From what I've learned the past decades he was suffering under bad obsessions like everyone.
I can only imagine the pressure that comes to surround someone achieving Appetite-level success at such a young age, but the level of interpersonal and legal difficulty that Axl became involved in back in the day seemed to go well beyond the typical person's. Yeah a lot of rock/pop stars act out as a result of new money or drugs and the kind of quasi-narcissism that accompanies any kind of power, and sure anybody can have an unlucky day, but the performers who get into more serious trouble within themselves or with others usually have something else in their head. With Axl I've always read Bipolar Disorder, which is often what laypeople and even some mental health professionals mistake in place of Borderline Personality Disorder.
BPD originates through a combination of genetic predisposition and significant childhood stress such as abuse or neglect. It involves:
1) An intense fear of abandonment, often going to extreme measures to avoid real (or imagined) separation & rejection.
2) A pattern of unstable intense relationships, such as idealizing someone one moment and then suddenly believing the person doesn't care enough or is cruel (aka splitting)
3) An unstable sens of self that may change rapidly, including shifting goals and values or seeing oneself as bad / worthless
4) Short, stress-related 'microbreaks' -- periods of paranoia and loss of contact with reality
5) Impulsive and risky behavior such as reckless driving, unsafe sex, spending sprees, binge eating or drug abuse, or sabotaging success by suddenly quitting a good job or ending a positive relationship
6) Suicidal threats or behavior or self-injury, often in response to fear of separation or rejection
7) Mood swings lasting hours to days, which can include intense happiness, irritability, shame or anxiety
8 ) Persistent feelings of emptiness
9) Inappropriate and intense anger, such as frequently losing your temper, being sarcastic or bitter, and having physical confrontations
The consequences of these has a major impact of a person's life as manifested by:
1) Repeated job changes or losses
2) Not completing an education
3) Multiple legal issues, such as jail time
4) Conflict-filled relationships, marital stress or divorce
5) Self-injury, such as cutting or burning, and frequent hospitalizations
6) Involvement in abusive relationships
7) Unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, motor vehicle accidents and physical fights due to impulsive/risky behavior
8 ) Attempted or even completed suicide
People with the condition have a relatively high risk of suffering from other serious mental health disorders such as:
1) Depression
2) Alcohol or other substance misuse
3) Anxiety disorders
4) Eating disorders
5) Bipolar disorder
6) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
7) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
8 ) Other personality disorders
Personality disorders are hard because they are less about correcting some neurotransmitter deficit and more about changing something very fundamental about a person. BPD is 'cure-able' though... years of therapy, management of those co-morbid conditions, and learning how to limit the secondary harm resulting from the condition. I'm not knocking him, he's a genius and a remarkable person. But I would challenge anyone knowledgeable of the man and GNR history to read the above and honestly say that description doesn't fit Axl Rose like a glove.
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