The vast majority of people probably have fond or nostalgic memories of the cartoons and movies they loved the most as kids. These children’s productions are usually full of lessons, charming characters, and songs that we perfectly remember to this day. However, as it happens with most things, as the years go by and we grow into adults, our perspective on all these movies and shows matures, and we start to notice things that we didn’t perceive before. In this way, different characters and scenes from movies and TV shows acquire another meaning, and in many occasions, originate different theories that fans spread over social media to share them with others.
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Nowadays, it is extremely common for movies or TV series to spawn different theories. In fact, such theories actually contribute to the production itself: not only do they attract more viewers, but they often inspire filmmakers to tweak the future of the movie or show. Among the hundreds of theories circulating on social networks, there is one in particular that revolves around a beloved children’s character: Winnie the Pooh. The origin of this lovable teddy bear as we know him dates back to 1926. He was created by author A. A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard, and first appeared in the book Winnie-the-Pooh, which was the first one of many volumes recounting the adventures of this teddy bear and his friends. In 1961, Walt Disney acquired the rights to this character and kicked off one of its most popular franchises, comprising many movies, TV series, video games, and other productions. Winnie the Pooh’s theory states that both the bear and his friends were inspired by different mental illnesses.
Winnie the Pooh & Mental Illnesses
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It’s safe to assume that Winnie the Pooh ranks among the most popular children’s characters in history. He has been present in many, many generations’ childhoods and remains so to this day: both he and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood characters are featured in movies and TV shows. Moreover, his friendship with Christopher Robin has struck a chord with all — who hasn’t had a toy or a teddy bear as their adventure buddy as a child? Winnie the Pooh has taught millions of children valuable life lessons in books, movies, and TV series. Perhaps for these reasons and many others, a paper on this teddy bear and his friends released in 2000 caused quite a stir. It was the report “Pathology in the Hundred Acre Wood: A neurodevelopmental perspective on A.A. Milne”, written by Dr. Sarah E. Shea in collaboration with Kevin Gordon, Ann Hawkins, Janet Kawchuk, and Donna Smith (via Yorkshire Post). This paper was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and provides a neurological perspective on Milne’s famous characters, linking them to several neurological disorders.
The study begins by analyzing Winnie the Pooh. According to the researchers, this little bear’s behaviors suggest that he suffers from more than one neurological disorder, but that the one that stands out the most is his Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In addition, they consider that, on many occasions, Pooh shows excessive impulsivity, borderline intellectual functioning, fixations, as is the case of his obsession with honey, and repetitive behaviors, which could indicate that he also suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). His addiction to honey would have contributed, in the long term, to his obesity.
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Piglet, for his part, suffers from a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is why he is constantly fearful and worried, and even developed an ear twitch. Eeyore’s diagnosis is probably the most evident one of all: this donkey suffers from depression, although the article’s authors have not been able to determine whether it was something inherited or caused by a certain trauma. It is quite obvious that this little animal has a very negative perspective on life, and has never looked particularly happy or excited. The original article does not provide a specific diagnosis of Tigger, but it mentions his excessive impulsivity, and the fact that he usually takes overly risky decisions without weighing the consequences of his actions. Later on, Dr. Shea mentioned that, just like Winnie the Pooh, this bouncy tiger might also suffer from ADHD.
When it came to Owl’s diagnosis, all the experts agreed: dyslexia. This owl is uncommonly smart, but struggles a bit when it comes to reading and spelling. Meanwhile, Rabbit’s behavior suggests that he suffers from OCD combined with a narcissistic personality, which manifests itself in his obsession with having everything neat and organized, as well as in his self-important attitude. Rounding out this group of animals are Kanga and Roo, a mother kangaroo with her baby. In the original article there is no specific mental illness associated to them, but they do mention some concerns about Roo’s future, since, according to the experts, his mother is “somewhat overprotective” and the little one has bad role models around him.
The only person featured in the Winnie the Pooh stories is Pooh’s best friend, a boy named Christopher Robin. Again, there is no reference to a particular mental illness, only that he has no parental supervision, and that he spends his days exclusively talking to animals. Furthermore, they mention early signs of school difficulties and, based on the character’s illustrations, possible gender identity issues. Still, several supporters of this theory claim that Christopher Robin could suffer from schizophrenia.
How Real is This Theory?
Even though this theory is made up of several observations that make sense, it is debunked by one major fact: when Milne created Winnie the Pooh in 1926, the mental illnesses that are now associated with him and the rest of the characters were only beginning to be researched as such. Milne’s real inspiration for creating Winnie the Pooh and the other characters was his own son, Christopher Robin Milne, and his stuffed animals (per Country Living). Shepard, on the other hand, drew inspiration from one of his son’s teddy bears to illustrate Pooh. So, although the characters of Winnie the Pooh bear certain characteristics consistent with mental illnesses, this was not the creator’s intention. According to Dr. Shea, the main person responsible for this 2000 report, the purpose of the research was to remind society that anyone can suffer from a mental disorder, and how important it is to treat them accordingly.
