History Main / CriticalPsychoanalysisFailure

An occupation-specific SubTrope of InfectiousInsanity. Also often a sub-trope of HannibalLecture, but not always, as sometimes the character has no intention to do it. May also relate to TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes, if the therapist or their family are themselves suffering untreated mental illness.

* In the [[AlternateUniverseFic AU]] ''Manga/DeathNote'' fic ''FanFic/PointOfSuccession'' this happens to pretty much everyone with [[Literature/AnotherNote BB]]. Like ComicBook/TheJoker, BB isn't so much insane as he is "[[CrazySane super]] [[TheUnfettered sane]]" and [[InfectiousInsanity anyone who tries to get into his head will regret it.]] So far the ones who seem to be most affected by BB's [[BreakThemByTalking little chats]] are [[ReluctantPsycho Light]] who, in this universe, is the criminal [[TheProfiler profiler]] who took BB on as a subject of study and later [[spoiler: [[FaceHeelTurn Mello]] ([[StockholmSyndrome the kid BB kidnapped]])]].

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* The basis for ''TabletopGame/JAGSWonderland'', an Alice In Wonderland-inspired TRPG, is that people can be infected with a mental disorder/meme/''parasitic reality'' that tends to suck other people in when a sufferer has an episode, or 'goes down the rabbit-hole'. Many psychologists who care for those affected are inevitably affected as well, dragged down through levels of reality until they reach the lowest layer and go ''insane''.
* The intro fiction for the ''TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness'' fan game ''TabletopGame/GeniusTheTransgression'' features a psychoanalyst trying to treat a veteran [[MadScientist Genius]] who's just sick of it all. She eventually [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Catalyzes]] and ''demands'' that the Genius make sense of all the strange things that rampage through her head.
** Also appears in ''TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil'', particularly with Slashers of the Genius and Maniac variety. Extended conversation with them allows them to create derangements, alter your morality, predict your every move, and otherwise screw with your head. Fitting, since they're based on Hannibal Lecter, The Joker, and others.
** The corebook for ''TabletopGame/PrometheanTheCreated'' opens with a psychiatrist called in to interview a "[[FrankensteinsMonster Mr. Verney]]" who's held in police custody. The interview actually leads to her [[spoiler: recalling that she's a former Promethean who managed to achieve mortality... and Verney's arranged the whole thing, believing she's been working with his twisted "bride"...]]

* Somewhat implied in the TabletopGame/UnknownArmies supplement ''Post Modern Magick'', which mentions that trying to treat adepts (insane magicians) in a mental institution is risky. The corebook, however, doesn't use this trope in the normal rules for curing madness (but GM can certainly inflict madness checks on the therapist if he feels it appropriate).

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Where does a therapist turn after talking to the ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' crew? [[http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20070107 The nearest bartender, of course!]]

* One ''WesternAnimation/CodeMonkeys'' episode had a psychiatrist assess the staff, who were all noticeably crazy in different ways. She wound up hating them until she was just as insane. She also pointed out ''her own'' [[YouNeedToGetLaid need to get laid]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'' episode "Smokin' with Cigarettes", [[CreepyChild Lamilton Taeshawn]]'s therapist Dr. Doomis was driven mad by the realization that Lamilton is a {{sadist}}ic {{sociopath}} who is irredeemably evil. Doomis considers Taeshawn to be a "ticking time bomb" who will eventually try to murder someone if he's not stopped in time. Doomis even calls him {{the Antichrist}}.

* In a softened form, one of the central themes of Series/InTreatment, leading Paul to act unprofessionally and/or fail to help several of his patients in differing ways. Notably with Laura in Season 1, April in Season 2, and [[spoiler: Sunil]] in Season 3.

* In an episode of ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'', a famous child psychologist has a talk radio show. Since his ratings are low, he agrees to visit the greatest problem child's house and cure her. His typical techniques and analysis prove completely ineffective. Eventually, he snaps and tries to choke her to death only to find [[spoiler:she's been dead for 40 years]] yet she is "still busy as a bee". Then he sees what happened to the many OTHER child psychologists who tried to help...
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'':
** George Costanza once drove a therapist to suicide.
** Jerry turns his life around and opens up to his friends emotionally. As he urges George to do the same, George opens up and gives Jerry a glimpse into his mind. A jump cut [[TheUnreveal prevents us]] from being exposed to undiluted Costanza, but Jerry is so shocked that he instantly snaps back to his uncaring self.
* In ''Series/SevenDays'', Frank's psychiatrist storms into the supervisor's office ranting about Frank's impossible psychiatric state. Apparently he has a god complex and a martyr complex at the same time and likes tormenting the poor doctor.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E9DaggerOfTheMind Dagger of the Mind]]", a patient in a space-borne asylum for the criminally insane turns the tables on the institution's supervisor, turning him into a neurotic wreck who hands the keys over to the patient. And that's just the start...
* The ''Series/MyFamily'' episode "Shrink Rap" features a therapist who was trying to quit smoking with the help of another therapist. She ends up ''eating'' nicotine patches as the general stress of attempting to deal with the Harpers' dysfunctions for even ''half an hour'' takes its toll.

* In the first few seasons of ''Series/TheSopranos'', Dr. Melfi gradually gets distraught by her therapy sessions with Tony Soprano, leading to weight gains, [[DrowningMySorrows drinking]], and needing therapy herself. In season 6, Dr. Melfi learns of a psychological study which discourages the use of traditional psychoanalysis with career criminals, as it too often validates the use of hypocrisy and deception for them; this is apparently a significant factor in her decision to end Tony's therapy.
* Dr. Cox of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' has been giving psychologists fits for years.
* An episode of ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'' had a youth guidance counselor have to be talked out of jumping off a building.
* Likewise, an episode of ''Series/PerfectStrangers'' had a reporter for the ''Chicago Sun'' be talked out of jumping after reporting on [[HumansAreBastards human bastardy]] made him depressed.
* ''Series/MuppetsTonight'' did a sketch where Kermit goes to psychiatrist Creator/SandraBullock, complaining that every time he hears the word "phenomenon," the singers from the old "Manna Manna" song suddenly appear and start singing. Bullock asks if she can try it, says "phenomenon," and joins in the singing, leaving Kermit even more disconcerted.
* Inverted in the ''Series/RedDwarf'' episode "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIIITheLastDay The Last Day]]" when we learn that Rimmer once volunteered on the Samaritans' suicide prevention hotline.
-->'''Rimmer:''' I used to be with the Samaritans.\\
'''Lister:''' I know. For one morning.\\
'''Rimmer:''' Well I couldn't take any more.\\
'''Lister:''' I don't blame you. You spoke to five people and they all committed suicide. I wouldn't mind but one was a wrong number. He only phoned up for the cricket scores.\\
'''Rimmer:''' [[NeverMyFault It's hardly my fault]] everyone chose that particular day to throw themselves off buildings. It made the papers you know. "Lemming Sunday," they called it.

* Niles and ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' often come across as more neurotic than the people they treat, and even end up in therapy in the {{Flashback}} tale "Shrink Rap". Several episodes revolve around Frasier and Niles analyzing the crap out of an issue when it's really far simpler than they ever would have guessed.
%%* Britta Perry on ''Series/{{Community}}'' does this most of the time.
* In the NBC series ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'', Bedelia [=DuMaurier=] has the dubious honor of being Hannibal Lecter's psychiatrist, which has an unfortunate effect on her sanity. In the episode "Tome-Wan", she confesses to committing murder due to the influence.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheNanny'', there was a throwaway joke about the fact that Gracie was not able to get an appointment with her therapist to address some incident in the episode because the therapist had an appointment with her therapist.
* Stewart from ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' apparently drove his therapist to suicide, and they blamed him in the note.
* ''{{Series/Lucifer}}'': Linda tries to get Lucifer to abandon his "metaphors" in the [[WhamEpisode Season 2 episode "Monster"]] and pleads for his full honesty. Seeing that simply explaining would not work, he decides to [[spoiler:show her his true, demonic face]]. [[HeroicBSOD She doesn't]] [[ThousandYardStare take it well]].
* ''Series/{{Sliders}}'': In "Post-Traumatic Slide Syndrome", Rembrandt spends the entire episode venting to a psychiatrist about the most recent Slide, and how stressful Sliding in general has been. After he actually Slides out with the rest of the group in full view of the psychiatrist, a team of asylum personnel arrive (having been called by the psychiatrist, who'd thought Remy was delusional) and, seeing the psychiatrist breaking down after what he just saw, take ''him'' away to be committed.

* Michel Duval in the ''Literature/RedMarsTrilogy'' spends several decades as the only therapist within several million miles, and consequently has no one to help him deal with his own problems (which include dealing with all the First Hundred's problems) and slowly becomes unbalanced and retreats into nostalgia.
* Creator/NormanSpinrad's short story "It's a Bird! It's a Plane!" begins with the description of Superman Syndrome, where people forget their own past in favor of being Clark Kent/Superman. This doesn't end well for Doctor Felix Funck.
* ''Literature/JustAfterSunset'', a collection of short stories by Creator/StephenKing, features the novella ''N'', about a mysterious circle of stones on the outskirts of town that ensnares quite a few people, including a psychiatrist.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/AllTheTroublesOfTheWorld'': Multivac [[DrivenToSuicide becomes suicidal]] from having to help countless humans with [[ThereAreNoTherapists their psychological problems]]. They've already given it the job of predicting crimes, which mental health can affect; then they start laying plans to have it take care of all human sickness.
* Cruelly yet hilariously subverted in the short story ''The Earth Men'' by Creator/RayBradbury. [[spoiler:Thinking you're from Earth turns out to be a common psychological disorder on Mars, where delusions can actually manifest physically due to the Martians' psychic abilities, so the demonstrable existence of your spaceship and crew is more of an expected symptom than a proof of sanity. Upon making contact with the natives, the titular spacefarers are eventually directed to a psychiatrist who ends up forcefully euthanizing them as an incurable case - and when the ship and their bodies fail to vanish, he concludes to his horror that he's been infected with this trope and shoots himself.]]
* ''Literature/RedDragon'':
** Will Graham's MO is to use his empathetic imagination (a match for Lecter's own, which is what allows him to bust Lecter) to mentally imitate the killer as best he can. He succeeds (with the help of a self-imposed, accidental case of BluffingTheMurderer by Lecter himself) at exposing Lecter as the Chesapeake Ripper but as a result has to go to a mental hospital just for ''having Lecter's thoughts in his head''.
** This was one of Lecter's hobbies while he's incarcerated. Therapists would come to examine him and he would do his best to hurt them. He sent at least one away in tears.

* Marv of ''ComicBook/SinCity'' was once psychoanalyzed, but the analyst, the girlfriend of his parole officer Lucille, pulled out because she "got too scared."
* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Rorschach causes a gradual breakdown of his therapist's positive worldview and replaces it with his own existential perspective. Dr. Long comes to realize that nothing truly means anything, and that reality is just like the inkblots that gave Rorschach his name: the only meaning in life is that which we choose to impose. He was broken so thoroughly that he became an EmptyShell of his former self and his wife left him. Despite this, though, he ''still tries to help people'', because to him, [[TheAntiNihilist it's the only thing that means anything]]. He's showing signs of a real recovery by the time [[spoiler:[[ShootTheShaggyDog he dies along with half the population of NYC]].]]

* Therapist Dr. Ella Whitby fell in love with ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} when he was briefly institutionalized. There was no way it could end well, and it didn't.

* Taken to an extreme in ''ComicBook/BlackScience'' when telepathic superhero Antom makes the mistake of trying to [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead mind-read]] and psychoanalyze [[HumanoidAbomination Doxta]]; he’s promptly [[MindRape Mind-Raped]] so hard that he ''claws his own eyes out'' in a desperate attempt to stop it.

* In ''ComicBook/AbsoluteCarnage'', Carnage proudly proclaims that that's what's wrong with all of his shrinks - they think that all his problems boil down to sex and violence on TV or violent video games or any of that stuff when he's proudly all of that and more - he's a proud and murderous psychopath and all of those "ills" are a part of him.

* PlayedForLaughs in the newspaper comic ''ComicStrip/{{Pondus}}'', where Jokke (Alex in the English version) regularly visits a therapist, Dr. Zimmerknaben, to 'let out steam' over all his crazy misadventures with women. While Jokke himself hasn't got many problems with his experiences, Zimmerknaben is eventually driven mad by the experience of hearing Jokke drone on about his bizarre sex life week after week. One of the final strips of the two interacting shows Jokke playing the therapist role for Zimmerknaben while the latter goes on a tangent about how treating Jokke has turned him into a neurotic mess.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'', where a FlashbackCut reveals '''''Calvin once drove his school psychiatrist insane. By accident.'''''

* In Music/TheFlamingLips' indie movie, ''Christmas on Mars'', the hard-swearing base psychiatrist has clearly had it up to ''here'' with people asking him for anti-hallucinatory drugs, which were not brought on the Mars mission for some reason. The main character is clearly in a fairly delicate place and the psychiatrist barks at him just for asking a stupid question.

* ''Mr Frost'': InAWorld where people no longer believe in {{God}} or TheDevil, what is Satan to do? Simple: [[spoiler: manifest as a serial killer in order to get locked in a psycho ward, with the intention of slowly corrupting his psychoanalyst until she snaps and murders him, causing a wave of revulsion that would make humanity turn its back on rationality.]] "Stronger than passing time," indeed.

* ''Theatre/{{Harvey}}'': you can see here you can see how the boundaries between patient and therapist gradually merge [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sq-g-UXuMk Poor, poor thing]]. The movie ending seems to suggest that the therapist went insane with a nonexistent Harvey and if you believe that Harvey is RealAfterAll, Elwood ends with the real Harvey... [[MindScrew or... something]]

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Creator/StanLee and Marcos Martin's non-canon story "Identity Crisis" (not to be confused with the in-canon 616 [[ComicBook/SpiderManIdentityCrisis story of the same name]]) printed as a backup ''Spidey Sunday Stories'' where Spider-Man goes to a psychologist Dr. Gray Madder (a pun on gray matter) and talks to him about his identity issues, which involve the constant changes and endless retcons to his supporting cast and rogues, such as his Aunt May being alive and dead, his marriage to MJ being retconned in and out, her being pregnant and not, Green Goblin dying and coming back, lampshading the bizarre changes to Spider-Man continuity that actually drives Dr. Gray Madder nuts and has him going to a shrink.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' had a non-canon story by writer Creator/StanLee and artist Marcos Martin's non-canon story "Identity Crisis" (not to be confused with the in-canon 616 story of the same name) printed as a backup ''Spidey Sunday Stories'' where Spider-Man goes to a psychologist Dr. Gray Madder (a pun on gray matter) and talking to him about his identity issues, which involve the constant changes and endless retcons to his supporting cast and rogues, such as his Aunt May being alive and dead, his marriage to MJ being retconned in and out, her being pregnant and not, Green Goblin dying and coming back, lampshading the bizarre changes to Spider-Man continuity that actually drives Dr. Gray Madder nuts and has him going to a shrink.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' when Cartman's mom brings in child behaviorists and specialists (read: reality TV hosts) to help with his behavior, Cartman destroys each and every one of them. He reduces ''Series/SuperNanny'' to a babbling wreck who is last seen eating her own feces. It takes The Dog Whisperer to finally break Cartman, which he does by ignoring him when he's desperate for attention, quickly pinching him in the neck when Cartman misbehaves and generally treating him like he was a problem dog.

* Dr. Hopper in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' had a few of these moments, most prominently in the second episode where he essentially sold Emma out to Regina. He had another moment where he put "David" (PrinceCharming) under hypnosis. David said something that incriminated Mary Margaret for murder, but Archie didn't bother questioning it. In the second to last episode, he also gave Emma some ''horrible'' advice that would have resulted in her leaving town and putting Henry back with Regina, so Regina could continue emotionally abusing the kid and bullying the townsfolk (Hopper included) without interference.

* This is basically the plot of ''Film/WhatAboutBob'' although it's a variation: The therapist is on vacation and the patient follows him. This is mixed with a hearty dollop of TheCobblersChildrenHaveNoShoes.

* By the end of ''Film/TheyMightBeGiants'' Dr. Mildred Watson not only cheerfully shares Justin Playfair's delusion that he's Sherlock Holmes but has fallen in love with him into the bargain.
* ''Film/WhatAboutBob'': The whole premise of this movie is a neurotic man intruding into his psychotherapist's life and slowly driving him insane. As the movie goes on, it's pretty clear that Dr. Marvin had some things already brewing under the surface and all it took was Bob getting under his skin enough to draw them out.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'', where a FlashbackCut reveals '''''Calvin once drove his school psychiatrist insane.'''''

* In the [[AlternateUniverseFic AU]] ''Manga/DeathNote'' fic ''FanFic/PointOfSuccession'' this happens to pretty much everyone with [[LightNovel/AnotherNote BB]]. Like ComicBook/TheJoker, BB isn't so much insane as he is "[[CrazySane super]] [[TheUnfettered sane]]" and [[InfectiousInsanity anyone who tries to get into his head will regret it.]] So far the ones who seem to be most affected by BB's [[BreakThemByTalking little chats]] are [[ReluctantPsycho Light]] who, in this universe, is the criminal [[TheProfiler profiler]] who took BB on as a subject of study and later [[spoiler: [[FaceHeelTurn Mello]] ([[StockholmSyndrome the kid BB kidnapped]])]].

* It's quite dangerous indeed to try and psychoanalyze [[CosmicBeing certain SCPs]] -- or, for that matter, the staff of the ''Wiki/SCPFoundation''.

** Jeremiah Arkham, who runs Arkham Asylum, spent a short amount of time as a high profile inmate when he was manipulated into becoming the second Black Mask. Not to mention his forebear, Amadeus Arkham, who ended up as Gotham's first vigilante murderer.

* ''Manga/{{Soil}}'' has a school counselor who is actually pretty knowledgable and spot-on about her subjects' problems (once she realizes how horrible they are), but [[spoiler: keeping her insane(?) son(?) locked in the basement behind an electric fence that he keeps trying to get out of to the point the wires' pattern is burned into his body]] kinda diminishes her authority.

* While AxCrazy patients usually don't spawn this reaction, psychologists who work with ''depressed'' patients have a disturbingly high suicide rate.
** This is true for humans on the whole - the main problem with social workers is that they're very empathetic, and so essentially suffer critical psychoanalysis failures as they see the same situation over and over. Test it yourself - try spending a significant amount of time on a website like [[http://www.fmylife.com/ FML]] and you start getting depressed at a lot of the crap that people go through.
** And while it's not a matter of trained therapists, there is also ''folie à deux'', which is where a spouse or close relative can go crazy while trying to deal with their crazy partner. When you live in madness...
** Another high-risk field is psychologists who work with survivors of abuse. Some of the things human beings can inflict on each other are truly horrifying.
*** And Police Officers who end up dealing with the aftermath of such cases are also a high-risk group.
*** Medical professionals, too. ''Especially'' pediatricians.
** Similarly, dealing with [[HumansAreBastards the worst]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive that human nature]] [[{{Criminals}} has to offer]] on a daily basis is a big reason why lawyers have such a high occurrence of alcoholism.
* Mental health workers tend to have a higher instance of mental illnesses, especially mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, and the like). Whether the mentally ill are drawn to psychology or it's this trope in action is up for debate (although it's probably a combination).

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/AllTheTroublesOfTheWorld'':Multivac [[DrivenToSuicide becomes suicidal]] from having to help countless humans with [[ThereAreNoTherapists their psychological problems]]. They've already given it the job of predicting crimes, which mental health can affect; then they start laying plans to have it take care of all human sickness.

Not to be confused with TherapyBackfire or CriticalResearchFailure in the field of psychology.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' when Cartman's mom brings in child behaviorists and specialists (read: reality TV hosts) to help with his behavior, Cartman destroys each and every one of them. He reduces ''Series/SuperNanny'' to a babbling wreck who is last seen eating her own feces. It takes The Dog Whisperer to finally break Cartman, which he does by ignoring him.

* In ''Literature/RedDragon'' Will Graham's MO is to use his empathetic imagination (a match for Lecter's own, which is what allows him to bust Lecter) to mentally imitate the killer as best he can. He succeeds (with the help of a self-imposed, accidental case of BluffingTheMurderer by Lecter himself) at exposing Lecter as the Chesapeake Ripper but as a result has to go to a mental hospital just for ''having Lecter's thoughts in his head''.

* This happened with the title character of ''Series/{{Becker}}''.

* Britta Perry on ''Series/{{Community}}'' does this most of the time.

*** Happened to the Asylum's founder, Amadeus Arkham, as well after a serial killer murdered his wife. And as the ''Spirit of Arkham'' messages reveal, [[spoiler:it's happened to the current administrator as well]].
*** This is inverted with the interview tapes in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', in which the interviews are being conducted by none other than [[PsychoPsychologist Professor Hugo Strange]] who [[HorrifyingTheHorror manages to out-creep most of Arkham City's various maniacs]] with devastating {{Breaking Speech}}es. Arguably this is a form of WorfBarrage to hype up the little-known villain.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':

** Gotham City: Where ForWantOfANail is "For Want of Good Psychologists"...

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Rorschach causes a gradual breakdown of his therapist's positive worldview and replaces it with his own existential perspective. Dr. Long comes to realize that nothing truly means anything, and that reality is just like the inkblots that gave Rorschach his name: the only meaning in life is that which we choose to impose. He was broken so thoroughly that ''ComicBook/DoomsdayClock'' revealed he became an EmptyShell of his former self and his wife left him. Despite this, though, he ''still tries to help people'', because to him, [[TheAntiNihilist it's the only thing that means anything]]. He's showing signs of a real recovery by the time [[spoiler:[[ShootTheShaggyDog he dies along with half the population of NYC]].]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Rorschach causes a gradual breakdown of his therapist's positive worldview and replaces it with his own existential perspective. Dr. Long comes to realize that nothing truly means anything, and that reality is just like the inkblots that gave Rorschach his name: the only meaning in life is that which we choose to impose. Despite this, though, he ''still tries to help people'', because to him, [[TheAntiNihilist it's the only thing that means anything]]. He's showing signs of a real recovery by the time [[spoiler:[[ShootTheShaggyDog he dies along with half the population of NYC]].]]

* Galvatron became nuttier than pecan pie by the time of the third season of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersGenerationOne.'' The Decepticons are so sick of his violent, paranoid psychosis that they threaten Cyclonus to do something about it... which involves Cyclonus taking an unhappy and unwilling Galvatron to Torkulon, a sort of GeniusLoci psychiatric treatment planet. Its psychiatric teams try to treat his madness over the course of the episode, but unfortunately for them, Galvatron is ''so'' AxCrazy that he ''drives the entire planet insane.''

** In the old second edition of ''AD&D'', there was a bard kit called the Jester, which played up the silly and chaotic nature of the character. Attempts to read a jester's mind could result in [[StandardStatusEffects Confusion]] for the caster.