The short answer is Yes.

I think vampires going underground is a metaphor for when people need to withdraw from society and practice self-care. A kind of convalescence. I think that’s why AR has made such a big point about it, in terms of vampire physiology, that those who suffer physical/emotional damage and then go underground for periods of time end up much stronger for it. Same can be said of people, right?

Oh absolutely, Lestat could have bipolar depression, or manic depression, at the very least post-traumatic stress disorder… he had a very abusive childhood (and some fanfic speculates he had a history of sexual abuse as well as emotional & physical abuse).

The reason and manner in which Lestat was “given” the Dark Gift would be considered rape, as well, so even if his mortal life had been relatively normal, it wouldn’t be surprising if he developed stress-related emotional issues and coping mechanisms bc of that experience. Plus a lot of other traumatic experiences all within a short time of his turning (the forced breakup with Nicki, turning Nicki, Oedipal issues with Gabrielle, Akasha, etc).

The fact that he did the same thing to David Talbot so much later on shows just how true the line that one of those vampires said, and I’m paraphrasing, “As we go on, we become more truly ourselves.” Clearly what Magnus did to Lestat is still fresh in his mind, always there, regardless of his many triumphs in the face of adversity.

The way Lestat treated Louis and Claudia in IWTV was similar to how his father and brothers treated him growing up, who knows how much of that was nature or nurture, but the de Lioncourt men seem to have a certain attitude that’s hard to shake.