Shared Psychosis

I was listening to a podcast and they were talking about

Folie à deux ("madness of two"), or shared psychosis, is a psychiatric syndrome in which symptoms of a delusional belief and hallucinations are transmitted from one individual to another.

Do you think Eric and Dylan could be categorized under this?

I think they did need each other to carry out a massacre of this magnitude.

Certainly possible.

However, they both had wanted to get some kind of revenge for years.

It's possible that Eric's homicidal tendencies rubbed off on Dylan, and Dylan's suicidal tendencies onto Eric.

They were both angry and sad, to put it in plain terms. And I think the reinforcement they got from one another just fed the fire.

I find this somewhat along the lines of people thinking that women who work and live together would often synchronize their menstruation cycles. Although the studies are kind of inconclusive on this. But I will say that my sisters and I often had our periods around the same time when we all lived at home.

I agree with Littlelo, they picked up on each other's anger and depression and fed off it. Mainly because they could only show their true feelings between themselves. I think its likely that they did adopt similar feelings and hang ups based on what set the other off.

I have synched up with female roommates as well!

I think it was refreshing for them to be able to be truly themselves with each other. Around Dylan's other friends he had to be the good listener, the savvy sound guy, the goofy one but he could let himself go with Eric and Eric finally had a confidant.

If you subscribe to the idea of soulmates and are open to a soulmate being non romantic then Eric and Dylan were soulmates.

Screamingophelia wrote:

I have synched up with female roommates as well!

I think it was refreshing for them to be able to be truly themselves with each other. Around Dylan's other friends he had to be the good listener, the savvy sound guy, the goofy one but he could let himself go with Eric and Eric finally had a confidant.

If you subscribe to the idea of soulmates and are open to a soulmate being non romantic then Eric and Dylan were soulmates.

I agree so much. I don't believe there was anything romantic whatsoever about the bond between the two, however there is something to be said about their friendship. Dylan was extremely jealous of his friend (Zach or Nate?) for being able to admit to their girlfriend about their suicidal thoughts. Eric was his confidant and the one person he could sincerely confide in on that level.

It was Zach, I think he was talking about his new relationship Devon.

It's really great when you find someone you can truly be yourself with. He couldn't tell his family, even though I know Sue wanted to be open in that way and listen to what Dylan had to say. She does talk about the regret she has just saying "don't let it get to you"

It's sad Dylan was known as such a great listener, I wonder if his friends ever tried to ask Dylan what was going on with him? You'd have to coax him to talk about it though.

Just like when a reporter asked Marilyn Manson what he would have said to Eric and Dylan and he said "I'd listen to them"

The issue with those 2 is you'd have to get them to actually confide in you, truthfully and no bullshit.