We’re only three episodes into the 8th season of The Walking Dead, and for the second straight season, all any character or viewer can focus on is “Negan.” You know, the guy who wears the black leather jacket and red scarf. The guy who is so infuriatingly evil while being simultaneously verbally accurate all at the same time. The guy who has been described by some television critics as “Fonzie from Hell.” The guy who enjoys bashing people’s brains in with a baseball bat covered in barbed wire. Yeah, that’s Negan.
Besides The Joker, Negan is arguably one of the greatest villains in the history of entertainment. Sure, he’s pure evil, but he often backs that up with so much intelligence and logic that you consistently find yourself saying, “man, I hate that guy, but he has a point.” That’s what makes Negan so intriguing, and this is why we wanted a professional to diagnose him.
Therapist and clinical trauma expert, Dr. Paul Hokemeyer is a huge The Walking Dead fan, and was kind enough to give us his professional diagnosis of the leader of “The Saviors.”
“Although he’d probably kill me for saying it, Neegan is a bouquet,” said Dr. Paul. “He’s a tyrant with a heart and purpose. As such, highly functional. He can’t be diagnosed as antisocial or even a malignant narcissist. Antisocial people cannot empathize with others and engage in acts of cruelty for their own pleasure. Neegan, however, has a method to his madness and an overarching compassionate goal that he’s seeking to attain.”
Dr. Paul hasn’t officially joined “The Saviors” just yet, but he also added, “Yes, his methods are harsh, well violent and cruel on their face- but they’re carried out with the good of the community in mind. He also cant be described as a malignant narcissist. People who present with this diagnosis end up destroying everything they come in contact with. Negan, protects and propagates,” said Hokemeyer. “His most obvious diagnosis would be one of an anxiety disorder coupled with narcissistic traits. He lives in a state of hyperarousal and needs to be in control. Plus, the harem he maintains evidences his need for constant validation.”
