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a dissection of Uchiha Sasuke’s characterization and actions: a thread
okay let’s start off with the fact that I am NOT a psychologist I have taken classes on it and I suffer from similar mental issues but no I am not a professional I am however a writer and have been for the past 6 years and understand the fundamentals of characterization very well
Sasuke is a very complex character and I understand why people call him inconsistent but the truth is he’s not . Throughout the entirety of og Naruto and Shippuden, Sasuke’s actions are based solely on one thing: in response to his trauma
the trauma, very obviously, is the Uchiha clan massacre but there’s a much deeper part to it then at first glance
prior to these events, Itachi was Sasuke’s precious person. He was a role model and a parental figure. In flashbacks, we can argue that he even seems to be more present in Sasuke’s life than that of their parents
now imagine this scenario: you are seven and everything you know is gone. your whole world has flipped over completely in the course of one afternoon . your caring older brother suddenly kills your parents + extended family .
he says that he never loved you , that this love your WHOLE life was built upon is a complete lie . and to add insult to injury , he mentally tortures you for hours on end, making you rewatch your family’s deaths over and over again .
you are seven and you aren’t even five feet tall but you are alone in the world and the person you love the most is responsible before it
Itachi’s betrayal isn’t just heartbreaking, it’s earth shattering . Sasuke withdraws into himself and becomes a hermit of sorts. But despite this, as the years progress, he makes a steady growth towards recovery. He meets Team 7 and he finds a family of his own, he’s HAPPY
he believes that he can have a future with Team 7 . the only problem ? Itachi. Itachi’s sudden reappearance changes everything, like ripping a scab off an old wound, except much much worse.
He places his 13 YEAR OLD kid brother under a genjustsu that a 30 year old jonin could not withstand. Everything Sasuke has built in his absence is gone: his confidence, his hope. Itachi defeats him in SECONDS and there is absolutely nothing he can do about it
Now do you really think that something a person could come back from? Watching your whole family die at seven? Living in isolation for years on end? Being tortured by the person you love the most not once but TWICE? Let’s tie this into PTSD now
The Mayo Clinic defines PTSD as a stress disorder caused by experiencing traumatic events, the effects of which affect a person long after the events have occurred. Symptoms include: intrusive memories and thoughts, negative changes in thinking and mood, physical reactions, etc.
Sasuke suffers from intrusive memories and nightmares, especially after receiving the Curse Mark
Difficulty with relationships, especially concerned with that of Naruto and Team 7
Memory problems concerned with the trauma: Sasuke forgets seeing Itachi cry
Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
Easily frightened of scared. Sasuke hesitates more than once in early missions, though this could also be in part to nerves
Panic attacks + severe emotional distress to reminders of the trauma: When Obito tells him the truth about the Uchihas, Sasuke passes out from a panic attack.
But let’s go even deeper. C-PTSD is a less commonly used term that defines the long lasting repercussions of more than one traumatic event, which certainly better fits Sasuke’s situation .
It’s also important to remember people who suffer from certain mental disorders don’t experience ALL of the possible symptoms, just a diversity of them
Symptoms of complicated PTSD can include lack of emotional regulation, dissociation, negative self-perception, loss of systems of meanings, a distorted perception of abuser
Poor emotional regulation: Sasuke quickly cycles between explosive anger and a seeming lack of any emotion. These are only TWO panels apart
Dissociation. A lot.
cont.
Twisted self perception: Sasuke blames himself for his clan’s deaths. Despite being a protegy, he is deeply insecure about his abilities and becomes jealous of Naruto’s progress. In Part 1, his entire self-confidence relies on his ability to defeat Itachi.
In relation to the previous difficulty with relationships, Sasuke is a persistently absent father and husband. Though its argued his absence is for missions, it’s hard to believe a man who can teleport would never see his family.
Distorted perception of abuser: I love Itachi and I hate to give him this title, but this is the truth of it. He is directly responsible for Sasuke’s pain and yet, Sasuke holds him in high regard regardless
Persistent self-isolation: Sasuke becomes obsessed with isolating himself by “cutting his bonds”
Lack of self-care. Sasuke does not care what dangers he places himself in in the name of his goals. He goes to Orochimaru who wants his body, goes after Itachi without the Mangekyoy, attacks the Five Kages.
Loss system of meanings: Sasuke completely loses trust for his home nation after learning about their part in his clan’s deaths
Sasuke does not do what he does because he is selfish or because he is full of hatred, but because it is the ONLY thing he knows what to do at that time. He was never provided the resources to recover nor was he given the time.
Sasuke is the child that never got the chance to recover. He loves deeply and he is the first to sacrifice his life for Team 7 even when Naruto wasn’t.
His actions throughout the series are based on this love that he feels and the sudden absence of their existence. He responds to things in the way someone with trauma does: through emotion and pain.
I’m so sorry this turned out so long! I didn’t even actually plan on writing it. Sasuke is my favorite character and I hoped this help you to understand him more. I also used a lot of pictures from this previous post on it: https://www.google.com/amp/s/gayyuki.tumblr.com/post/159815515646/sasuke-c-ptsd-a-meta/amp
I’ll add more if I have to but for now: End.
