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Pooh -

According to the authors of the study, the protagonist himself, Pooh bear, shows symptoms of more than one neurological disorder.

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Pooh -

More often than not, Pooh is forgetful and distracted. He often loses track of time and has a short attention span, which are all symptoms that point towards attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Pooh -

He also has an unhealthy obsession with honey that he is unable to control. His tendency to overindulge could be indicative of a binge-eating disorder.

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Piglet -

Next up is Piglet, Pooh bear’s best friend. Even to the untrained eye, Piglet’s mental anguish is plain for all to see.

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Piglet -

He is constantly scared, worried, and stuttering. Researchers believe that Piglet suffers from a generalized anxiety disorder.

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Piglet -

There is a theory among the researchers that Piglet’s anxiety might stem from the emotional trauma he was subjected to while trying to trap Heffalump.

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Eeyore - Then there is Eeyore, whose diagnosis is perhaps the easiest to guess: depression. Eeyore has a very negative perspective on life and always seems sad.

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Eeyore -

While the diagnosis is clear, the authors of the study were unable to determine the root cause of Eeyore’s depression.

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Eeyore -

Unlike with Piglet, they do not have a theory as to whether Eeyore’s depression was inherited, or whether it stems from a particular trauma.

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Tigger -

Then there’s Tigger, who is a fun and lovable character, but one who exhibits risky behavioral patterns at the best of times.

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Tigger -

While the original study did not include a diagnosis for Tigger, it did talk about his excessive impulsivity and pattern of making decisions without considering their consequences.

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Tigger -

As such, author Dr. Shea has since spoken about the possibility that Tigger may also struggle with ADHD.

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Owl -

Not so much a mental disorder as a learning difficulty, Owl is believed to have dyslexia. He is exceptionally smart, but he struggles when it comes to reading and writing.

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Owl -

Owl also ticks certain boxes for narcissistic personality disorder; he thinks very highly of himself, and is self-indulgent at times.

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Owl -

So the jury is still out as to whether Owl actually has a narcissistic personality disorder, or whether he is just a little too full of himself.

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Rabbit -

Rabbit, on the other hand, experts agree does have a narcissistic personality disorder. This manifests itself in his self-important attitude.

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Rabbit -

His narcissism is overshadowed, however, by his obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It is glaringly obvious that Rabbit needs everything to be neat and perfectly organized.

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Rabbit -

His obsessive and compulsive desire to have everything 'just so’ is a clear sign that Rabbit suffers from OCD.

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Kanga and Roo -

To round out the analysis of the animals, let’s look at Kanga and Roo. The original CMA study does not attribute any particular mental disorder to these two.

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Kanga and Roo -

It does, however, talk about concerns for Roo’s future: he has poor role models around him, and his mother is overprotective.

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Kanga and Roo -

Indeed, Kanga is a single mom who is constantly worried, and as a result she has a natural tendency to be overprotective.

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Christopher Robin -

The only human character in the story is, of course, Christopher Robin. Again the study does not reference a specific mental disorder for this character.

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Christopher Robin -

It does, however, mention the fact that Christopher Robin spends his time without parental supervision and speaking exclusively to animals.

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Christopher Robin -

As such, there are supporters of a theory that Christopher Robin may show early signs of schizophrenia.

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Caveat -

While the characters in 'Winnie the Pooh' definitely do show symptoms of poor mental health, it cannot be said that it was A.A. Milne’s intention for each character to be associated with a particular mental disorder.

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Fledgling research -

Indeed, when A.A. Milne came up with the Hundred Acre Wood in 1926, these mental disorders were only starting to be researched and were barely understood.

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True inspiration -

Sources suggest that the author’s real inspiration for the story was his own son, Christopher Robin Milne, and his stuffed animals.

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The purpose of the study -

According to the authors of the CMA study, its purpose was to remind people that anyone can suffer from a mental disorder, and how it’s important to treat them accordingly.

Sources: (MovieWeb) (Your Mental Health Pal)

See also: The biggest hit songs from your childhood

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