The Leftovers: "Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity"

Written By: Missy Ortiz

2% of the world disappears. No one allegedly disappeared from Jarden, well, up until now. Now...does it matter where they went? We are definitely going to be taken on a long adventure, like in Lost, where we revolve around characters’ lives and how they react and feel about the departure. We will get to witness what happens to them physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Speaking of Psychology, I would like to dig into the psychological aspect of the show. This, is what I think reels us in the most.




Psychological thrillers are always mind bending. Films that present psychological disorders are always a good catch. They are intriguing and curious. Black Swan dealt with watching how a ballerina suffered from Schizophrenia and how her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ruined her career and life. Lost also showed us several reasons why Psychology plays a huge part in their lives and ours. The Leftovers is by far, above and beyond the crazy city limits. Definite signals of psychosis have been displayed for us, even since the pilot premiered. Therapy sessions are being given out like candy on Halloween. Kevin attends a therapy session on "Penguin One, Us Zero" and Laurie is a therapist in "The Garvey's at their Best" and "Off Ramp".

If this series isn’t based on a psychological stand point, then it could be just making us insane thinking it is. Even though I did take Psychology in college, I am not a Psychologist. However, today I'm allowing myself to act as one, for the sake of the show. Here, I diagnose most of the characters of The Leftovers and explain why I tie in the insanity defense to the series:

Before I begin, I want to define some psychological disorders that I believe are relevant to The Leftovers.

A Quick Look at Common Psychological Disorders- 

I did some research about psychological disorders after traumatic events in ones life, and what did I find? Yes, PTSD. For those of you who aren't familiar with the acronym, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition triggered by witnessing a terrifying event. 

Victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can develop symptoms of psychosis, but some health professionals and researchers believe that they do not meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental illness such as Schizophrenia.

Vivid flashbacks and hallucinations are common, in which people can develop along with paranoia, particularly if they have been attacked or tortured. Sometimes, the flashbacks are so realistic that the victim begins to question who they are. They can easily reach a point where they actually believe that someone is talking to them from the dead, or that they are being followed, for example.

Major Depression- A mood disorder based on persistent sadness and loss of daily interests.

Bi-Polar Disorder- A disorder associated with mood swings ranging from depressive lows and manic highs.

Schizophrenia- A brain disorder in which one can interpret reality abnormally.

Adjustment Disorder- A group of symptoms that include sadness, anger, and physical pain after a traumatic event in ones life.

Paranoia- A psychotic disorder characterized by systematized delusions and mistrust of people and situations.

Delusional Disorder- A psychiatric condition where one has delusions of objects or people that are not present.

Psychosis- A mental disorder in which is characterized by a disconnection from reality.

Orthopterophobia- Fear of crickets or grasshoppers.

Scrupulosity- A psychological disorder characterized by pathological guilt about moral or religious issues.

These are just to name a few mental disorders that are associated with the characters of The Leftovers. Why the Psychology 101,you ask? There will be diagnoses listed below on each of the characters I selected. Some of them have particular disorders or symptoms of conditions that I have defined for you above.

Both PTSD and Psychosis can lead to disturbed sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating, personal neglect, and withdrawal from other people. If someone is hearing voices or other sounds, they may be re-experiencing a trauma rather than experiencing the symptoms of psychosis. 

^The latter fact really hits home with The Leftovers. Could it be that when Kevin or Kevin Sr. are hearing voices, or John Murphy is hearing the cricket, they are re-experiencing a traumatic event such as The Departure?  Could their conditions be related to something other than The Departure?

Kevin: PTSD, Major Depression, Bi-Polar Disorder, & Symptoms of Schizophrenia-

In the pilot, Kevin was already hallucinating and seeing visions of deer. Was the deer really there? Was he imagining it? Three years later after the departure, he is a hot mess. We acknowledge Kevin as a severely depressed, chief of police-single father, who takes medication with alcohol, hallucinates, and sleepwalks. Mayor Lucy even referred him to see a therapist. Initially, we don't see him hearing voices, but the onset of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms begin to immensely emerge. 

We know that he has nightmares and that he sleepwalks at night. During the day, he sees things that may or may not be there. When you mix medication with booze like he does, the effects of the drugs intensify. Could these be side effects from this concoction? It is possible that his visions, sleep disturbances, and confusion are a result from his neglect to look at the warnings on his bottles of Clonazepam? 

Remember "The Garvey's at Their Best"? Yes, I continue to discuss this episode because so much was unraveled there. The day before The Departure, Kevin sees a deer in the woods, a crack on his wall, and an invisible crack in his coffee mug. Which by the way, could've belonged to his father, who was chief of police at the time. We see the "My Hero" coffee cup pouring out coffee, but from where? There is no visible crack. Could these be signs to Kevin that HE is going to eventually "crack"?

We see Kevin breaking down constantly and grieving for his life. First, before the Departure he was already having issues with himself. He didn't feel fulfilled at home. He had everything. The perfect family, house, job. It still wasn't enough for him. Usually, this is referred to as a "mid-life crisis". What else did he need? His father has that talk with him in the front yard about how he has no greater purpose. After the Departure, Kevin Sr. contradicts himself by telling him he has a new profound purpose. He confuses him with the National Geographic talk and rants and raves that the answers lie within. This alone is enough to drive someone mad. Kevin was under a lot of pressure from the beginning, and now that he has arrived in Miracle with his new family, his psychotic rages have only just begun.

In season two, "A Matter of Geography", we now know that he is not only seeing visions of Patti, but is also hearing her speak to him. We watch him bang up a washer and dig up Patti's body while listening to "Where is My Mind". Do you think he bashed his own head into the stove? Patti seemed so real. His hallucinations are worsening and he probably is not taking medication anymore. There is so much to look into with this new information we have been given. I would attempt to predict what is yet to come, but I will leave that for us to wait for.

Kevin Sr. : Paranoia, Delusional Disorder, Borderline Schizophrenic, PTSD

Kevin Garvey Sr. was living in a mental hospital. Sure, girlfriend Mayor Lucy and his beloved son Kevin visited him regularly, but he showed obvious signs that he was not well. Was he diagnosed with a mental disorder that landed him there? We don't know if he is on medication, but what we do know is that he called Kevin out on his "fucking pharmacy nightstand." Kevin Sr. could very well be hearing voices as a result from PTSD. Suppose he was traumatized from The Departure. Everyone in the world who experienced this natural disaster was somehow affected. It is highly possible that he suffered severe anxiety and panic attacks on the night of.  

In season one, we clearly see him talking to someone who is not there visually to us. Then in season two, he is supposedly "cured". He tells Kevin he is still hearing the voices and now is acknowledging them. Obviously, he isn't cured. So, the fact is, Kevin Sr. does suffer from some sort of mental illness that leads him to believe that he is hearing someone talk to him and possibly seeing things that aren't there...or are they? Remember in the pilot when Dudley the dog's owner questions Kevin about his sanity? His flashback shows Kevin Garvey Sr. running in the nude, going ape shit. What was he running from? In fact, doesn't it strike a similar resemblance to Axis Mundi's, Evie and friends running naked in the woods? 

Intermission. A Brief Nod to Lost: Hurley and Dave-

Just thought it would be fun to include another insane Lindelof series and how there are common interests involved. For those of you who have not watched Lost, (and you should, tonight), Hurley is a passenger on Oceanic flight 815. (Spoiler alert) Jumping to at one point, Hurley was institutionalized at a mental facility and was constantly hallucinating.  His main vision was his imaginary friend, "Dave". Hurley's psychologist kept insisting to him that Dave wasn't real. He even photographed Hurley sitting at a table with his purported friend, arm around him and all. When we see the photo, there is no one there but Hurley and his arm hanging in the air. Dave was always suggesting to Hurley to eat more and escape the hospital. Hurley's hallucination of Dave was intended to fill Hurley's father's shoes, only because Hurley's dad had given him a chocolate bar before leaving. I know this sounds like so much to digest, hence the referral to watch Lost. Bottom line, hallucinations and mental hospitals, there is so much behind it. This little flashback, for the Losties out there, proves that there could be a connection with mental disorders and Lindelof's creations. 

Flash-Forward to The Leftovers...

Laurie: PTSD, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bi-polar Disorder, Anxiety-

We didn't know what Laurie's line of work was prior to The Departure until season one's episode nine, "The Garvey's at their Best". We witness Laurie sharing therapy sessions with Patti. Laurie has obviously been well educated in this subject to be in this profession. Sometimes, people who study Psychology can harbor deep connections to it. In other words, sometimes the Psychologist can actually be or become a nut themselves. Laurie knows the concepts, barriers, and the majority of psychological issues. Knowing what Psychology constitutes of, Laurie could have suddenly lost it, especially after The Sudden Departure. 

Laurie joins the Guilty Remnant soon after The Departure. We heard her story about it on the previous episode, 'Off Ramp'. When she is in the GR, she still feels. We know she was pregnant during The Departure and we all presumed her baby departed. We never saw the sonogram screen, it was just implied. Did the baby actually depart? Her facial expression surely suggested it, but we don't know for a fact. During her stay with the GR, she expressed symptoms of anxiety and grief. In 'Gladys", we see her having what the doctor in the hospital called, "anxiety and panic attacks". He prescribed her medication to control these episodes, probably Xanax. However, he did tell her to follow up with a Psychologist. We see her secretly visiting her family and the grief is too much to bare. Laurie's diagnosis could be that of Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Paranoia and hallucinations haven't been prevalent as of yet, but this is by far sufficient for her. 

Patti: PTSD, Depression, Adjustment Disorder, Bi-polar Disorder-

Patti, Patti, Patti. Well we can jump back to our flashback episode, "The Garvey's at Their Best" and recall her therapy session with Laurie. She was crying and looked terrified. She talked about her ex-husband Neil and their problems. The importance of this scene was the premonition that Patti proposes to Laurie. She felt something "bad was going to happen". Laurie disagrees and suggests that this feeling relates to her relationship issues. The eerie concept is when Patti tells Laurie, "There's something wrong inside you." We don't know at first what she means, but later we find out. How does Patti know this? Was she delusional and assuming, or was it coincidental? 

Being the leader of this chapter of The Guilty Remnant is a lot to take on. When Patti takes Laurie out to the diner, she remembers her past. She shows her true emotions on their "day off". However, she ends up defecating into a doggy bag that she writes 'Neil' on, and leaves it on her ex-husband's doorstep. Laurie had suggested her to do this in their therapy session before The Departure, insinuating her to "shit em back out and leave them on his doorstep". After doing so, Patti resumes her life in The Guilty Remnant as if nothing. She moves on. Then, we witness her tragic end and realize she was seriously troubled. Whether this death resulted from the policies of The Guilty Remnant or she offed herself to forget what she remembers, we utterly don't know. 

Meg: Major Depression, PTSD, Bi-polar Disorder-

When we first introduced to Meg, she was affianced and wasn't too happy about it either. She was being stalked by The Guilty Remnant and we later find out that her mother had passed away prior to the Departure. Not only was her grief robbed, but she was lost in this tragic universe of loneliness. 

She joins the GR and in doing so begins to change her perspective on life. 

At the end of season one, Meg seems to have filled Patti's shoes as leader of The Guilty Remnant. Prior to this, Meg displayed symptoms of Major Depression, more so because she was still grieving her mother's passing. Presently in season two, she has revealed to us the power and manipulation she has developed over time. No matter how tough you look on the outside, if you're hurting inside, you will break. Will we see more of Meg's weakness in the upcoming episodes? 

Reverend Matt: Scrupulosity, PTSD, Manic Depressive, Mild Bi-polar Disorder-

Reverend Matt Jamison is on another level of psychosis. He suffered a horrific event which resulted from The Departure. His wife Mary was driving when another car, in which its driver departed, collided with theirs. Mary suffered terribly with this accident, and though we weren't informed exactly about her true condition, she remains completely paralyzed. Matt spent his days looking after her and his church. In 'Two Boats and a Helicopter', we ride along side by side with Matt, joining him in his tragic world. Not only does he lose his cool after almost getting mobbed, he gets attacked by a drive-by stoning. While he is coma induced, we enter his mind through a dream sequence that rattles our cages. It seems that he is devoted to his church. He loves his wife and wants her to be healed. When he notices things just aren't going his way, another side of him emerges. 

In this new season, we discover Matt and Mary have moved to Miracle. We know they are staying at the small apartment by the church, and we know this because The Garvey's crashed there when they first arrived in Miracle. Mary seems to be showing signs of improvement in her condition, but what about Matt? Will we see more of Matt's other personality in the upcoming truths to be told? 

Nora: Depression, Bi-polar Disorder, PTSD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder-

Nora Durst was already experiencing signs of a stress disorder with her previous family before The Departure. Her role as a housewife and mom eventually turned into boredom and insanity, so she sought out a new job. On the day of The Departure, she loses her entire family and depression engulfs her in every way. She questions how this could have happened to her. Nora is known to have felt the most tragedy out of all the characters in the show. In 'Guest', we witness her asking prostitutes to shoot her through a Kevlar vest and then later meeting the infamous Holy Wayne. Nora has displayed chronic depression symptoms throughout the entire series, even after her expensive, warm hug. 

At the end of season one, Nora finds baby Lily on The Garvey's doorstep and presents it to Kevin and Jill. Season two follows showing them becoming a family and moving to Miracle. Nora does seem to have changed from the beginning, especially becoming more attached to Jill. The vacuum that The Departure left for her is beginning to be filled with The Garvey's and Lily. However, her symptoms still prevail. For example, purchasing the house for three million dollars only highlights her bi-polar tendencies. Excessive spending is a real disorder that is associated with Bi-polar Disorder. Case and point is, Nora isn't quite stable yet even though her life is changing. You can't run away from your problems. 

Jill and Tommy: Depression, PTSD-

I didn't want to pick on the kids, because isn't it already obvious enough that they struggle in this world? First, they have to deal with adolescence, then puberty, and so forth, and so forth. Not to mention their troubles at home with their family, then the distressing Sudden Departure. It's no wonder they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder entirely. Who wouldn't? I won't get any more into their heads because actually, it isn't fair to them. It isn't fair to any of the characters or anyone who experienced this monstrous tragedy. Closing point, Jill and Tommy are living their lives with these disorders, self-medicated, whether it's with pot or booze. 

John Murphy: PTSD, Delusional Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Orthopterophobia-
John Murphy and his phobia of the garbage disposal and crickets. When season two started, we got to meet this estranged fellow. It seems he leads a normal life in Jarden, only his true corrupt routine was spilled.  John has been introduced to us as a loving father, a caring husband, extra bacon lover, and arsonist. What really is John's story? His family seems to go along with his little skit about the cricket, but could it be that they don't hear it and only he does? Is there a story behind the garbage disposal that we probably aren't going to ever know about? Whatever the case, he has issues. The issues are deeply psychological and his motives are clear. John Murphy is unstable.

Final Analysis
The fact is, Psychology is prodigious in The Leftovers. Will we find out that Kevin has been in an asylum this whole time imagining all of this chaos? The first poster for season one, in a way, makes sense of this. Now, the second season's poster shows him anchored down by a cinder block. We all realize he could've been sleepwalking, or even turned into some other form of Kevin (schizophrenia). I'm assuming this could all be one big hallucination. We could be living in Kevin's head, in a dream where people disappear, deer and dogs rule the animal kingdom, and people dressed in white smoke. I'm not depreciating The Leftovers and their story, but I have suspected that Psychology plays a huge factor.

Do you agree that The Leftovers is scrambled with Psychological issues and that we are possibly living in Kevin's padded cell?