Back when you were a kid, did you ever had a toy that you love so much that you had to take it with you EVERYWHERE you go? Or even worst, you will freak out if you leave the house without it? Or make your mom drive all the way back home just to get it? Yes? Then we are on the same page. * wink, wink * I was one of them. When I was 3, I got my first teddy bear, and I named it "Huggy Bear." I remember taking her with me everywhere I go and all those stitches my grandma had to do because I will hug her too much. Let's be honest here; I am not the only one who had a bond that strong with a toy, nor I will be the last. One of the world’s most famous childhood characters is Winnie the Pooh. A character that was loved by millions of kids and hugged by thousands. Winnie the Pooh, also called Pooh Bear, is a fictional teddy bear created by the English author A. A. Milne. This fictional character was inspired by A.A Milne son's favorite stuffed bear, that he used to carry around with him all the time. Milne was so charmed by his son's love for storytelling and work-making that he had created a series based on it. Milne also included some poem about the stuffed bear and his friends on one of his children's book "When We Were Very Young" (1924) and added more in Now We Are Six (1927).
For those who have NEVER heard about Winnie the Pooh, this beautiful story talks about a kid name Christopher Robinson, who creates stories of his stuffed animals. In his stories, he talks about Winnie Pooh’s adventures with his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh is described as a good-natured, yellow-fur, honey-loving bear, while his friends Tigger, is a frisky tiger. Piglet, a timid pig; Eeyore, a gloomy gray donkey; Owl, a pontificating bird. The meddlesome Rabbit; and Kanga, a momma kangaroo who has an energetic baby named Roo that lives in her pouch. But as many of our Disney truth, the true story behind this one is not as sweet as it seems. Especially, not as sweet as Pooh’s honey.
So the story goes like this, Winnie the Pooh and his friends are indeed imaginary characters created by Christopher Robinson based on his stuffed animals. But the creation behind it is the interesting part. According to the Canadian Medical Association, each of Winnie the Pooh characters represents a different mental disorder. Through the years, many doctors have used this animated Disney show as an example for little kids to understand the different kinds of disorders there are and help them better. Surprisingly, this theory actually fits each of the characters very well. Here is the list of the characters on the tv shows and a brief description of why they represent that disorder.
Winnie the Pooh: Is proven that he has an eating disorder, that could also represent an addiction. Pooh’s character is well known as the bear who is always looking for honey and sometimes will go beyond the way just to get it. He also exhibits a strain of ADHD, due to his indifferent and careless behavior towards his friends. And sometimes he finds it very hard to focus, especially when he is counting. He keeps forgetting where he left at and will have to start over.
Piglet: He is believed to suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The theory states that he may have suffered an injury that crippled his self-esteem, and
That his stuttering problem most likely developed from said injury. Piglet gets alarmed for any that happens or might happen to him. Sudden movements and noises, like those from Tigger, could make Piglet run and hide.
Owl: He could be diagnosed with Dyslexia and Short-Term Memory Loss. Even though he's shown in the animation as an exceptionally bright character, it's shown that he has trouble reading. For example would be the time he mistook the word school with "skull." He also tends to forget things really fast.
Tigger: He has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The fanciful tiger can't hold still for a second. Tigger is always bouncing from one corner to the other and can never stay in one place for a long period. He has the classic case of ADHD, with an emphasis on the H, hyperactivity. He is super active even when he needs rest. Tigger also exhibits poor impulse control; he will be bouncing on places where he isn't wanted or shouldn’t, assuming everyone around him wants to be similarly engaged in whatever it is he is doing.
Kanga: She could be diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder. Kanga is very overprotective of her son, and she would never let him make his own decisions because of her overprotectiveness. At the same time, she has a good reason to feel anxious; she is a single mother living in a traditional society and worries about her son, Roo, may grow up to be a juvenile delinquent. These and other frightening prospects keep Kanga on edge and her son safely tucked into her pouch.
Roo: He might show an Autism Spectrum Disorder. He lacks awareness of danger and has a strange attachment in sitting on his mother's pouch. Despite his mother's frequent advice and overprotectiveness, Roo often finds himself not paying attention to what is going on around him. Also. He often sits silently in his mother’s pouch, with not a lot of interest in venturing out.
Rabbit: Rabbit could suffer from Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He is very orderly and obsessive. Rabbit must find every single thing organized at all times. His tend spent a lot of time counting, recounting, arranging, and rearranging everything and everyone in his life. If anything is out of place, he will go off with big wrath.
Eeyore: Not surprisingly, Eeyore suffers from Depressive Disorder. He always has a depressing outlook on life, and never feels any positive emotions. Eeyore is the saddest character in children's literature. His demeanor exemplifies a severe depression, more specifically, chronic dysthymia. Poor Eeyore is always in the state of sadness and depression. Even when good things happen, he will bound to put a depressing spin yo it.
Christopher Robin: Lastly, Christopher Robin himself is diagnosed with Schizophrenia. The theory believes that all the characters above are created depending on Christopher's mood. He is the only human in the Hundred Acre Wood, and that’s because all the other characters are his stuffed animals. The entire world of Pooh is essentially a figment of his imagination.
Tubby little chubby all stuffed with fluff
December Disney Truth
By: Katerine Chung
"The theory believes that all the characters above are created depending on Christopher's mood. "
"I remember all those stitches my grandma had to do because I will hug her too much. "
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think," said Christopher Robin