A BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH ON JENNIFER ANISTON

Nandita Esswari A.R, 1 Msc Psychology.

Introduction

"I thought I wasn't smart. I just couldn't retain anything. Now I had this great discovery. I felt
like all of my childhood trauma-dies, tragedies, dramas were explained." is what the popular
F.R.I.E.N.D.S star Jennifer Aniston stated to media. From being 'lthe crush of millions
playing Rachel in the 90's, to establishing her as a sensation in social media, Jennifer
Aniston is adorned by many. But, it doesn't mean that she had a smooth sail through life. She
suffered a tragic childhood and was most importantly diagnosed with dyslexia. Let's look into
her journey through her own words.

Biopsychosocial Aspects

A biopsychological assessment generally involves gathering information about biological,

psychological, and social functioning to gain a comprehensive understanding of overall
health and well-being. This includes a review of the medical history, a physical examination,
and assessments of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural functioning.
In terms of Jennifer Aniston's biology, a biopsychological assessment might involve assessing
her brain structure and function, as well as any genetic factors that could influence her
mental health. This includes imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or
functional MRI (fMRI), as well as genetic testing to identify any potential risk factors for
mental health conditions.
In terms of her psychology, a biopsychological assessment might involve assessments of her
mood, anxiety, and overall psychological functioning, as
well as interviews with Jennifer Aniston to gather information about her thoughts, feelings,
and behaviours.

Finally, in terms her social functioning, a biopsychological assessment might involve

assessing her relationships, social support network, and overall level of functioning in
different areas of her life. This could include assessments of her occupational functioning,
social functioning, and general daily functioning.
Early Life
Jennifer Aniston has endured tough situations from her childhood - her parents' seperation.
She has come to terms with a complicated relationship with her mother, has learned to
moderate her urge to be always in control and has overcome issues about anger, specifically
her longtime history of being “passive-aggressive’. Aniston spoke about her mother Nancy
Dow, admitting for years the two didn't speak.

"She had a temper. I can't tolerate that," she said. "She was critical. She was very critical of
me. Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning. I wasn't. I never was. I honestly
still don't think of myself in that sort of light, which is fine. She was also very unforgiving.
She would hold grudges that I just found so petty."

Journey with Therapy

She’s been through a lot, including her own bout with chronic pain from a pinched nerve in
her neck, due to stress, that lasted months and sent her scurrying to specialists. “I saw this
amazing doctor named Alison Tunney who changed my life with this thing called directional
nonforce technique,” she says. “It’s like peeling an onion, like peeling years of injuries.Years
of therapy have helped, though it took Aniston a long time to find someone to replace her
favorite therapist, who died of a heart attack several years ago.

“It was at a crazy time, right when we were going through our divorce and everything,” she
recalls. “But I learned so much in the four years I worked with her, that when she did pass
away I remember thinking, ‘Wow, everything that we talked about and discussed, it’s allowed
me to be really peaceful about it all.’ I mean, there were human moments. But I was really
shockingly OK.” Meditation also has helped, she says, and recently she has been meditating a
great deal.

Diagnosis and Emotional State

In 2015, she revealed she has dyslexia, which had affected her education and self-esteem,
and that after being diagnosed in her twenties, her outlook toward life changed.Before being
diagnosed WITH Dyslexia, she said, "I thought I wasn't smart. I just couldn't retain
anything."

“I would come out passive, things would come out passively. But it doesn’t have to be black
or white. You don’t have to be a hysterical human being and have veins popping out of your
neck and turn bright red and terrify people — or else keep quiet and put your head in the
sand. I used to loathe confrontation. Loathe it. It was absolute. I understood anger, but I
didn’t know that you should express it. Which has been something that I’ve really tried to
work on.”

She’s also tried to master her need for order. “I’m a control freak,” she admits. “I like to be in
charge of everything. My life was so out of control growing up, it’s very important today for
it to be in control.” Even now, she says, “I have to bite my tongue sometimes if I’m on a
movie, when I think I can figure out how to make this problem that they’re having go
smoothly. I just bite my tongue, especially with a [bad] director. Some directors are just like
— oh, God, oh God, oh God! I [have to] just suffer through this.”

Acceptance and Mental wellbeing

Jennifer Aniston's feelings on dyslexia diagnosis "The only reason I knew [that I had it] was
because I went to get a prescription for glasses,” she recalls. “I had to wear these Buddy
Holly glasses. One had a blue lens and one had a red lens. And I had to read a paragraph, and
they gave me a quiz, gave me 10 questions based on what I’d just read, and I think I got three
right. Then they put a computer on my eyes, showing where my eyes went when I read. My
eyes would jump four words and go back two words, and I also had a little bit of a lazy eye,
like a crossed eye, which they always have to correct in photos.”

Personality

As an ENFP, Jennifer tends to be energetic, adaptable, and inventive. Jennifer generally likes
to think up new, creative ideas and share them with other people.

Jennifer Aniston is likely an ESFJ (Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) personality type.
ESFJs are known for their strong people skills and are often described as warm, friendly, and
approachable.
Cognitive Factors

For Dyslexic people, There is a global reduction in the neuroplasticity of the brain,
particularly in the crucial left hemispheric regions that are implicated in language and
reading.

Jen’s tendency of passive aggression can be caused due to fear of conflict, difficulty
expressing emotions, low self-esteem and a lack of assertiveness. People who tend to be more
introverted may also struggle with expressing their needs or wants directly. This can be
understood by the fact that her parents were separated.

As Jen is an actor by profession, she is innately creative. Creativity is a product of the brain's
right hemisphere, she mentions in Hollywood Reporter interview, that she used to have an art
studio. The Central Executive Network is active when you are focused on executing the
ideas. These control functions would develop in the prefrontal cortex, which is believed to be
the executive center of the creative process. As she is an actor, right inferior frontal gyrus
and the right frontopolar cortex are mostly activated, along with areas responsible for
memory like the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the prefrontal cortex and
the temporal lobe

Conclusion

It is important to note that a biopsychological assessment is a comprehensive process that

takes time and involves a number of health professionals, including doctors,
psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. The information gathered during this process
can be used to develop a treatment plan based on his individual goals and needs.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Aniston
2. https://hollywoodreporter.com/news/jennifer-aniston-reveals-struggles-dyslexia-
764854
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234153
4. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-psychology/chapter/parts-of-the-brain-
involved-with-memory/
5. https://new.nsf.gov/news/where-brain-does-creativity-come-evidence- .