The Perks of Being a Wallflower question

He does NOT have Asperger's syndrome; that is very different that what he is like. People who suffer from asperger's cannot read emotion on other people's faces, nor can they differentiate between tones of voice. i.e can't tell when people are confused, angry, dissapointed, etc. Most of them can only tell happy, sad, and angry.
Charlie shows symptoms of PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and social anxiety, he seems to also suffer from depression. Social anxiety and depression can come from PTSD. He is that way because he was molested as a child. It is common for people to block things like that out and they never come back to them until later in life. Another symptom of PTSD.

He almost definitely has Borderline Personality Disorder, I think. Dissociation is a common trait of BPD but the thing that struck me the most is the attachment he has to Sam and Patrick, even within a short space of time, which is one of the biggest difficulties people with BPD face. Also his uncontrollable anger at points. BPD is more times than not, a result of several cases of or ongoing childhood abuse. Google it- he's the perfect fit!

I don't know much about most of these disorders, but here's what stood out to me:

- When he took an interest in something (literature, defending himself, understanding his friends) he mastered it. This is a common trait of autism (and genius) - I've never heard of PTSD granting people that ability. When I read about his fights, it didn't sound like he blacked out and became super-man (though that's how they made it look in the movie). He said he did what his brother told him to do, and his brother was a good fighter.

- He's an introvert. Introversion is perfectly natural, NOT caused by PTSD, autism or any other disorder.

- Before he became friends with Patrick and Sam, he said over and over again that he wanted a friend. He was lonely. How anybody can think this is caused by a personality disorder or traumatic event clearly doesn't know what it's like to be a loner. When you have no friends, loneliness tends to happen.

- He's incredibly compassionate and aware of how events effect people. This is a gift, not a disease. People with this gift are sometime called "empaths", or just "really nice people".

- He's been sheltered by his introversion and social awkwardness. This makes him seem younger than he is. I've seen a lot of reviewers comment on this and I'd guess from their comments that they turned 15 sometime in the last 5 years. Things were different in 1991. I was pretty sheltered too. I don't think I knew much more than he did when I was 15 (in 1997). People didn't talk so openly about sex and drugs as they do now, they just told kids not to do it. Mostly teenagers got their worldly education from friends or siblings. Charlie didn't have many friends and he didn't talk to his siblings much, I seem to remember him clearly saying so.

I guess it irritates me to hear so many people think that Helen's abuse made him who he is. That probably caused some of his problems but there is a lot about him that is actually quite common in the never-been-sexually-abused population. It's just that people like Charlie don't normally let you in on who they really are.

He's brilliant. That kind of brilliance always comes with a cost - usually social awkwardness. It's insulting to write him off like all his oddities are because he was abused (I guess Einstein must have been abused too, he was also a little weird).

I think the depression and the blackouts were probably caused by the abuse - they always seemed to happen when he was thinking about his Aunt. But I think most of his strange-ness is just him, the way he was meant to be.

At first, I thought that he suffered from mild autism, like aspergers. Though as the book progressed, I realized that he's probably suffering from the aftermath of sexual abuse and like Alannah says, it has trapped him in a childish state.

Charlie does show signs of PTSD, dissociative disorder, depression and anxiety. Much of what he displays, though, is simply adolescence as many normal people experience it. He is also smart, sensitive, observant and perceptive: He fails to see the sense in a lot of things that, though widely accepted or even celebrated, don't really make any sense.

PTSD from the sexual abuse he experienced when he was young. and probably depression.

That's interesting. I also thought he had a form of autism. Even after learning about being sexually abused by his aunt, I still think he has a form of autism. He's not just immature, but also socially awkward and extremely bright.

Probably Dissociative Identity Disorder. He´s clearly not Asperger, since he can read other people´s emotions. He´s not schizophrenic; he doesn´t have visions of situations and people that doesn´t exist, he has flashbacks of his difficult childhood, since he can´t remember consciously all of what he lived at an early age, due to his aunt´s sexual abuse, which he has repressed. He also has this "blackouts", when he cannot remember what he has done, and constantly needs to watch the clock to keep track of time. Also, when he has his blackouts, he acquires personality assets that he doesn´t have when he is his "normal" being, like having the strenth of six men together and fighting other guys. DID is commonly caused by traumas or abuses that the person suffers when being a child, that is what happened to Charlie when being sexually abused by his aunt. If you want to enjoy more novels about this personality disorder, I highly recomend Sybil, which is based in a real story.
PS: I apologize for my English writing; my native language happens to be Spanish.

Reading this book I had thought some kind of autism at first too. But looking back on it, I wonder if he had any kind of mental illness (besides PTSD) or if he was just shockingly honest.

My interpretation is Charlie is somewhere on the Autistic spectrum for reasons many of you mentioned above. Also further reinforced by his earliest memory at the zoo, and how he laughed uncontrollably at the calf being 'dumped on' by his mother. His mother and aunt were 'happy that I was laughing. Supposedly, I didn't talk hardly at all when I was a little kid, and whenever I seemed normal, they were happy.' Surely he is too young to be suffering from PTSD etc at 3 years of age.

He often drifts off and has a lot of panic attacks-he seems as if he has severe anxiety problems, as mentioned in the commentery of the movie. He may also have a case of depression, as he flashes back to traumatic experiences.

I think Charlie definitely suffers from PTSD and depression, but he also shows symptoms of an autistic and schizophrenic sufferer.

Through the book I gathered that Charlie has at least PTSD and axiety but some times I even thought he was schizophrenic.

I really do feel that Charlie may have aspergers syndrome and PTSD because my older sister is very much like Charlie. She is shy, sensitive, socially awkward and very incredibly smart. Like Charlie, my sister was also raped/molested by someone very close and dear to us and she had kept it to herself until she was in her last year of middle school. We later on learned that she has Asperger's syndrome which explains the socially awkward tendencies, sensitivity and childlike tendencies that Charlie had and the intelligence, she had PTSD which makes her also keep to herself like Charlie did, and she also had anxiety attacks like Charlie from the PTSD with explained why he felt all the memories kept flashing in front of him. Just thought I would share what I thought!

Charlie had Anxiety which makes him easily depressed. You may also want to say that he had PTSD because near the end of the book (when he is at his worse) he talks about his aunt a lot, however I doubt that that was the whole reason behind his Panic Attacks, Remember how his Best Friend had killed himself a few month before? That made Charlie feel alone so when his new friends Basically deserted him that was the trigger that finally pushed him to his Anxiety Attack, leading to mayview. I believe he had some kind of psychotic disorder but people with full Schizophrenia don't act at full capacity and because Charlie is so bright and brilliant I Doubt he had Schizophrenia. Thanks for reading

ssa

Definitely diassociative disorder. He has essentially disassociated himself from the world and is practically numb.It definitely stems from the abuse. He does not know how to feel and how to respond. The fact that his Aunt was loving because she gave him gifts and showered him with attention but yet abused him sexually he was unable to separate the feelings.

According to Mayo Clinic,someone with dissociative disorder escapes reality in ways that are involuntary and unhealthy. The symptoms of dissociative disorders — ranging from amnesia to alternate identities — usually develop as a reaction to trauma and help keep difficult memories at bay.

He felt a loss when his aunt died because he associated her with love although she was abusive.

He has PTSD as he was abused and also has the pain of his aunt dying. He isn't autistic; he just doesn't make friends easily - bit of a social reject like myself

Except for the fact that Charlie had some bad things going on between him and Aunt Helen, i think he's perfectly normal. Ofcourse he's messed up by the fact that that happened but who wouldn't be? But I can relate to some things in the book as well. I think if you had the chance to look in everybody their minds you would be chocked how normal charlie is.

Charlie has multiple personality. I did not get it at first, but then at the second time I realise that he indeed has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Thats why he has some blackouts and voices inside his head. This is also confirmed by the movie in which there were 3 charlie at one scene as a representation of his disorder.

I would say that Charlie struggles from severe depression and anxiety. It's to the point where he can disassociate himself from reality and what is happening around him. Some people who suffer from severe depression and anxiety can experience moments of blackouts and can develop a type of identity disorder (more like they don't have a clue who they are or who they want to be). I definitely wouldn't diagnose him with aspergers or autism. He was able to read other people's emotions and he felt a great deal himself. Although it was hard for him to express himself at times, he was still fully capable of doing so, even if it was through writing.

I think it is depression and a form of PTSD, if it were something like autism it would have been more known by his family than his issues were. They all seemed slightly unaware and unsure as to what was wrong with him.

If there is something wrong with him there is also something wrong with me :)
I don't think Charlie was ill. I think he is just really sensitive to things around him. (The sexual abuse did not help obviously) I did not feel that his mental age was lower, on the contrary, he discovered things others could not see. He had a bit of difficulty dealing with other people, but hey, who desn't?

Aspergers.. that explains alot. Is it autism? I have these symptoms, such as emotionlessness, unable to read emotions at times depression etc. It's not a real bad problem for me. I was never molested though, just other stuff..

When Charlie is describing his first memory he says,
"Supposedly, I didn't talk hardly at all when I was a little kid, and whenever I seemed normal, [Mom and Aunt Helen] were happy."
Doesn't that point to him being slightly autistic?

As others have said, it is mainly because of PTSD due to being sexually molested as a child and that person subsequently dying in a car accident with the guilt he feels over that since he thinks that maybe he wanted her to die for what she did to him.

I'd say depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Fantastic book!

I disagree with Amy! My nephew has aspergers and is able to do all that. Charlie is just like my nephew. Which makes me think he could well be Aspergers...

He has a DSM 5 Diagnoses of PTSD with depressive and anxious features. PTSD is the main diagnoses because his condition is "better explained by" PTSD. The anxiety and depression are "offshoots" of PTSD. This is how clinicians do differential diagnoses.

I am sorry I feel the need to post/comment just because I study psych, pursuing my masters in clinical psych, and just love psychopathology so I would like debunk some of the things people have speculated about that I believe to be wildly mistaken or mislead.
No he does not show symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and we don't call it aspergers anymore that is out dated. Being socially awkward, wierd, or different then the social normativie standards does not mean you have autism.
Seeing as his best friend committed suicide not even a year before his freshman yr in h.s his behavior, depression and anxiety are perfectly within the normal expectations.
He has also repressed, and has dissociated his abuse as a child by an adult he loved/trusted, also not uncommon with children who have been abused and is struggling when he is "triggered" by Sam who touches his leg when this happens he does remember at least on some conscious level the abuse and this with the fact that his best friends have moved away to college ultimately drives his depression to it's breaking point.
He does NOT meet the criteria for BPD by any means necessarily, individuals with this diagnosis are easily identified with key traits and symptoms, that he lacks. I would say the same with Bi-polar just because he is never really manic, or hypomanic those times when he might be considered for it would be better described by the drugs he was on. He does meet the criteria for major depression, and of course PTSD from not even just the abuse but loosing someone he loved, carrying that guilt, and not to mention his best friend killing himself.
I've seen several comments from people who say they know someone who has been abused as a child are aren't like him or are like him, please don't try to take away from his unique experience with his sexual abuse that although similar in theory are very different for everyone. Same goes for those who say they have Autism, just because you think you are just like the character does not mean that he is just like you.
With that being said, for those of you who really think he meets a personality disorder or autism I encourage you to look up the DSM-5 read the criteria for the diagnosis and find examples that prove that meets the requirements. If anything it's fun, and a learning expierence I personally use it like my bible. Sorry for ranting I just don't want anyones misunderstood interpretations to give others false examples of what these disorders really are and look like although all mental illness come in different forms.

Charlie is actually suffering from complex trauma and disassociative amnesia... ptsd would apply had he only been molested once, the book implies it was on more than one occasion, so this would be considered complex.
On top of that he has absolutely no memory of said events until pieces are triggered..ine can definitively feel for Charlie amd what hes been through, unveiling and all ❤

I think he's just socially awkward.
He was emotionally scarred from being molested by his aunt. It kind of trapped him in this childish state. It made him innocent.

I would say anxiety, and depression. When I read the book, I found that I had a lot of the same traits as Charlie, minus the crying. My friends consider me to be a wallflower. I suffer from anxiety, and depression also so my only guess is that's what Charlies mental illness was as well.

Charlie is a psycho. LOL kidding. he's like any other teen in this world. each of us has the Charlie within.

I got the impression that he's depressed and slightly autistic.

I don't really know, but I guess my guess is as good as anyone's, well I hope. But I agree with what mars said..about being slightly autistic that is.

I must have been emotionally distressed when i read this- I thought he was just fine :)

At first I thought Asperger's too. But then I thought of this guy I knew who was declared mentally insane, and he talked EXACTLY how Charlie narrates. I kept imagining this guy I knew was reading it, and it was easier to just read and not try to figure out what was wrong with him.

It sounds like he could possibly have some kind of dissociative disorder, which is not uncommon for those who have been sexually abused. Of course, he could just have typical anxieties, depression, and personality disorders.

He's suffering from just emotional issues and the "trauma" I guess you could say, after being sexually abused. Charlie I believe also suffers with depression or bipolar disorder.

I thought autism, but I know very little about it.
I agree that he could be just having emotional problems because of his aunt.

I agree, I thought that he had some form of PTSD following his sexual assault. I also think that he has serious social anxiety and issues with depression.

PTSD and social anxiety.

I feel that he suffers from depression and anxiety- with his most prominent anxiety disorder being PTSD. He does not write much about the 'labels' his therapists describe him with, and I'm simply assuming.

Throughout the book I kept trying to figure out what was wrong with Charlie, and I still think there is something. Not wrong necessarily, but he does have to have some kind of anxiety issue. Even before the molestation.
I understand that PTSD can happen, but his behavior is over and beyond the norm. I know many many people who have been molested and they don't act that way. It must be a combination of social anxiety and PTSD.
I really enjoyed the book.

Hi, I'm Stephen Chbosky's assistant, Meera. He really appreciates and is truly honored to have you read and discuss his book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The movie version of Perks, which Stephen also wrote, is being released nationwide in the US today, October 12th, and he would love to invite you to see it. To find showtimes or theaters, visit http://www.facebook.com/WallflowerMov...

Thank you so much for all the support, it really means a lot to Steve. We hope you love the movie as much as we do!

I agree with those who say he is suffering from PTSD and social axiety/depression. I don't think he has Autism or Bi Polar at all. As several folks have pointed out, PTSD can cause disconnection and sudden bouts of anxiety and depression. Sometimes the subjects don't have any idea why they are upset, much like Charlie.

In short, Charlie is a normal teenager with a seriously traumatic past that he has effectively blocked out. But his mind knows something is wrong... it knows that there are things he should fear. Like feminine affection. So it's way of dealing with it is to keep a wall up... to disconnect. Not sure if I'm explaining it well, but that's how I see it.

I think he has a case of social anxiety disorder which fits pretty well if you read a bit about it. Other than that he is also extremely sensitive.

Charlie does not have a mental illness. He was sexually abused by his aunt. Studys show that abuse in small children stunts there growth mentally.

I'm pretty positive that he has depression. I'm not sure if there's anything else, but yeah, definitely depression