They say that every character in a Woody Allen film is a reflection of his neurotic self, and Blue Jasmine is no exception. Kate Blanchett gives a superb performance playing a woman who goes from “super-wealthy socialite” to “broke middle-aged divorcee” after she calls the FBI on her real-estate mogul husband when she finds out he has been cheating on her. The story itself is cliché, and therefore not that compelling. But what is interesting is watching Jasmine fall apart over the course of the film.
The most memorable question I have ever been asked at one of my presentations is this: Is there a demographic where you have seen a high incidence of addiction and mental health issues other than people who were abused as children? I had to stop and think for a few moments, and then it came to me: the other demographic that I had seen exhibit these tendencies were people who had been overly coddled as children.
It is always unfair to put people into boxes, but if Jasmine can be put into one it is that of the person who has been so sheltered from the blows of the world, and had so little adversity in their lives, that a divorce could wipe out their mental stability. As Jasmine is popping Xanax after Ativan and pouring Stoli Martini after vodka shot, it is clear to the viewer that the only way for her to move forward is to put aside her stress-management techniques and take responsibility for the fact that it is none other than her own choices that led her to the breaking point.
In other words, whether we crumble under the weight of a painful past or become incompetent because of an overly invasive parent, there is only one answer: to empower ourselves to regain the lost balance within our psyches, thus transforming our neuroticism into an effective ally. Every personality disorder is a double-edged sword, and we are the only ones who can choose whether we continue to give in to our neuroses, which will eventually destroy us, or do the work of transforming ourselves and thereby gain mastery over our self-destructive tendencies.
I love your recurrent theme of taking responsibility for your own healing. Your many examples of how that has worked for you gives me hope and possibilities that I too can overcome past childhood abuse and rise above anxiety and depression. It also empowers me to be in control of my own mental health and not be at the mercy of therapists, doctors and people’s opinions, making me feel like a crazy person. Thank you for the encouragement. Your writing is insightful and inspiring; a guide in the darkness.