Elijah Chamberlain, Conduct Disorder

Name: Elijah Chamberlain

Age: 23

Disorder: Conduct Disorder

Description of disorder: A conduct disorder is a psychological disorder usually diagnosed in childhood that presents itself through repetitive and persistant patterns of behavior which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate norms are violated. Later onset symptoms of a conduct disorder are language impairments, substance abuse, ADHD, academic problems, increased family dysfunction, and a higher likelihood of violence and aggression.

Has been at LPH for: 2 weeks

Medicine: Ritalin (stimulant), Prozac (antidepressant), Lithium (to treat manic episodes)

---

Background: Elijah was born into an extremely wealthy, successful family. He was the third of four brothers and, from a very young ago, always had everything he ever wanted handed over to him. The only slightly off thing James and Emma Chamberlain noticed about their son was his seemingly never-ending hyperactivity, and he was diagnosed with ADHD after a trip to their family doctor. Elijah was enrolled into a private school when he was eligable for education, but was withdrawn and homeschooled shortly after; his mother had gotten calls saying Elijah was nothing but a "big bully" and always initiated fights with other students. Figuring he was just having trouble adjusting, Emma Chamberlain thought nothing of it. When he was thirteen, Elijah began purposely breaking his parents rules; they'd always been lenient with their children on curfews and what not, but it became excessive when Elijah would stay out until 3 or 4 AM. The Chamberlain's assumed a good grounding would do the job. It didn't. He continued to put his parents through constant turmoil, sneaking out or being picked up by police for vandalizing or theft, but a few weeks after his 23rd birthday, he committed a crime that would forever ruin his future. Elijah had always loved fire. So, one night, he decided to advance from lighting wood and paper, to lighting an actual house on fire. Unknowing to him, a newly married couple lay sleeping on the inside-- their smoke detectors had been broken for quite some time, so they didn't realize anything was wrong until it was too late. After being picked up for leaving fingerprints, and pleading guilty at a loss for anything else to do, Elijah spent the next three weeks in trial after trail. His lawyer finally convinced him to ask for a psych evaluation, and once the doctor confirmed Elijah was 100% suffering a conduct disorder, Elijah was given the option of prison for involuntary manslaughter and arson or a good portion of his life being spent at Lakeside Valley Psychiatric Hospital. Elijah chose the latter.

What you get to decide: Elijah's overall personality (keep his background in mind), why he suffers from conduct disorder (or it could just be biological), how he's reacting to his medicine

Played by: Hunter Parrish