NAME }} Rafael Edwin Vargas
NICKNAME }} "RAF"
AGE }} 16
DIAGNOSIS }} Speculated diagnosis. Raf frequently suffers depersonalization and delusions, but they have only started occurring so recently that the team is observing for now. He has been in Treewit for six weeks, relatively new compared to the other residential patients.
{{ HONEST • LOYAL • TEMPERAMENTAL • DIPLOMATIC • IMPATIENT }}
PERSONALITY }} (since it's easier for me to develop more ICly, I've gone with mostly explaining how his illnesses affect his functioning/'regular' personality)Rafael is best known for his kindness. It's the first impression people get from him usually, that he's a polite kid with all good intentions, and he truly is. In entirely sober, realized states, he holds no ill will towards others and is rarely malicious, even when prodded and provoked. He's generally calm and even unassuming, never bothering to stand up for himself when circumstances call for some sort of backbone, and he has a hard time deviating from complete honesty. Mostly, he
wants to be trustworthy, and he certainly works for it. Having plenty of friends that he's earned through just being a gregarious, likeable individual is a dream of his.
However, these days, Raf doesn't always have a tangible grasp on reality. He finds faults in others and his mind finds a way to emphasize them into full blown delusions. If someone takes interest in him at all, he believes they are looking for a relationship or a hook-up - this typically ends with him either reciprocating the percepted fancy, or he'll cut all ties immediately to avoid confronting the issue. Other delusions are on a much smaller scale, but he still grows very aggressive upon developing them; Rafael often claims things as his when they do not, and never have belonged to him (it's best to keep him out of laundry duties because he'll usually steal someone's things, for example). He destroys things and forgets that he has, then shifts the blame onto others. There's plenty more, but the point is that his amicability only extends so far.
The biggest problem with these delusions is, when they are corrected by someone else or his rationalization is shirked, he loses himself entirely. This is his 'trigger' for depersonalization. When the realities Raf has built are disproven, he's not sure what to believe, and he subconsciously chooses not to rely on his own perceptions; thus, he separates entirely from himself in order to cope. An outsider might be able to tell he's about to lose his grip when he grows suddenly more anxious or rash, but during the episodes themselves, it's best to wait it out. The return to his identity could take any period of time, really, but since this is a fairly recent thing for Raf, it takes a few hours at most.
STRENGTHS }}- WELL-MANNERED. Not everyone is gifted with his level of tolerance, and he's certainly lucky to have it under the circumstances. While his more amicable side is harder to come by these days, Raf still works hard to maintain his boyish charm.
- PHYSICALLY STRONG. He's an athlete. Actually, before being admitted to Treewit, Raf was a trackstar for his high school and enjoyed lots of side games of basketball. His build is really only a good thing for him, though, because the techs didn't seem to appreciate his strength while trying to control him during an episode. (5'8, 140 lbs)
- SENSIBLE. When his mind is completely clear, that is. Without any delusions affecting him, Raf finds it easy to avoid impulses and even help others stray from their own impulsiveness. He knows what's good for him and what's not, and rarely tends towards the latter.
WEAKNESSES }}- DIM-WITTED. Raf isn't exactly clever or cunning. He's plenty intelligent and book-smart, but he can't keep up with master plans or grand schemes. Needless to say, he's been a victim to the Treewit kid-geniuses before.
- UNCERTAIN. After so many encounters with poor perceptions, Raf isn't particularly self-assured. He depends on others for information and presses for advice constantly. This is a recent development to his personality.
- NAÏVE. This is perhaps Raf's biggest shortcoming. He trusts others so much that it hits him harder when delusions tell him otherwise. When it comes that there's a reason to regret being so gullibe, he has a very hard time accepting it and reacts unpredictably.
HISTORY }} Raf was born in New York City, to a mostly Puerto Rican mother and Polish father (although he's not very fluent in Spanish), both lower middle class. His childhood was normal and actually very loving, with no losses or real trauma. Actually, he was fairly popular in school and even moreso in high school, where he started doing track after a life of just little league soccer. He's best at sprinting - while he's no Usain Bolt, he's a good 10.5 on the 100m dash.
His delusions started developing around the age of fifteen, during his sophomore year. He held the school record for his sprinting times and naturally garnered plenty of attention from his fellow athletes, but one freshman in particular began observing him to learn his technique. At some point, the constant questions pushed him over the edge, and when the freshman switched in to one of his classes he believed he was being stalked. While his parents were out at dinner, Raf called the police, under the belief that someone in particular was outside his window.
This was brushed off as strange behaviour for a while until Raf started complaining to his parents constantly about stalkers and people sabotaging the track oval. He was made to see the school's counselor in case his paranoia wasn't
just paranoia. When the counselor delved too deep, however, he began to destroy her office, simply frustrated after such a long period of suspicious behaviour from others. After being controlled and forced to remain still, he began to separate from himself for the first time ever; the catatonic, hazy state he went into was so worrying, and his outburst so violent, that the school believed he was not safe to be around his peers. Following his expulsion, Raf was admitted not by medical advice but because his parents had no clue how to deal with his sudden mania.
OTHER }} N/A
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