First-Year Psychology Student Suffers From Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Stockholm Syndrome

Story by Emily Wilson 

| Published Sep 21, 2010

Four weeks into his first semester, first-year Kenneth Karns already has a favorite class.
“Introduction to psychology has been really eye-opening,” said Karns, a psychology major.
After a handful of lectures, Karns has identified numerous mental illnesses he suffers from. “I mean, I used to think that constantly being on the prowl for chicks was just a normal thing for guys my age to be into. Now I realize that it’s a symptom of my borderline personality disorder, probably brought on by the feelings of abandonment I must have repressed when my parents split up,” said Karns. Psychology 181 professor Craig Shumaker, has discussed Karns’s concerns on several occasions after class.

“Ken seems like a fairly well-adjusted kid, bright and eager to learn. But I’ve never had a student ask me so many questions about body dysmorphic disorder,” said Shumaker.

Karns is enjoying the opportunity to explore his various neurosis.
“I used to think I was a pretty happy guy, goofing off with my friends, tossing the disc around,” said Karns. “But now I realize that playing all those sports was just my subconscious way of over compensating for my feelings of inferiority when it came to bonding with my male peers.”

While Karns may be learning a lot about himself this school year, his friends are slightly concerned.
“Kenny used to be pretty chill,” said Kyle Rawley, one of Karns’ high school friends. “But lately every time we go do anything, he just tries to diagnose me with the most obscure things. Last week I told Ken I had shin splints and he told me I was probably suffering from Munchausen Syndrome. Seriously, the only time I’ve ever heard of anyone getting that was on an episode of ‘House’.”