He is one of cinema's most iconic villains.

A masked bully who wields the Force In the Star Wars universe, it is an energy that flows through all living things and allows the Jedi, their enemies, and the Sith to read minds, move objects from afar, and see into the future.  to intimidate and overcome his rivals, Darth Vader is the face of evil in the Star Wars saga.

As a young Jedi called Anakin Skywalker, he is presented as a gifted but troubled youth who gives in far too easily to his negative emotions.

But, perhaps, his story is better understood through the lens of modern psychiatryThe medical application of psychology devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders..

According to researchers, Anakin, later Lord Vader, displays many of the traits commonly associated with borderline personality disorderA condition of mood and how a person interacts with others. It is the most commonly recognised personality disorder. (BPD).

In a serious academic paper, Eric Bui and his team write: "The character fulfilled six of the nine borderline personality disorder (BPD) criteria. He presented impulsivity and difficulty controlling his anger and alternated between idealisation and devaluation¹."

Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition characterised by emotional instability, regular delusions, and extremely intense relationships with other people.

As well as betraying the entire Jedi order in order to quellTo put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force. a bad dream about his wife, he murders fellow generals and cannot understand why his son Luke Skywalker, after he chops off his hand, does not want to join him in ruling the galaxy.

Experts say that using the modern language of mental health helps us to understand fictional characters. The most memorable stories and myths serve the dual purpose of entertaining us and also teaching us about ourselves.

According to the authors of several other psychology papers, by applying labels like BPD to Darth Vader, or ADHDAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental health condition that can cause above-normal levels of energetic and impulsive behaviours. to Jar Jar Binks, it becomes easier to understand complex mental health conditions.

Darth Vader is not alone in needing help for his mental health. Elsa, from the Disney film Frozen, is another who could be suffering from BPD. She struggles to stay on top of the emotional outbursts that negatively affect those around her.

Though still poorly understood, BPD is thought to affect around 2% of the population. "I believe that psychotherapy would have helped Anakin and might have prevented him from turning to the dark side," says Bui. 

But it is not just people - or characters - with diagnosed mental health conditions that can benefit from therapy, claim some experts. "Relational, emotional, and cognitive issues benefit from early detection and intervention," argues psychotherapist Ryan Howes.

"Who wouldn't benefit from meeting with a professional listener/problem solver once per week to take stock of their life and work on reducing struggle or attaining personal potential and life satisfaction? I'd like to meet that person."

Yes: If therapy can help Darth Vader, it can help anyone. And even for people with no mental health issues, therapy can boost your emotional wellbeing and help you through difficult days.

No: Everyone loves a villain, and Darth Vader is one of the most popular. We do not need or want everyone in life to become a saint. Psychotherapy is not always the answer.

Or... The way to convince people to try therapy is not by diagnosing fictional characters with mental health conditions. It is stigmatisingDisapproving of, or discriminating against, a person based on perceivable characteristics. It's the opposite of respecting and recognising someone or something, especially when it comes to mental health conditions. to compare an intergalactic supervillain to real-life people.