Analysis of Agoraphobia 1

Copycat:

Analysis of Agoraphobia

Daniel Sciboz

Psychology 250

Professor Renard

April 3, 1997

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 2

Outline of report Copycat

I. Introduction

Background information:

* Summary of the movie

* Development of the whole disorder of one character I chose

from the movie "Copycat" (1995)

Thesis: In the movie "Copycat" (1995) there is a character who suffers from

agoraphobia. I will first summarize the movie and explain the character that I

chose to analyze and answer some questions asked for the report about this case.

II. Body

A. Summary of the movie

B. Identification of the character I chose to develop

C. Give a clear diagnosis of the case

1. Compare details about the disorder that the character suffers in the

movie and how it is related to (DSM IV)

2. Tell how the disorder affects the individual′s sense of self

3. How the disorder affects individual′s relationship

4. How the disorder affects the work and the life of the person with the

disorder

D. Personal details that should be added to the movie to present the disorder more

accurately to us

E. What I learned about the treatment for the disorder

F. What did I learned about the portrayal I selected

III. Conclusion

Restatement of main points developed in the report

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 3

In the movie Copycat (1995), the character, Helen Hudson, provides a portrayal

of agoraphobia. In this paper, I will highlight the nature of agoraphobia in the context of

Helen Hudson′s fictional portrayal. Next, I will give some suggestions to make the

portrayal in the movie more accurate and finish up by telling what I learned about the

disorder and the portrayal I selected.

In the movie, criminal psychologist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver), who

studied the behavior of serial killers for 20 years, was giving a lecture at the University of

San Francisco when the gestures and facial expressions of an attendant, Daryll Lee

Cullum (Harry Connick, Jr.) captured her attention. After the lecture, while in the

restroom, Daryll Lee attempted to kill her. Thirteen months later, Helen is affected by a

panic disorder (panic attack) and falls into the disorder of agoraphobia. Helen lives a

terrified existence defined by the walls of her apartment shared with a homosexual

companion, Andy (John Rothman), who takes care of her.

When spending time in the prison, Darryl Lee has contact with another

psychopath, played by William McNamara, another attendant of the lecture. Daryll Lee

told McNamara to kill Helen and to continue his killing spree. He committed each of his

crimes in the style of a different known serial killer -- Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne

Gacy, the Son of Sam, the Boston Strangler and others. Soon Helen goes in and gives

some information to the police that she received over the Internet from the killer of

several women. Officer M.J. Monaham, played by Holly Hunter, trusts Helen′s

knowledge and asks her to cooperate in catching the serial killer (Copycat 1995).

The character of Helen Hunter suffers of panic attack with agoraphobia.

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 4

There are several examples in the movie which illustrate the symptoms of agoraphobia.

She constantly was in her apartment in front of her computer, and isolated herself from

the rest of the world. Each time she had the desire to get some work done she was

affected by a power which did not let her continue her career. For example, at the time

she woke up, sometimes shaking and sweating, she would go into the drawer and take a

bunch of antidepressants that after time did not work. This led to abuse of alcohol to

prevent some future panic attack.

Getting the newspaper was even a terrible task for her. She would open the door

very slowly, making sure that no stranger was around. She would use the broom while

lying on the floor and crawling to reach the newspaper. She had a very difficult time. She

would whisper the names of all the presidents of the United States of America to calm

herself down, and when reaching the goal, she would go back inside extremely fast.

She endured this scene every single day and she would regularly fall into

unexpected panic attacks lasting only for a few minutes. Her roommate quickly put a

paper bag on her face to help her breath normally. Otherwise, she would sweat, shake,

and hyperventilate.

After a while, she used her experience as a psychologist to help the police find the

serial killer, and eventually everything went back to normal. During the time that the

medication was working she was fine and was able to function normally. However, when

mixing alcohol with the medication, she would often become unaware of her actions.

For example, she thought she just did something but actually did not.

According to the authors of the brochure Phobies-Zéro, often panic attacks lead

to the disorder of agoraphobia, but there are other factors that can also lead to panic

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 5

attacks. One example from this brochure, is that if someone experiences extreme fatigues

during a long period of time and some day experiences a traumatic event (such as death

of a family member), the chances will increase the occurrence of panic attacks (1994).

According to the DSM IV, people diagnosed with the disorder of agoraphobia are

often affected by panic attack. "The criteria for a person who suffers from panic attack

is:

1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

2. Sweating

3. Trembling or shaking

4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

5. Feeling of choking

6. Chest pain or discomfort

7. Nausea or abdominal distress

8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint

9. Derealization (feeling of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from

oneself)

10. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)

11. Chills or hot flushes." (1996. p. 396-398).

In the diagnostic criteria for agoraphobia, Morrison (1995), wrote that a person

has the fear of becoming terrified in situations from which there is no easy escape or help

that can be found if panic attack occurred . The person avoids these situations or places

or endures them and possibly has a panic attack, or requires a companion when in these

situations. Thus, agoraphobics often will not leave their house sometimes for months.

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 6

Agoraphobia affects the self of the person, because the individuals have the threat of

constantly aware of having a panic attack, "La peur d′avoir peur." For this reason, they

will ingest medication more and more often because of the fear having another panic

attack (Morrison, 1995).

Agoraphobia affects the relationships of a person with others because as soon

somebody asks to go out with an agoraphobic, he or she will find excuses not to go.

Agoraphobia will not affect the person′s life while he or she is under antidepressants, that

is the problem since under medication they will sometime show any progress. It could

make the disorder worse and worse. Because agoraphobics often abuse alcohol mixed

with medication, it will affect their life and their work. Work will be affected anyway if

they have to leave their house to get there, which is typical for most people.

Since the time of the lecture at the University, when Helen was attacked in the

bathroom by the psychopath, she has experienced a terrific period of pain and emotional

distress. After this period, the story jumps to thirteen months later. To make the

portrayal more accurate; some details could have been added after she was hurt, but

before we see her separation with the world. First, I would suggest that during this time

Helen could have continued to give lecture after she was hurt, but would not be able to

go. Second, when leaving home and taking her car to go somewhere, she would

immediately come back home. Those two examples would be a preview of the phase of

not wanting going anywhere but staying home.

According to Morrison James panic attacks are very common in the real world;

perhaps 30% of all adults experience at least one. We can easily treat these people by

giving them a little reassurance by making them breathe into a paper bag. Panic attacks

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 7

can be severely debilitating if not treated. Often panic attacks mask another illness such

as agoraphobia. Sometime when a person visits a psychologist and explains the problem,

the doctor will not see anything wrong with the person even after multiple tests such as

electroencepathology. A medication such as prozac (antidepressant) is supposed to help

is commonly prescribe to the patient. Sometime it will not help because agoraphobics

abuse the medication by mixing it with alcoholic beverages to make the medication

stronger. This behavior seems to work only temporarily (Morrison, 1995). What will

happen when discovering the disorder? According to Goldstein in his book Overcoming

Agoraphobia, "Sometimes simply taking care of the diet such as getting rid of caffeine,

sugar, and white flour helps considerably in few weeks but not right away." (1987, 216-

217). Another technique, according to Marie-Andrée Laplante, Présidente Fondatrice de

la Fondation Phobies-Zéro au Québec, the patient should take the advice of a

psychologist who did suffer from the same disorder. In her clinic, the process of the

therapy begins with a period of desensitization, which is organized into groups six times

a month for three hours. After one year of therapy, patients are still followed irregularly

to make sure that everything is going well. Another therapy offered by this clinic is

called psychodrama, which is an individual therapy for three hours every two weeks until

seeing any improvement. There psychologists who endured the same disorder make

them learn different stages to get rid of this disorder (Author, 1994). According to

Goldstein in his book Overcoming Agoraphobia, these stages are as follows:

Phase I: Anxiety coping skills, stopping catastrophic thoughts, staying in "the

here and now," breath control

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 8

Phase II: Getting out and using your coping skills. Cardinal rules: never avoid,

use your coping skills, and let your feeling dictate your behavior, the importance of

making a schedule, and take credit for what you do.

Phase III: Reducing anxiety triggered by body sensations. Controlling

hyperventilation symptoms; racing heart, dizziness, tingling in the extremities. Reducing

fear rapid heart beat and the feeling of not being able your breath (1987, 173).

About the portrayal that I selected, it definitely makes me think differently. On

November 1995, when I saw this movie for the first time, I thought that it was just a

story of a killer and a lady who was disturbed, drinking heavily, and abusing medication

instead of seeking help for a serious problem. Since watching it carefully, and doing

research, I have discovered what Helen really suffers from, and I think differently. The

character that I chose has been described in the movie very close to reality. It is a serious

thing; and I have learned that some people actually suffer from the same disorder as

Helen. They are sometimes hurt during their life for a long period. Agoraphobics often

seek help. However, not until lately have treatments been found that produce real

progress in getting rid of this fear. This gives hope that eventually they can return to their

normal lives.

Copycat (1995), although fictional, portrays agoraphobia fairly accurately. Many

agoraphobics treated with medication which initially help with panic attacks, but will not

cure the disorder of agoraphobia. Besides medication, the patient should be followed

very carefully by a psychologist that has experienced the same disorder. Having

experience this themselves, they will be able to better understand what the patient is

going through.

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Analysis of Agoraphobia 9

References

DSM IV. (4th ed.). (1996). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

disorder. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. 396-398.

Goldstein, A. J. (1987).

Overcoming agoraphobia: Conquering fear of the

outside world. New York: Viking. 172-217.

Milchan, A. & Tarlow, M. (Producer). (1995). Copycat. [Videotape].

Morrison, J. (1995). DSM-IV Made easy. New York, London: The Guilford

Press. 248-251.

Promotion, Prevention, and Research. (1994). Phobies-Zéro. [Brochure].

Montreal: Authors.

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