Arthur's head injury in childhood is assumed after the description of ongoing childhood abuse. The audience sees Arthur mugged and beat up by a group of young men at the beginning of the movie, which might have further impacted his existing TBI.
On the other hand, Arthur's sources of trauma in Joker are much more explicit. Before he was fired, his boss mentions that his coworkers thought of Arthur as a “freak” (17:00 - 17:30). He struggles with a mental illness, and simultaneously must care for his mother who has a mental illness of her own.
Arthur was brought up by a foster mother and did not have a father figure. The foster mother herself describes him growing up as a fun and kind boy, but later he was abused and beaten by his adoptive parents and even had a severe head injury.
In Joker's case, pseudobulbar affect probably occurred secondary to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). A number of studies have established that TBI increases the risk of mood disorders, personality changes and substance use disorders.
The character has also suffered from psychotrauma, which may have led to post-traumatic stress disorder, with symptoms of their own (e.g. his responses in the subway, ultimately leading him to kill a few men). More importantly, Arthur displays quite severe social cognitive dysfunctioning.
Arthur has a neurological condition that causes him to laugh involuntarily, which the film suggests may stem from a traumatic brain injury caused by childhood parental abuse. Throughout the film he experiences undefined psychiatric symptoms that include paranoia, visual hallucinations and delusions of grandeur.
Since it's a fictional character and the story never mentions autism no-one could possibly know. However, when looking at Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of the Joker it certainly doesn't shout autism at all… It's more likely that he's a psychopath where his Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) certainly doesn't help.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a condition that's characterized by episodes of sudden uncontrollable and inappropriate laughing or crying." Echoing the language on the Joker's laminated card, PBA can indeed occur in people with brain injuries, stroke, or certain neurological conditions such ...
Without knowing much about schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder, one might assume Tyler Durden was an alternate personality as opposed to a hallucination, based on the text.
Personality Disorder, specifically, Histrionic Personality Disorder plays a key part in Harley Quinn's life. People with Histrionic Personality Disorder are “pervasive and excessive emotionally and display attention-seeking behavior” (Bornstein 1998).
The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white and turns his hair green and lips bright red; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane.
While fans got to hear many memorable quotes from Joker in Batman: Arkham, the series also revealed what his greatest fear is supposed to be. As it turned out, The Joker feared being forgotten more than anything else because it meant nobody was afraid of him anymore, rendering all his crimes void.
Yes, he's killed children before, most notably Jason Todd, the second Robin. The Joker doesn't care if his victims are male or female, child or adult. He's an equal-opportunity murderer.
Arthur, now known as the criminal Joker, ends up incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital after being tied to multiple murders over the past few weeks, which led to riots breaking out in Gotham City against the rich.
Joker starts to abuse her physically and psychologically, even attempting to kill her. But Harley is unaware of the manipulation. She is submissive and devoted, satisfied with a minimum amount of affection. However, we see some rebellion by Harley in certain episodes.
Early in “Joker,” we learn that Fleck spent time at some point in Arkham State Hospital, a notorious asylum for the criminally insane in the Batman universe, for an unspecified mental issue and that he feels the medication that has helped him manage it isn't working anymore.
In Fincher's microcosm of irrepressible egoism that leads one man to exist between two selves, Marla becomes a figure of pragmatism that allows the reappearance of reality.
Dissociative identity disorder, also known as multiple personality disorder, has been portrayed in many films over the decades.
In a scene in the film “Fight Club,” Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, places the highly basic substance lye or NaOH on the moistened hand of an unsuspecting Edward Norton. The painful burn that results, and Durden's method of neutralizing it with the acid vinegar, is explained by the process of denaturation.
Also, the Joker is probably not diagnosable anyway. He said the Joker doesn't fall into the criteria for diagnoses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. He is more likely to be a psychopath, but even that is reductive.
The Dark Knight exhibits some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, but not enough to warrant a formal diagnosis.
We are told Arthur suffered early life trauma – horrific abuse as a child at the hands of his mother's partner including head injury, which is a risk factor for serious mental illness including pseudobulbar affect.
In The Dark Knight, the Joker is a loner, glib, unemotional and very violent. These behavioral traits are very consistent with psychopathy.
The Joker is no exception. In fact, fans and psychologists alike have claimed Joker has a slew of mental health issues. However, the most prominent disorder he suffers from is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
In the latest issue of Flashpoint Beyond #5, the Joker's real name has been revealed: Jack Oswald White. This is something that fans of DC and the character have greatly appreciated, and that is that the identity of the Joker is something that many have always tried to find out.