How Does Holden Caulfield Bipolar Disorder

Twenty percent of teenagers with major depression develop bipolar disorder within 5 years. (“Bipolar Disorder Statistics”). Bipolar disorder is defined as a brain disorder that causes unusual mood swings, activity level, and unable to carry out daily activities. (“Bipolar disease”). The Catcher in the Rye is a novel written by J.D Salinger. Salinger introduces Holden Caulfield, who is a 16 year old boy struggling to find happiness in the world. Holden displays symptoms of Bipolar disorder when he has mood swings and is unable to carry out daily activities. It is assumed that Holden is telling his story and what happened in his life to a psychiatrist. Holden himself does not know who he really is and is trying to search for self. In The

(“Bipolar Disease”). One of the symptoms Holden displays is his change in behavior Holden was the type of guy who is always mean and negative and not helping out other people. “ They always looked mossy and awful, and he damn near made you sick if you saw him…”(Salinger 19). But he shows symptoms of bipolar disorder when he starts helping out other people which he never does. Lack of sleep and depression may trigger sudden mood swings. (“Mood swings and Bipolar disorder”). Holden at this point has not got enough sleep at all throughout the book which caused him to have mood swings. Changing in eating behaviors and sleeping is one of the main points in behavior changing. (“Bipolar Disorder”). Holden not eating shows that having behavioral changes is a one of the major symptoms of Bipolar disorder. Holden does not eat throughout most of the book because he states that he have not been hungry and so he forgot to eat. “I had quite a large breakfast, for me- orange juice, bacon, and eggs, toast and coffee… Usually i just drink some orange juice. I'm a very light eater.” (Salinger 107). Although change in behavior is one of the major symptoms of bipolar disorder, Holden also displays having suicidal

( “Leading Causes of Death Ages 1 – 85+ in the U.S.”) Another symptom of Bipolar disease that Holden display is suicidal thoughts. Holden was not a person that would usually say that he is sad, happy or negative but he was starting to show signs of depression and him having suicidal thoughts. “ I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would have done it too if i had been sure somebody would cover me up as soon as I landed.” (Salinger 104). Multiple times in the book, Holden has talked about him wanting to die. Suicidal thoughts is one of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Holden never expressed his feelings of how he felt, but after he started to show that he was depressed, he was having suicidal thoughts also. Signs of having suicidal behavior are abusing drugs or alcohol, feeling hopelessness, and doing dangerous or life threatening things. (“Bipolar Disorder Emergencies and Suicide Prevention”). Multiple times in the novel, Holden abuses alcohol even though he is not at the legal age to drink. “Boy, I sat at that goddam bar till around one o'clock or so, getting drunk as a bastard...I could hardly see straight...When I'm drunk I'm a madman." (Salinger 150-151). Holden shows symptoms of Bipolar disorder because he has suicidal thoughts, but also he shows symptoms of the disorder when he has