# Beavis. Butt-Head What's their problem? Psychological Dopers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943 "2011-07-05T22:15:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/1 "2011-07-05T22:15:03Z")
Beavis & Butthead. Indescribable. Truly. But…what is their _diagnosis?_ Retarded? Demented? Deranged? Deviant? Anti-social? Just plain nuts? Mental Health Dopers–weigh in. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/2 "2011-07-05T22:25:40Z")
I think they’re just a couple of asswipes. Heh heh, I said “asswipe.” ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/3 "2011-07-06T00:04:14Z")
Not (yet) a professional, but, man, I gotta believe it’s tough to diagnose a case with so many different issues at hand. The phrase “low-functioning sociopaths” suggests itself to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/4 "2011-07-06T00:04:57Z")
I assume they lived nearly all their lives watching TV and have become socially awkward beyond repair. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/5 "2011-07-06T00:20:40Z")
There’s no DSM-IV diagnostic category for “teenage jackass.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/6 "2011-07-06T00:48:36Z")
Well, Beavis hears voices that tell him to do things. And there’s that whole “Cornholio” thing. Butthead is just, well, a butthead. But there’s something genuinely _wrong_ with Beavis. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/7 "2011-07-06T02:30:02Z")
Earlier this year there were reports that Beavis and Butt-head were coming back this summer with new episodes. Here it is, summer, but still no Beavis and Butt-head. Does anybody know what gives? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/8 "2011-07-06T03:02:01Z")
To start with, they had every possible disadvantage: they were sired by a pair of stupid redneck roadies who impregnated their stupid slut moms and then disappeared forever. So, the boys had bad genes and no father figures to begin with. But after that… if there was to be ANY hope for these kids, they needed guidance and discipline. What did they get? MTV (which filled their heads with the idiotic idea that life is a big party) and teachers like Mr. Van Driessen, who urged them to follow their dreams and pursue their passions (not realizing that kids like Beavis and Butthead have sick dreams and dangerous passions). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/9 "2011-07-06T03:03:53Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Beavis & Butthead… > > But…what is their _diagnosis?_ Normal. You got a problem with that? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/10 "2011-07-06T03:08:44Z")
IIRC, there was an episode where Daria was forced to work with the boys on a science project. She decided the only way to salvage this assignment was if she did the research and they were the subjects. The final presentation was titled something like “Stupidity: Nature or Nurture?”, with Daria concluding that both genetic and environmental factors had contributed to B&B’s condition. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/11 "2011-07-06T04:15:43Z")
Despite how dumb the show seemed, the two characters had pretty different personalities. Beavis generally behaved as if under the influence of stimulants. He’s basically functioning speed-freak + severe ADD. Butt-Head was more sedate and level headed. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/12 "2011-07-06T04:36:04Z")
They exhibited cruelty to animals (frog baseball) and they started fires (FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!). Aren’t those signs of a budding serial killer? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/13 "2011-07-06T04:55:10Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Earlier this year there were reports that Beavis and Butt-head were coming back this summer with new episodes. Here it is, summer, but still no Beavis and Butt-head. Does anybody know what gives? According to [this](http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/comiccon-schedule-television-previews-2307374.html), it’s previewing at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 21. I would imagine it’ll start airing shortly after that. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/14 "2011-07-06T05:43:35Z")
Now she may have been being a slight bit sarcastic, but Daria in her pilot episode\* claimed that there was uranium in the water. - Yes, I watched the first [part of the pilot episode](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLQzpCqTnvo) just to find that half-remembered line for all of you :D. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/15 "2011-07-06T17:28:07Z")
Is there no DSM category for “They drank the green ecstasy?” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/16 "2011-07-06T22:25:06Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Normal. > > You got a problem with that? If you think _that’s_ normal…!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/17 "2011-07-07T03:13:09Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Anti-social? They’re too young for a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder; the juvenile version is Conduct Disorder. They really don’t exhibit serious enough behavioral problems for a diagnosis of Conduct Disorder either, though. Really, they’re just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/18 "2011-07-07T09:11:59Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > They exhibited cruelty to animals (frog baseball) and they started fires (FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!). Aren’t those signs of a budding serial killer? Any examples of bed-wetting? _L_ To be fair, those two unsavory aspects of B&BH were pretty much set aside in later character development, so let’s assume those were isolated incidents for which they later felt very bad. They are both idiot savants. They actually have survival skills which enable them to stumble safely through any situation. As for no male role models but Mr. Van Dreesen, there’s also Mr. Buzzcut. Between the two, they may just salvage those young men. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/19 "2011-07-07T10:10:43Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Well, Beavis hears voices that tell him to do things. And there’s that whole “Cornholio” thing. Butthead is just, well, a butthead. But there’s something genuinely _wrong_ with Beavis. Anyone care to address this comment? I’m not too familiar with the series, but I couldn’t find when the voices occurred on wiki. Cornholio doesn’t seem to fit anything, though: the closest is dissociative identity disorder, but that’s just because he doesn’t remember what happened afterwards. But DID is not triggered by high amounts of sugar, and it usually manifests in more destructive behaviors. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943/20 "2011-07-07T10:18:00Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Anyone care to address this comment? I’m not too familiar with the series, but I couldn’t find when the voices occurred on wiki. It happened a few times. This exchange happened when they were watching a video named _Dark Voices_: > [@](#): > > ``` > Butt-head: Hey Beavis, that guy says he hears dark voices in his head. > Beavis: Oh really? I hear voices too, but it's like, usually they're white guys. Sometimes it's, like, you know, a Chinese dude too, that talks to me. And a couple of Mexicans. > Butt-head: Really? What does the Chinese guy say? > Beavis: He says [high-pitched Chinese accent] "Pull down your pants. Spank your monkey." > Butt-head: And what does the white guy say? > Beavis: The same thing. But he talks just like me. > > ``` And also: > [@](#): > > Beavis: Voices are cool. I hear voices too. They tell me to do stuff like stay home from school, and watch TV, and, like, break stuff, and like… From [Wikiquote](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Beavis_and_Butt-Head). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beavis-butt-head-whats-their-problem-psychological-dopers/587943.md?page=2)