step two: contort absolutely all stimuli in my environment to relate to the my wound in some manner, ideally one which justifies random acts of unbridled aggression and vengeance

This has been going on for thousands of years! It doesn't change.

Armand’s stem from centuries of csa and objectification, sold and passed around like a product by all the adults in his life originating from his own parents.

Whereas Louis’ comes from eldest son societal torture. Raised as his father’s successor and forced into the symbolically incestual role of his mother’s husband & father to his siblings.

Like, obviously their pasts are different. But I think about Armand having to lead a coven he had no interest in leading and Louis having to become man of the house and having to lead his family in a way he had no interest in doing. They did not want to do these things, it caused them great pain and misery, and yet they had to because they were told to. They had to because that’s what was dictated by those respective societies (vampire & human).

And being forced into roles they loathed from a young age has distorted their sense of identity. Armand has no idea who he truly is an individual. He can only understand himself as an object and its measure of usefulness. “No one has painted me in over 400 years”. Louis bases his entire self worth on his ties to other people. He can only understand himself through the diaries, recollections, and opinions others have of him. “Who are you outside of me?” They can only view themselves through others’ framing.