Psychological effects of stress:
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Feeling of helplessness
- Sleep problems
- Lowered self esteem
- Depression
- Increased anxiety
- Excessive tiredness
- Memory problems
- Low self worth
- Panic Attack
- Lack of self control
- Difficulty concentrating
Nina encounters psychological issues throughout the film:
Nina struggles to truly see herself due to her insecurity. She desperately wants to know who she is supposed to be – she has no sense of self. From the beginning of the film Nina has delusions and sees pieces of herself everywhere (She sees her face in the face of others around her, which is a symbol of her seeking identity due to stress. This is an example of: Low self worth, delusions and Lowered self esteem.
After confronting her mother Nina begins to actually see herself as a swan and lashes out at her mother in a fit of rage that she cannot control. This is an example of: lack of self control, hallucinations, delusions, difficulty concentrating.
Nina imagines herself fighting her alternate Lily and ultimately killing her within a transient blackout moment of anger. It is then revealed that Nina did not kill Lily, she had killed herself. This is an example of: hallucinations and irrational cognitive processes.
After the hallucination Nina fully leaves behind any last shred of herself and transforms into the evil black swan. She begins to feel as if the hallucination is her reality. The beautiful ballerina enters the stage with all her heart, intoxicated with her reality that does not actually exist. This is an example of: hallucinations, delusions.