this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2025
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His character as a photo developer exhibited a creepy mental illness. What is the mental illness called when a lonely person fixates on certain people & becomes obsessed with them in unhealthy uncomfortable creepy ways?

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 31 points 3 days ago (3 children)

He was delusional and showed some obsessive compulsive behavior.

I still sometimes think about the scene where he has broken into some family's house and is taking a shit in their toilet thinking about being an actual part of the family. I hope to never come home and sit on my toilet and find the seat warm.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah it was a really uncomfortable movie. Thankfully I had no recollection of the toilet scene you mentioned 😳 But now you've put the image in my head.

[–] chocrates@piefed.world 2 points 3 days ago

My bidet always keeps my seat warm!
I'll never know

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

that scene made me stop watching the movie.

I didn't watch the rest for a decade.

it was a fantastically horrifying movie.

[–] etchinghillside@reddthat.com 28 points 4 days ago (2 children)

“Parasocial Relationships” is the term I’m used to - but don’t think that’s a condition used to describe a person that experiences them.

[–] silentdon@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

An extreme version of parasocial relationship

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 3 days ago

not really a parasocial, usually involves some form of codependancy in the affected person. i would more attribute parsocial as an obssesed fan stalking/ forming a 1 side relationship with a public figure.

[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 23 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I was working a photo lab when this movie came out and corporate was alarmed because it was bad publicity. We had talking points to reassure customers regarding privacy etc.

[–] Dvixen@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I was working in a photo lab when it came out as well. The movie accurately portrayed (imo) how uncomfortably close to how involved one could feel when dealing with long time customers, even in a high volume lab where we rarely dealt with the customer. We'd see first dates engagements, weddings, kids being born, and so forth. Plenty of stories of 'I saw Customer at the mall, had to stop myself from waving and saying hello and asking after Event'.

It's not really much different from today's social media and how involved some get in the lives of people they've never met or don't even know they exist.

It made me double take on Robin Williams. I'd always seen him as Mork from his early career. I expected him to be over the top and funny, so watching him be serious and frankly disturbing was as confronting as the movie itself.

[–] GorGor@startrek.website 1 points 1 day ago

The Fischer King came out a decade earlier, let along Awakenings, Goodwill Hunting... even Good Morning Vietnam was overall a very serious movie.

[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

How often did you use it? Did concerned people ask about it?

[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

I think one customer brought up the movie one time lol

That movie was an unexpected trip!

I think his obsession could be symptomatic of a number of diagnoses. He seems unable to properly empathize with the people (specifically not considering their autonomy) over which he is obsessing, which would give a healthy mind pause during the progression of events.

The best way to try to check yourself to see if you are being socially creepy, is try to imagine how your actions may be perceived by the other person. Remember that they are unaware of any context either in your mind or when they are absent. The protagonist does not seem to do this at all.

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not ever expression of mental illness has a specific name. There is a DSM used to diagnose common patterns. It would probably be described by combining the names of his diagnosis.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Thank you. I think about that a lot because one reason I can't use social media like Instagram & Facebook, my brain reacts in such a way that I start obsessing about people I see on there, I dream about these people all night & think about them all day even though I haven't seen them in decades. It really messes with my head and it's not normal, it's not healthy. So for my sanity I delete everyone & everything from social media and live in the real world,

(And I have a feeling that people who feel the same way I do but don't fight against it, are the ones who become stalkers.)

I'm wondering what this mental illness is

I am seeing my psychiatrist in 2 weeks so I will ask them about this. Over the past 30 years my medical records have all kinds of words on it like "bipolar 2, cyclothymia, ADHD."

I've tried all the medications but they're all pretty rough, I only feel the bad side effects but not the benefits, so for the last 20 years I choose not to be on any medication but I exercise and eat healthy and that seems to do best for me.

I think I am a sane person living in an insane world, social media is not healthy for anybody's brain, but as all things in life, the healthiest most popular beautiful people are the ones who thrive in that social media environment.

I prefer to live in the real world and eat healthy and exercise and get lots of sunshine.

[–] underreacting@literature.cafe 4 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Intimacy-seeking stalkers often have delusional disorders involving erotomanic delusions.

I haven't seen the film, but it sounds like a platonic version of erotomania, or a non-specific delusional disorder.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Okay thank you, this one might describe me. Except I don't stalk because when I start to feel that weird creepy feeling like I want to be in their lives (but I have the self-awareness to realize that I do not belong in their lives) I do the opposite of stalking. I remove myself.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I remember it being quite good, just that it was the first robin Williams movie I saw that wasn't a comedy and where he wasn't a crazy jumpy fun guy, it was jarring for me the first time I saw it.

I would recommend it though, it was a good movie

[–] nizvicious@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Robin in “Final Cut” as well… these two movies are more like horror movies.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Here are some other excellent Robin Williams movies in which he played dramatic roles:

The World According to Garp

What Dreams May Come

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Honestly I would NOT recommend One Hour Photo to anyone. Horrible movie. The only reason it haunts my memories is because I feel like my brain obsesses about people sometimes and I don't like it. And I want to know the name of that mental illness.

But have you not seen see Dead Poets Society? Robin Williams was quite well composed in that movie, no crazy jumpy fun guy. Well except for the part where he's trying to get Ethan hawke to scream like a barbarian "YAWP!"

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, yeeaaaahhh but.. RW is awesome in DPS, but there he's still kinda himself, the overly passionate-on-cocaine if you will

In one hour photo he's just a sad loner who has no life so he latches onto this family for his happiness, which is quite a different character type, if you will.

I personally.lokes the movie, it's fine if you don't

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Hmm I wouldn't be surprised if snow was what drove him to be so zany in the 80s but it was kinda normal-ish in Hollywood so mostly it was never acknowledged 🤔

[–] underreacting@literature.cafe 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I've yet to see Robin Williams in a serious role and being disappointed, so I'll check it out. Thanks for the rec!

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

Yw!

It's not the best, but it's definitely good enough in my view

[–] the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

Good Will Hunting?

[–] 30p87@feddit.org 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

If it doesn't have a name, I claim it as my own.

[–] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

from now on then, it's called 30p87 Syndrome

[–] beejboytyson@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago
[–] Envy@fedia.io 4 points 4 days ago

Seems like a highly fictionalized version of unregulated Borderline Personality Disorder

Edit: sorry to the people with BPD I offended, but would yall not call this a hyperfictionalized example of a Favorite Person? Emphasis, hyperfictionalized.

Characteristics of the Favorite Person Relationship:

Idealization:
The person with BPD views the favorite person as perfect, trustworthy, and capable of meeting all their needs. 

Emotional Dependence: They become heavily reliant on the favorite person for emotional support, validation, and a sense of security. Fear of Abandonment: The person with BPD fears that the favorite person will leave them, which can lead to frantic efforts to maintain the relationship. Splitting: The person with BPD may alternate between idealizing and devaluing the favorite person, seeing them as either perfect or worthless. Unrealistic Expectations: The person with BPD may have unrealistic expectations of the favorite person, which can lead to disappointment and conflict.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think I saw that a long time ago, we should check it out again.

[–] DrFistington@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Another great Robin Williams movie is called 'The Final Cut' which has become even more relevant than when released

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

My favorite Robin Williams movie was The World According to Garp. 💖✈️🏠

Ok I'll keep going...

and What Dreams May Come I'll give it an 8/10. Meaningful & deep but a couple weird details I wouldv left out of I was in charge of it.

Same with Patch Adams but 9/10

Dead Poets Society 10/10💯‼️

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Insomnia was pretty good, too.