Philosophy

Michael Jackson is a 50 year old single man who has recently been diagnosed with an Identity Crisis.  This diagnosis explains his symptoms of obsessive compulsive nature, as well as his gender queer persona, and self mutilation tendencies by surgical procedures.  It is likely that the culmination of these symptoms has resulted in episodic clinical depression.
 
Historical background on Michael in regard to his challenging adolescent and teen years shows a marked break in the developmental stages.  This is evidenced by a split of self images, a loss of center, and dispersion.  Such symptoms are reflective of a shift in instinctual energy with increased vulnerability that is specific to the root cause.  Disruption of the instinctual energy in correlation with incipient growth and awareness leads to a condition described as the dark and negative side of identity formation.  The sense of self in transition during the developmental stages is imperative for healthy identity processing.  If such a condition of disruption is apparent then the result is that each developmental stage is now in crisis.

Patterns of behavior exhibited by Michael in regard to public profile indicate that he had the following differential diagnoses

Severe Distortion of Body Image
Michael underwent multiple surgical procedures to transform his face to a heavy degree from one of an African American man to one that appears to be European in nature with womanly features.  This behavior can be seen as self mutilation, as the excessive surgical procedures resulted in rendering what was left of his face as the caricature of mask like quality, not comparative to human quality.  Favazza (1987) advises that

Self-mutilation offers a temporary respite from illness rather than a permanent cure because the sacrificial death of the Primordial Being is not emulated the mentally ill person sacrifices a body part or a portion of blood in order to achieve a modicum of well-being.

Delusions of Grandeur
Michael exhibited a delusion wrought of a sense of paranoia in believing that he was much greater and powerful therefore being more influential than he actually was.  This manifestation derived from reduced ego strength and impaired coping skills in relation to his crippled developmental stages (Erikson, 1968).  It was apparent in the clothing he chose to wear that of royalty imposed dress.  He was seeking to be seen as and treated as one of royal status.

Child Abuse
Michael has expressed being severely beaten by his father as a child growing up.  He expresses physical and mental torment.  This could be representative of the inadvertent carrying on of the abuse by abusing himself.

Gender Identity Disorder
Transgender issue is representative of a group of abnormal sexual identities formed from a difference in relating to ones gender in correlation to ones sex.  Michael Alexander
 refers to the specific disorder of gender queer

Gender queer refers to people who do not adhere to strictly male or female identities and roles. A gender queer person often chooses to present as neither clearly male, nor clearly female, but rather as a gender-free individual.

Questions of relevance  
What is thought to be the age in which Michaels developmental stages were disrupted
From historical accounts in accordance to the start of the physical and mental abuse by his father with the associative pressures of performing in the family band it is thought that the timing was a direct impact to the development of sense of self.  This along with the household environment would impact negatively on the young psyche, as any remarkable experience would probably leave footprints in the mind.  Therefore it is perceived that the disruption that set the course of crisis of the developmental stages occurred when Michael was between six and nine years of age.  What behaviors might Michael have been exhibiting that would be indicative of a disorder during this age span

With the reaching of puberty what changes were visible in Michaels behaviors
Upon reaching puberty Michael was afflicted with acne.  His reaction was severe enough to cause him to become severely depressed.  This behavior advises that he was suffering from a disorder that was not recognized by his family.  This is believed to be the first behaviors reflecting the onset of the identity crisis.  When looking at the Five Factor Model with regard to the measurements in the dimensions of personality, those being extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience.  Would it be justified to think that Michaels measurements based on this model would indicate that he was suffering biologically and environmentally during puberty

Michael throughout his life with thought to his personality, manner of dress and physical appearance seems to be conveying to society who he really sees himself as which is that of a European Noble.  The crisis involved in relation to his developmental stages negated the forming of a normal personal identity, therefore he seeks to create his identity from the image he views internally thus providing him the ability to feel accepted by, and to function in society.  The associative disorders make up the overall persona he exhibits seen through his eccentric behaviors, and sexual identity in forming relationships, and in accordance with his standing in society.