A Psychologist Diagnosed 'Game Of Thrones' Characters As If They Were His Patients — Here's What He Came Up With

Is Joffrey a sociopath ? Why is Ramsay Bolton so mean ?

Westeros does n’t seem to have psychologist to respond these motion , but thankfully the real world does .

Dr. Kirk Honda is a licensed marriage and family therapist who host a podcast called Psychology in Seattle . On the show , he ’s " diagnosed " a few " Game of Thrones " villains as if they were patients on his office couch .

Of course , no psychologist or psychiatrist can actually diagnose anyone , substantial or fictitious , without meeting them . But Honda took his best guess anyway .

you could listen to everything Honda had to say about each character in his podcast , availablehere , but he also agreed to provide Business Insider with a myopic summary of five character ' diagnoses .

Ramsay Bolton : intimate sadism upset , sadistic personality upset , and anti - social personality upset / psychopathy

" In my opinion , Ramsay has intimate sadism disorderliness along with sadistic personality disorder … since he demonstrates pronounced pleasure and complete deficiency of self-reproach from the suffering of others , " Honda told Business Insider . ( Sadistic Personality Disorder was transfer from the American Psychiatric Association ’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders after the 3rd edition , and is no longer considered an official diagnosis . )

Honda dubbed Ramsay the most problematic character in the show , due to his " tremendous pleasure in harming others , " even when that sadistic behavior does n’t benefit him in the long run .

" Anti - societal or psychopathic [ personality disorders ] … are both related to sadism and its sub - category , intimate sadism , " Honda explain , lend that the two are " slightly different but for the most part overlapping . "

He summate that Ramsay ’s disorders are likely due to " his biologic inheritance from Roose Bolton , who also show significant psychopathic behavior , particularly before Ramsay was bear , and Ramsay ’s difficult puerility . "

hear to the full podcast

Joffrey Baratheon : Conduct Disorder and Sadistic Personality Disorder

Honda believes Joffrey put up from a specific form of sadistic personality disorder shout authoritarian sadism , due to his use of relish in " verbally and physically harm and step others with his magnate . "

But Honda waffle to practice too many labels to Joffrey because personality disorders in minors are ordinarily not diagnosed until they become grownup and their personality finish spring . For that reason , Honda diagnosed Joffrey with conduct disorder " because he exhibits a approach pattern of violate the right of others . "

Honda believes Joffrey ’s upset stem from " ill-treatment from his don , distant female parent , trauma from maternal conflict and violence , looking like a missy and being teased — a detail that ’s in the book — inbreeding , mother drinking while pregnant , being told he ’s better than others , and poor parenting . "

Cersei Lannister : Anti - societal Personality Disorder / Psychopathy

Cersei ’s diagnosis is n’t as straightforward as the others , Honda said , because of her emplacement as a female in a extremely patriarchal society . Cersei was marginalize and abused by her father and husband when she was untried , and " is circumvent by a context that evaluate power , specifically royal mogul , so her psychopathological demeanour could be a result of setting and cultivation , rather than personality , " he said .

Unlike Joffrey and Ramsay , most of Cersei ’s anti - social acts are " instrumental in profit power and could be considered acts of survival , from her perspective . "

Honda believes Cersei may also have alcohol dependence issues , though she does n’t seem to experience any ill effects from her backbreaking drinking ( a measure for the disorder ) .

" In my view , she seems to drink to cope with the stress of her animation , which is frightful . It ’s common for people to ego - medicate in this elbow room , " Honda tell .

Sandor Clegane : Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder

The Hound ’s PTSD stems from the " ongoing , uttermost abuse " he suffered at the hired hand of his old brother , according to Honda . Gregor Clegane badly burned Sandor ’s expression as a child , leaving him with an uttermost fear of fire .

" When he encounter the threat of fire , he systematically shows signs of PTSD , in particular shunning , " Honda said .

While some may believe the Hound to be a sociopath or sadist , Honda waffle to diagnose him as such , since he demonstrates empathy and remorse on multiple occasions , especially for Sansa and Arya Stark . He also does n’t appear to go out of his style to harm others for his own enjoyment .

" Other clinicians could employ the label of psychopathy since he exhibits hardness and some pleasure upon harm others , " Honda articulate , " but in my public opinion , that attitude could be a part of his job , exchangeable to someone in the military during wartime . "

Sandor also displays a relationship to alcohol that ’s similar to Cersei ’s .

Theon Greyjoy : Stockholm Syndrome

Honda find Theon ’s experience as standardized to that of ill-treat spouses .

" He becomes submissive to save his life , " Honda sound out , a response that ’s sometimes referred to as Stockholm Syndrome .

Honda explained that Theon " lose his identity as a result of trauma , which can go on when an abuser punishes identity - congruent thought and demeanor . " This loss of identity operator is exacerbate by pressure Theon ’s Father of the Church and sister put on him to be ruthless — an feeler that diverges from the morality he find out from the Starks .

As a result , Theon feel " immense guilt and shame that contributes to his believing he deserves to be punished , " Honda said . In the al-Qur’an , however , it ’s less clear that Theon feel such self-reproach .

" Game of Thrones " returns for its 7th season on July 16 . Honda intend to continue analyzing more characters on his podcast and YouTube channel during the Modern time of year .