As Good as It Gets

As Good As It Gets

Before further investigation, I thought that As Good As It Gets was about a man, Melvin, with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. At first glance, this seemed like the obvious diagnosis; he portrayed both obsessions and compulsions. Melvin was very careful not to touch things that may have been germ ridden, such as door handles, borrowed jackets, and coughing children; he even brought his own dining utensils out to eat with him. He also engaged in some compulsions, such as when he was locking the door (several times in a row) and when putting on his slippers at night. However, it did not seem that the obsessions and compulsions were what the main problem was for Melvin. Throughout the film I noticed that he was rude to and inconsiderate of just about everyone he came in contact with. It was as though he had little affect for other people, something found in many personality disorders. I felt certain that it had to do with his disorder, but this type of behavior was not mentioned in any OCD literature. Then I looked further into Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.

As with any Personality Disorder, OCPD involves an abnormal behavior pattern that can be maladaptive in many social situations. As shown in Melvin’s case, this can include impulse control, a decreased ability to show warm emotions, and difficulty in doing things in ways other than their own way. Melvin’s impulse control problem was shown very clearly in just about any social situation he was put in. He was constantly criticizing people and saying things impulsively that he didn’t necessarily mean (think the restaurant scene with Carol- just before she took off in disgust). Another diagnostic of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, according to mentalhealth.com, is [a preoccupation] with details…organization or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost. This was clearly shown when Melvin, Simon, and Carol set out on their road trip. Melvin had everything planned, right down to what songs were appropriate in each situation.

Melvin’s extreme rigidity and lack of ability to show any warmth were his main downfalls. Probably the clearest example of rigidity portrayed by Melvin was his need to eat at the same restaurant, at the same time, at the same table, with the same waitress- daily. When this proved impossible, when Carol didn’t go to work, he went to extreme lengths to try to get his day back. By his reaction, you would think that his life was ruined by this one seemingly unimportant event- but as with many people with OCPD, he felt extreme anxiety that he couldn’t let go because his routine was interrupted.

Melvin’s lack of kindness was shown very clearly in the way that he interacted with just about every person, especially in the start of the movie, with the exception of Carol. He was just outright rude to most people, and didn’t seem to notice when he would say the wrong thing. For example, Melvin seemed shocked at the way Carol reacted by yelling when he said, “We’re all going to die soon, especially your son,” and had no problem calling Carol’s replacement waitress an elephant.

People with OCPD are not the only ones affected by the disorder. Family of a person with OCPD may suffer almost as much, without control of the disorder. Take Carol for instance- she cared very much about Melvin, but since he was lacking the emotional availability and amount shown was limited, she was having a very hard time relating to him. She tried to be accommodating and understanding, but he made this very difficult for her to do. Luckily, with treatment and education,