subject successfully flies his H-4 aircraft and seemingly feels that he has conquered his underlying demons. As a psychotherapist, an alternative recommendation for the subject would be Gestalt therapy. While rationale for behavior therapy is good on the surface, per Myers (2004) and Sun (2009) behavior therapy only cures the individual to a certain extent. Sun (2009) specifically identified that behavior cognitive therapy confuses the symptoms, focuses on the negative, and allows the individual to diagnose themselves (p.1). As such, there is no definitive way to know if the individual has truly exorcised their issues.

When examining the subject’s action, he was considerably obsessed with washing his hands and producing his film, Hell's Angels. To counteract the obsessions, Gestalt therapy would allow the subject to become more aware. Fiebert (2012) operates as a dynamic and active therapy to effectively allow the client to experience with enigmatic clarity what they have in effect blocked either emotionally or physically (p. 50). Hence, this would suggest that subject would be asked a series of questions as to if he was aware of his activities and then internal and external polarities would be worked with to bring equilibrium within the subject. Hender (2001) summarized that Gestalt therapy allows individuals to "reduce the emotional intensity [that accompany their symptoms]. Clients of Gestalt have [shown] increased levels of self-actualization, personal effectiveness, maximum development of personality potential and the expansion of awareness and of experiencing" (p. 10). Given these positive attributes that result from the Gestalt approach, the subject would undoubtedly benefit from them once therapeutic sessions are concluded.

References

The Aviator [DVD]. (2004). United States: Warner Brothers Pictures.

Fiebert, M. S. (2012). Stages in a Gestalt Therapy Session and an Examination of Counselor Interventions. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(2), 49-61.

Hender, K. (2001, May 25). Is Gestalt therapy more effective than other therapeutic approaches? [Report]. Retrieved from Center for Clinical Effectiveness website: http://www.eagt.org/research/poland/Gestalt%20therapy%20effectiveness%20comparisons%20%282%29.pdf

Myers, D. G. (2004). Psychology (7th Edition in Modules Ed.). London, UK: Macmillan.

Stein, D. J. (2002, August 3). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lancet, 360, 397-405.

Summary of DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria. (2009). Retrieved from American Psychological Association | Intermountain Healthcare website: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=520221311

Sun, K. (2009, March 2). Four Drawbacks of Cognitive Therapy. Psychology Today, Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-justice-and-responsibility-league/200903/four-drawbacks-cognitive-therapy

Wansink, B. (1994, December). Antecedents and Mediators of Eating Bouts. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 23(2), 166-182.