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** In Creator/TimothyZahn's [[Literature/[[TheThrawnTrilogy Thrawn Trilogy]], Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
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** In Creator/TimothyZahn's [[Literature/[[TheThrawnTrilogy [[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy Thrawn Trilogy]], Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
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* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': [[Comicbook/XWingSeries Lara Notsil]], former Imperial agent Gara Petothel, slowly goes through one as she [[BecomingTheMask becomes the mask]] after infiltrating Wraith Squadron. It turns out that Imperial Intelligence was... ''[[{{Understatement}} lax]]'' in concerning themselves with what would happen to an agent after having so many different identities swirling around in their head. She manages to never show it, but some of her inner dialogue is downright depressing as she fights between her two[[spoiler: /three]] different identities in order to stay with her Squadron.
** Another [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Star Wars EU]] example is Palpatine from DarkEmpire. Pre-Endor Palpatine had been scarily sane, but the ordeals of death, {{Body Surf}}ing, and the natural mental instability of clones leads him further down the slope throughout the course of the story.
** In Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
* Happens to Ron in the last ''Literature/{{Harry Potter|and the Deathly Hallows}}'' book, whenever he wears the locket.
** Another [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Star Wars EU]] example is Palpatine from DarkEmpire. Pre-Endor Palpatine had been scarily sane, but the ordeals of death, {{Body Surf}}ing, and the natural mental instability of clones leads him further down the slope throughout the course of the story.
** In Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
* Happens to Ron in the last ''Literature/{{Harry Potter|and the Deathly Hallows}}'' book, whenever he wears the locket.
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* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': [[Comicbook/XWingSeries ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
** In the Comicbook/XWingSeries LaraNotsil]], Notsil, AKA the former Imperial agent Gara Petothel, slowly goes through one as she [[BecomingTheMask becomes the mask]] after infiltrating Wraith Squadron. It turns out that Imperial Intelligence was... ''[[{{Understatement}} lax]]'' in concerning themselves with what would happen to an agent after having so many different identities swirling around in their head. She manages to never show it, but some of her inner dialogue is downright depressing as she fights between her two[[spoiler: /three]] different identities in order to stay with her Squadron.
**Another [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Star Wars EU]] example is Palpatine from DarkEmpire.ComicBook/DarkEmpire. Pre-Endor Palpatine had been scarily sane, but the ordeals of death, {{Body Surf}}ing, and the natural mental instability of clones leads him further down the slope throughout the course of the story.
** InTimothy Zahn's Creator/TimothyZahn's [[Literature/[[TheThrawnTrilogy Thrawn Trilogy, Trilogy]], Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
* Happens to Ron inthe last ''Literature/{{Harry Potter|and Potter and the Deathly Hallows}}'' book, Hallows}}'', whenever he wears the locket.
** In the Comicbook/XWingSeries Lara
**
** In
* Happens to Ron in
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* The BigBad of the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series suffers steadily worsening sanity as he {{Body Surf}}s through the centuries, as a result of spending his time between bodies in a SoulJar in the VoidBetweenTheWorlds. As Ma'ar and [[Literature/LastHeraldMageTrilogy Leareth]] he's a fairly MagnificentBastard, but by the time we see him as Mornelith Falconsbane in the ''Winds'' trilogy he's grabbed the VillainBall tight and won't let go. The slippage accelerates when he's flung into the Void bodily between ''Winds of Change'' and ''Winds of Fury'', leading to his final downfall.
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* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', Szeth-son-son-Vallano is a pacifist who is also a Truthless--a sort of warrior-slave of his people, bound to obey anyone who holds his Oathstone. He is also [[OneManArmy quite possibly literally the most dangerous man on the planet]], partly because he's the first [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Surgebinder]] to be seen in four thousand years. He, understandably, is typically used as a weapon and assassin, which is made worse by the fact that there is nothing magical about his oath; he could stop the murders at any moment [[ToBeLawfulOrGood if he would just choose what is right over the law]]. By [[Literature/WordsOfRadiance the second book]], his brain is barely hanging on by a thread. It gets worse [[spoiler:when he finds out that the "lies" he told that got him made Truthless were actually true all along, meaning absolutely ''none'' of it was necessary]].
* Jack Merridew and Roger in "Literature/{{Lord of the Flies}}."
* Jack Merridew and Roger in "Literature/{{Lord of the Flies}}."
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* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'':
** Szeth-son-son-Vallano is a pacifist who is also a Truthless--a sort of warrior-slave of his people, bound to obey anyone who holds his Oathstone. He is also [[OneManArmy quite possibly literally the most dangerous man on the planet]], partly because he's the first [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Surgebinder]] to be seen in four thousand years. He, understandably, is typically used as a weapon and assassin, which is made worse by the fact that there is nothing magical about his oath; he could stop the murders at any moment [[ToBeLawfulOrGood if he would just choose what is right over the law]]. By [[Literature/WordsOfRadiance the second book]], his brain is barely hanging on by a thread. It gets worse [[spoiler:when he finds out that the "lies" he told that got him made Truthless were actually true all along, meaning absolutely ''none'' of it was necessary]].
* ** The Heralds, who have been wandering the world for four thousand years after giving up on their oaths, are getting crazier. Shalash (Herald of Beauty) has taken to destroying any artwork depicting her, Nale (Herald of Justice) is obsessed with law to the point of being willing to kill a girl over petty theft--but stopping the instant she is pardoned, and Kalak has become a paranoid wreck jumping at shadows.
--->'''Kalak:''' I'm worried about Ash.\\
'''Nale:''' You're worried about everything.\\
'''Kalak:''' She's getting worse. We weren't supposed to get worse. Am I getting worse? I think I feel worse.
%%* Jack Merridew and Roger in"Literature/{{Lord of the Flies}}."''Literature/LordOfTheFlies''.
** Szeth-son-son-Vallano is a pacifist who is also a Truthless--a sort of warrior-slave of his people, bound to obey anyone who holds his Oathstone. He is also [[OneManArmy quite possibly literally the most dangerous man on the planet]], partly because he's the first [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Surgebinder]] to be seen in four thousand years. He, understandably, is typically used as a weapon and assassin, which is made worse by the fact that there is nothing magical about his oath; he could stop the murders at any moment [[ToBeLawfulOrGood if he would just choose what is right over the law]]. By [[Literature/WordsOfRadiance the second book]], his brain is barely hanging on by a thread. It gets worse [[spoiler:when he finds out that the "lies" he told that got him made Truthless were actually true all along, meaning absolutely ''none'' of it was necessary]].
--->'''Kalak:''' I'm worried about Ash.\\
'''Nale:''' You're worried about everything.\\
'''Kalak:''' She's getting worse. We weren't supposed to get worse. Am I getting worse? I think I feel worse.
%%* Jack Merridew and Roger in
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* In ''[[Literature/SpaceMarineBattles Fall of Damnos]]'', Sahteh the Enfleshed, a lord of Necron [[HumanResources Flayed Ones]], finds himself less and less self-aware as his craving for a new skin grows stronger. By the end, he can't tell whether he's still alive or already a killer robot, doesn't know what planet he's on and thinks of nothing but getting a new skin.
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* The narrator from ''TheMothDiaries''. Possibly.
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* The narrator from ''TheMothDiaries''.''Literature/TheMothDiaries''. Possibly.
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*Jack Merridew and Roger in "Literature/{{Lord of the Flies}}."
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* Alicia [=DeVries=] of ''Literature/InFuryBorn'' suffers this throughout the second half of the book due to [[DemonicPossession being possessed]] [[LastOfHisKind by the last of]] [[ClassicalMythology the Greek Furies]]. Culminates when she discovers the identities of the [[TheMole traitors]] within [[spoiler: the [[TheEmpire Imperial]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Fleet]]]], and subsequently goes [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge batshit crazy]]. Fortunately, she is [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight stopped]] [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon from ramming a space station with nine thousand innocents]] and TheBigBad aboard]] by the Fury and her [[SapientShip ship's AI]] in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.
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* Alicia [=DeVries=] of ''Literature/InFuryBorn'' suffers this throughout the second half of the book due to [[DemonicPossession being possessed]] [[LastOfHisKind by the last of]] [[ClassicalMythology [[Myth/ClassicalMythology the Greek Furies]]. Culminates when she discovers the identities of the [[TheMole traitors]] within [[spoiler: the [[TheEmpire Imperial]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Fleet]]]], and subsequently goes [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge batshit crazy]]. Fortunately, she is [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight stopped]] [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon from ramming a space station with nine thousand innocents]] and TheBigBad aboard]] by the Fury and her [[SapientShip ship's AI]] in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.
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* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Ward's mother is already a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} at the start of the novel, but gets worse over the course of it. In the end [[spoiler: Ward can't find her anymore with his magical ability to find people, even though her body is there.]] She's gentle and nice the whole time, but lives in a world of her own making, and refuses to acknowledge the reality (which is not really worth living in, at least before the death of her abusive husband).
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* Gollum and Denethor in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
** Isildur after he gets the Ring.
** Boromir, particularly after Lórien.
** Isildur after he gets the Ring.
** Boromir, particularly after Lórien.
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* Gollum and Denethor in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
**''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Also, Isildur after he gets the Ring.
**Ring. Boromir, particularly after Lórien.
**
**
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* Lydia in ''Caught In The Act''.
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* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', Szeth-son-son-Vallano is a pacifist who is also a Truthless--a sort of warrior-slave of his people, bound to obey anyone who holds his Oathstone. He is also [[OneManArmy quite possibly literally the most dangerous man on the planet]], partly because he's the first [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Surgebinder]] to be seen in four thousand years. He, understandably, is typically used as a weapon and assassin, which is made worse by the fact that there is nothing magical about his oath; he could stop the murders at any moment [[ToBeLawfulOrGood if he would just choose what is right over the law]]. By [[Literature/WordsOfRadiance the second book]], his brain is barely hanging on by a thread. It gets worse [[spoiler:when he finds out that the "lies" he told that got him made Truthless were actually true all along, meaning absolutely ''none'' of it was necessary]].
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** Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story "[[Literature/SkeletonCrew The Jaunt]]" is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
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** Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story "[[Literature/SkeletonCrew The Jaunt]]" is about a teleportation machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
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**Thorin deserves a mention, his desire for gold applied this trope to him. Thankfully he regains it in the end
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** Renfield started out as a mental patient with a fixation on eating life. Dracula makes him considerably ''worse'', but Renfield does recover enough to try and save Mina from Dracula [[spoiler: though he's killed for his trouble]].
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** Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story "The Jaunt" is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
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** Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story "The Jaunt" "[[Literature/SkeletonCrew The Jaunt]]" is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
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* The Bursar of Unseen University from ''Literature/Discworld'' used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
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* The Bursar of Unseen University from ''Literature/Discworld'' ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, ''Discworld/ReaperMan'', when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
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* A consequence of syphilis in ''Literature/KingdomOfLittleWounds''. The queen has probably been losing her mind for years, and she only appears to get worse over the story.
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* The Bursar of Unseen University used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
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* The Bursar of Unseen University from ''Literature/Discworld'' used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
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* In the ''Literature/{{Newsflesh}}'' series, Shaun has a bad case of slippage after [[spoiler:being forced to shoot his sister when she's going into amplification, i.e. becoming a zombie]] at the end of the first book, ''Feed''. Over the course of the next two, ''Deadline'' and ''Blackout'', he goes from having conversations with [[spoiler:Georgia]] to outright visual and tactile hallucinations. He's well aware he's clinically insane, and prefers it to sanity, since dealing with the reality of his situation would push him to suicide.
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* In ''[[Literature/BlackTideRising Under a Graveyard Sky]]'', Faith goes a little into this after they board a yacht that was taken over by the mercenaries hired to protect it and sees the carnage that followed, [[spoiler:killing and rape everyone there.]] It becomes more serious when they're clearing a [[spoiler:cruise]] ship later. Oddly it's not fighting zombies that does it but what she finds after the zombies are cleared out, [[spoiler:the horror shows in the cabins, even the ones where they find survivors.]] She turns Trixie, a teddy bear they found on one ship into a CompanionCube as a coping mechanism.
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** Theon's PointOfView chapters in ''A Clash of Kings'' show him becoming increasingly more terrified and paranoid, making ever more desperate decisions, as his FaceHeelTurn fails to go as he'd imagined.
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** Theon's PointOfView chapters in ''A Clash of Kings'' show him becoming increasingly more terrified and paranoid, making ever more desperate decisions, decisions as his FaceHeelTurn fails to go as he'd imagined.he realizes that the reinforcements he needs aren't forthcoming.
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* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': While [[spoiler:Cersei]] had never been completely grounded, she wasn't completely off her rocker either. Over the course of the fourth book, though, in response to [[spoiler: the [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death]] of her [[ParentalFavoritism firstborn]] [[MyBelovedSmother son]] and shortly afterward her father as well]], she starts losing it, seeing enemies in every corner and ordering people [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] willy-nilly.
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* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
** Theon's PointOfView chapters in ''A Clash of Kings'' show him becoming increasingly more terrified and paranoid, making ever more desperate decisions, as his FaceHeelTurn fails to go as he'd imagined.
** While [[spoiler:Cersei]] had never been completely grounded, she wasn't completely off her rocker either. Over the course of the fourth book, though, in response to [[spoiler: the [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death]] of her [[ParentalFavoritism firstborn]] [[MyBelovedSmother son]] and shortly afterward her father as well]], she starts losing it, seeing enemies in every corner and ordering people [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] willy-nilly.
** Theon's PointOfView chapters in ''A Clash of Kings'' show him becoming increasingly more terrified and paranoid, making ever more desperate decisions, as his FaceHeelTurn fails to go as he'd imagined.
** While [[spoiler:Cersei]] had never been completely grounded, she wasn't completely off her rocker either. Over the course of the fourth book, though, in response to [[spoiler: the [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death]] of her [[ParentalFavoritism firstborn]] [[MyBelovedSmother son]] and shortly afterward her father as well]], she starts losing it, seeing enemies in every corner and ordering people [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] willy-nilly.
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* The narrator of ''Literature/TheYellowWallpaper''. Understandable, when you're locked in the attic for months, almost totally deprived of outside interaction.
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* The narrator of ''Literature/TheYellowWallpaper''."Literature/TheYellowWallpaper". Understandable, when you're locked in the attic for months, almost totally deprived of outside interaction.
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* Very common in Creator/HPLovecraft's work, most notably in "The Rats in the Walls" and "A Shadow Over Innsmouth." Of course, considering the [[CosmicHorrorStory type]] of stories he wrote, it's understandable.
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* Very common in Creator/HPLovecraft's work, most notably in "The Rats in the Walls" and "A "The Shadow Over Innsmouth." Of course, considering the [[CosmicHorrorStory type]] of stories he wrote, it's understandable.
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* Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story ''The Jaunt'' is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
to:
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* Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story ''The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet'' are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story ''The Jaunt'' is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
to:
* Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story ''The "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet'' Bullet" are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story ''The Jaunt'' is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
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* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]], and to a [[BreakTheCutie lesser extent]], her brothers.
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* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]], and to a [[BreakTheCutie lesser extent]], her brothers. Bluestar in the original series also goes though this after Tigerclaw's betrayal.
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* Happens to Ron in the last ''HarryPotter'' book, whenever he wears the locket.
* Katniss Everdeen progressively starts to lose it over the course of TheHungerGames trilogy.
* Katniss Everdeen progressively starts to lose it over the course of TheHungerGames trilogy.
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* Happens to Ron in the last ''HarryPotter'' ''Literature/{{Harry Potter|and the Deathly Hallows}}'' book, whenever he wears the locket.
* Katniss Everdeen progressively starts to lose it over the course ofTheHungerGames ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' trilogy.
* Katniss Everdeen progressively starts to lose it over the course of
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* Katniss Everdeen progressively starts to lose it over the course of TheHungerGames trilogy.
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* Happens to Ron in the last ''HarryPotter'' book, whenever he wears the locket.
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----
* Johnny Truant and Zampano in ''Literature/HouseOfLeaves''.
* Gollum and Denethor in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
** Isildur after he gets the Ring.
* Jack Torrance in ''Literature/TheShining''. Creator/StephenKing stated his book was about a normal man who goes crazy, and that Creator/StanleyKubrick's [[Film/TheShining film]] was about [[Creator/JackNicholson a crazy man]] [[AxCrazy who goes absolutely bonkers]].
* Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story ''The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet'' are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story ''The Jaunt'' is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
* Roland goes through this in the first third or so of ''Literature/TheWasteLands'' due to [[spoiler:the paradox he created by preventing Jake's (first) death in ''Literature/TheDrawingOfTheThree''. He gets better after being reunited with Jake.]]
* Rand Al'Thor of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' certainly seems to inhabit this trope over the course of at least seven {{Doorstopper}}s. More pressures, more sacrifices and mistakes, more obvious signs of mental instability. After he is [[spoiler:almost captured by legendary psychopathic torturer Semirhage and forced to almost kill Min]] he snaps completely. He adopts DissonantSerenity and engages in more and more questionable deeds. After [[spoiler:almost killing his own father, willingly, out of misplaced rage and paranoia, followed by a bit of fatalist StrawNihilist monologuing on the site of his death in a previous incarnation 3,000 years earlier]] he seems to be showing signs of addressing the slippage though.
* The narrator from ''TheMothDiaries''. Possibly.
* Everyone in ''TheRepublicOfTrees'':
** Alex: [[spoiler: becoming a PsychoForHire for whoever holds the power - though truth be told, he just needed a little push ]]
** Isobel: [[spoiler: completely breaking down from Joy's MindRape - which we get to read in painful detail... except the "therapy reports" are written completely in newspeak.]]
** Louis: [[spoiler: getting more and more lost in his vision of the Revolution, overlooking obvious flaws until everything collapses around him ]]
** Joy: [[spoiler: a meek girl with self-image problems, using her intelligence to get to power and ending a KnightTemplar. Then she realises that she could actually have a boyfriend and it drives her completely {{Yandere}} over a couple of chapters.]]
** Michael, the most notable, being the narrator: over a couple of chapters [[spoiler: he suffers severe head trauma, discovers alcohol, discovers that the girl of his dreams is a slut and what's worse, she only started an affair with him to get back at his brother... he starts hearing voices, having memory gaps...]] By the end of the story he is so broken, that when he discovers what [[spoiler: he is now a boyfriend to a {{Yandere}} and they just murdered his ex in cold blood ]], he decides to just roll with it.
* The narrator of ''Literature/TheYellowWallpaper''. Understandable, when you're locked in the attic for months, almost totally deprived of outside interaction.
** Of course, a popular theory is that the "attic" in question is actually a room in a mental hospital, and that the narrator is already insane when the story begins.
* Very common in Creator/HPLovecraft's work, most notably in "The Rats in the Walls" and "A Shadow Over Innsmouth." Of course, considering the [[CosmicHorrorStory type]] of stories he wrote, it's understandable.
* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]], and to a [[BreakTheCutie lesser extent]], her brothers.
* Most ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' books have at least one villainous character go through this.
* Alicia [=DeVries=] of ''Literature/InFuryBorn'' suffers this throughout the second half of the book due to [[DemonicPossession being possessed]] [[LastOfHisKind by the last of]] [[ClassicalMythology the Greek Furies]]. Culminates when she discovers the identities of the [[TheMole traitors]] within [[spoiler: the [[TheEmpire Imperial]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Fleet]]]], and subsequently goes [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge batshit crazy]]. Fortunately, she is [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight stopped]] [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon from ramming a space station with nine thousand innocents]] and TheBigBad aboard]] by the Fury and her [[SapientShip ship's AI]] in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.
* Dr. Seward in his appearance in ''Literature/AnnoDracula''. You have to give him a little insanity though; it's an AlternateHistory of ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' where instead of the EarnYourHappyEnding situation of rescuing Britain from a supernatural evil while losing (only) your fiancée and an American friend, he lives through a {{Diabolus Ex|Machina}} [[KillEmAll Kill 'Em]] [[TheVirus Or Corrupt 'Em]] scenario.
* In the original ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'', Jonathan Harker and Renfield experienced this thanks to the Count. Harker recovered; Renfield, not so much.
* In ''Literature/DiaryOfAMadman'', the eponymous diary details the descent of Poprishchin descent into madness, starting with his delusion that [[SpeaksFluentAnimal he can understand dogs and their letters.]]
* Alfred Lambert in ''Literature/TheCorrections''.
* Happens to a few characters in ''ThePaleKing'', most notably David Cusk and [[spoiler: Lane Dean]].
* In Max Barry's ''Literature/MachineMan'', the main character, Dr. Charles Neumann, suffers from this. While not quite 'normal' to begin with, after [[spoiler: he's replaced both legs and one hand with Better Parts, he starts talking to them and referring to himself as "we"]].
* Jaimy in the ''Literature/BloodyJack'' series. Early in ''My Bonny Light Horseman'', he receives a head wound in battle that doesn't get treated for weeks because he's in a French prison. As the series progresses, you can see him slowly spiraling down to his HeroicBSOD in ''The Mark Of The Golden Dragon''.
* In ''Literature/ThereseRaquin'', the more time passes, the more Thérèse and Laurent are haunted by memories of Camille, and the crazier they become.
* Lydia in ''Caught In The Act''.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': While [[spoiler:Cersei]] had never been completely grounded, she wasn't completely off her rocker either. Over the course of the fourth book, though, in response to [[spoiler: the [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death]] of her [[ParentalFavoritism firstborn]] [[MyBelovedSmother son]] and shortly afterward her father as well]], she starts losing it, seeing enemies in every corner and ordering people [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] willy-nilly.
* The Bursar of Unseen University used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
* Duane Hoover in Creator/KurtVonnegut's ''BreakfastOfChampions'' gradually loses his sanity throughout the novel and is pushed over the edge when [[spoiler: he takes a Kilgore Trout short story as the truth and believes he is the only real person on Earth]].
* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': [[Comicbook/XWingSeries Lara Notsil]], former Imperial agent Gara Petothel, slowly goes through one as she [[BecomingTheMask becomes the mask]] after infiltrating Wraith Squadron. It turns out that Imperial Intelligence was... ''[[{{Understatement}} lax]]'' in concerning themselves with what would happen to an agent after having so many different identities swirling around in their head. She manages to never show it, but some of her inner dialogue is downright depressing as she fights between her two[[spoiler: /three]] different identities in order to stay with her Squadron.
** Another [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Star Wars EU]] example is Palpatine from DarkEmpire. Pre-Endor Palpatine had been scarily sane, but the ordeals of death, {{Body Surf}}ing, and the natural mental instability of clones leads him further down the slope throughout the course of the story.
** In Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
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* Johnny Truant and Zampano in ''Literature/HouseOfLeaves''.
* Gollum and Denethor in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
** Isildur after he gets the Ring.
* Jack Torrance in ''Literature/TheShining''. Creator/StephenKing stated his book was about a normal man who goes crazy, and that Creator/StanleyKubrick's [[Film/TheShining film]] was about [[Creator/JackNicholson a crazy man]] [[AxCrazy who goes absolutely bonkers]].
* Stephen King loves this trope. ''Literature/BagOfBones'' and the short story ''The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet'' are about men who clawed their way back from the brink of insanity. The short story ''The Jaunt'' is about a machine that causes insanity if it is used incorrectly.
* Roland goes through this in the first third or so of ''Literature/TheWasteLands'' due to [[spoiler:the paradox he created by preventing Jake's (first) death in ''Literature/TheDrawingOfTheThree''. He gets better after being reunited with Jake.]]
* Rand Al'Thor of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' certainly seems to inhabit this trope over the course of at least seven {{Doorstopper}}s. More pressures, more sacrifices and mistakes, more obvious signs of mental instability. After he is [[spoiler:almost captured by legendary psychopathic torturer Semirhage and forced to almost kill Min]] he snaps completely. He adopts DissonantSerenity and engages in more and more questionable deeds. After [[spoiler:almost killing his own father, willingly, out of misplaced rage and paranoia, followed by a bit of fatalist StrawNihilist monologuing on the site of his death in a previous incarnation 3,000 years earlier]] he seems to be showing signs of addressing the slippage though.
* The narrator from ''TheMothDiaries''. Possibly.
* Everyone in ''TheRepublicOfTrees'':
** Alex: [[spoiler: becoming a PsychoForHire for whoever holds the power - though truth be told, he just needed a little push ]]
** Isobel: [[spoiler: completely breaking down from Joy's MindRape - which we get to read in painful detail... except the "therapy reports" are written completely in newspeak.]]
** Louis: [[spoiler: getting more and more lost in his vision of the Revolution, overlooking obvious flaws until everything collapses around him ]]
** Joy: [[spoiler: a meek girl with self-image problems, using her intelligence to get to power and ending a KnightTemplar. Then she realises that she could actually have a boyfriend and it drives her completely {{Yandere}} over a couple of chapters.]]
** Michael, the most notable, being the narrator: over a couple of chapters [[spoiler: he suffers severe head trauma, discovers alcohol, discovers that the girl of his dreams is a slut and what's worse, she only started an affair with him to get back at his brother... he starts hearing voices, having memory gaps...]] By the end of the story he is so broken, that when he discovers what [[spoiler: he is now a boyfriend to a {{Yandere}} and they just murdered his ex in cold blood ]], he decides to just roll with it.
* The narrator of ''Literature/TheYellowWallpaper''. Understandable, when you're locked in the attic for months, almost totally deprived of outside interaction.
** Of course, a popular theory is that the "attic" in question is actually a room in a mental hospital, and that the narrator is already insane when the story begins.
* Very common in Creator/HPLovecraft's work, most notably in "The Rats in the Walls" and "A Shadow Over Innsmouth." Of course, considering the [[CosmicHorrorStory type]] of stories he wrote, it's understandable.
* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]], and to a [[BreakTheCutie lesser extent]], her brothers.
* Most ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' books have at least one villainous character go through this.
* Alicia [=DeVries=] of ''Literature/InFuryBorn'' suffers this throughout the second half of the book due to [[DemonicPossession being possessed]] [[LastOfHisKind by the last of]] [[ClassicalMythology the Greek Furies]]. Culminates when she discovers the identities of the [[TheMole traitors]] within [[spoiler: the [[TheEmpire Imperial]] [[StandardSciFiFleet Fleet]]]], and subsequently goes [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge batshit crazy]]. Fortunately, she is [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight stopped]] [[spoiler: [[MoralEventHorizon from ramming a space station with nine thousand innocents]] and TheBigBad aboard]] by the Fury and her [[SapientShip ship's AI]] in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind.
* Dr. Seward in his appearance in ''Literature/AnnoDracula''. You have to give him a little insanity though; it's an AlternateHistory of ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' where instead of the EarnYourHappyEnding situation of rescuing Britain from a supernatural evil while losing (only) your fiancée and an American friend, he lives through a {{Diabolus Ex|Machina}} [[KillEmAll Kill 'Em]] [[TheVirus Or Corrupt 'Em]] scenario.
* In the original ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'', Jonathan Harker and Renfield experienced this thanks to the Count. Harker recovered; Renfield, not so much.
* In ''Literature/DiaryOfAMadman'', the eponymous diary details the descent of Poprishchin descent into madness, starting with his delusion that [[SpeaksFluentAnimal he can understand dogs and their letters.]]
* Alfred Lambert in ''Literature/TheCorrections''.
* Happens to a few characters in ''ThePaleKing'', most notably David Cusk and [[spoiler: Lane Dean]].
* In Max Barry's ''Literature/MachineMan'', the main character, Dr. Charles Neumann, suffers from this. While not quite 'normal' to begin with, after [[spoiler: he's replaced both legs and one hand with Better Parts, he starts talking to them and referring to himself as "we"]].
* Jaimy in the ''Literature/BloodyJack'' series. Early in ''My Bonny Light Horseman'', he receives a head wound in battle that doesn't get treated for weeks because he's in a French prison. As the series progresses, you can see him slowly spiraling down to his HeroicBSOD in ''The Mark Of The Golden Dragon''.
* In ''Literature/ThereseRaquin'', the more time passes, the more Thérèse and Laurent are haunted by memories of Camille, and the crazier they become.
* Lydia in ''Caught In The Act''.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': While [[spoiler:Cersei]] had never been completely grounded, she wasn't completely off her rocker either. Over the course of the fourth book, though, in response to [[spoiler: the [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death]] of her [[ParentalFavoritism firstborn]] [[MyBelovedSmother son]] and shortly afterward her father as well]], she starts losing it, seeing enemies in every corner and ordering people [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured]] willy-nilly.
* The Bursar of Unseen University used to be quite sane, up until the appointment of Mustrum Ridcully to Archchancellor wore away at his nerves. His sanity ''really'' took a dive in Discworld/ReaperMan, when ancient wizard Windle Poons rose from the grave. In fact, it's so bad that the medication he's given is specially designed to make him ''hallucinate sanity''.
* Duane Hoover in Creator/KurtVonnegut's ''BreakfastOfChampions'' gradually loses his sanity throughout the novel and is pushed over the edge when [[spoiler: he takes a Kilgore Trout short story as the truth and believes he is the only real person on Earth]].
* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'': [[Comicbook/XWingSeries Lara Notsil]], former Imperial agent Gara Petothel, slowly goes through one as she [[BecomingTheMask becomes the mask]] after infiltrating Wraith Squadron. It turns out that Imperial Intelligence was... ''[[{{Understatement}} lax]]'' in concerning themselves with what would happen to an agent after having so many different identities swirling around in their head. She manages to never show it, but some of her inner dialogue is downright depressing as she fights between her two[[spoiler: /three]] different identities in order to stay with her Squadron.
** Another [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Star Wars EU]] example is Palpatine from DarkEmpire. Pre-Endor Palpatine had been scarily sane, but the ordeals of death, {{Body Surf}}ing, and the natural mental instability of clones leads him further down the slope throughout the course of the story.
** In Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, Joruus C'Baoth was always insane, but generally did a good job keeping that fact concealed. His control slips drastically by ''The Last Command.''
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