(TW: mentions of suicide)
My feelings about Psycho 3 are, well, I have no idea, but my mind keeps going back to the scenes after Maureen's suicide attempt.
I'm sure everyone who ever watched Psycho 3 has said this, but I think it does say a lot that Norman immediately snapped out of the “Mother” mindset and called an ambulance when he saw Maureen in the middle of her suicide attempt. Even suicide is too much for Mother to handle. Hell, Norman's feelings for her overpower Mother's control.
I don’t like to talk about sorrows on the internet, but I was rooting for Norman and Maureen because it’s something that I want to see more of in the world. When I expressed suicidal ideation at age 16, my parents each gave lectures about how I’m a disappointment to the family. My mother took it a step further and made it all about her. “But what if you went to the hospital?? What will the family think of us??”
When I confided in my therapist about this, she threatened to call Child Protective Services on my parents on accounts of Child Neglect unless they sent me to a mental health hospital. My mother then forced me to lie to my therapist and tell her that my suicide attempt was a fable I made up so I didn’t have to go to the hospital. Her reasoning?? “But if you go to a hospital or taken by CPS, you won’t be present at Easter Dinner. What will I explain to the rest of the family?? I don’t want to look like a bad mom.” Well, guess what?? If you ignore your kid's mental health, and are more worried about how it affects your image, you ARE a bad mom. No ifs, ands or buts.
Anyone who is or who has been suicidal can agree with me when I say that it’s tricky to find a support system. My own family has said horrific things over the years of the suicidal that I’ve resorted to shutting down in their presence. My grandma will go out of pocket and say “Suicidal people are so selfish because they’re only hurting everyone else” with no reason or prompt. I’ve lost friends and romantic relationships due to being honest about what I was going through.
Here we have Norman Bates, who was raised by Mother, so naturally he's not good with feelings. Norman Bates out of all people is visiting Maureen in the hospital (after Mother had the literal intention to kill her), he treats her like any other person, he’s asking her out on a date and teaching her how to dance, he accompanies on the cab rides to therapy. He takes time to be kindhearted and nice to her. Norman Bates out of all people.
Sure, Norman may be a LOT to say the least, but as someone who’s struggled with mental health issues with a lack of a support system, those little signs of kindness mean a lot.
