Does Amethyst have BPD? (+9 Signs of BPD)
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In this blogpost, we will be describing if Amethyst has BPD. We will also be looking at the various signs of Borderline Personality Disorder that Amethyst portrays in the Steven Universe series, along with a few factors which could have caused or triggered it.
Does Amethyst have BPD?
Yes, Amethyst has BPD. In the animated series, Steven Universe, Amethyst who plays one of the main characters depicts a number of signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. However, this is not exactly confirmed by the creators of the show.
Amethyst’s background is also very interesting as she originally struggles with very poor self-confidence and self-esteem. But, with the help of Steven and the other gemstones, Amethyst is finally able to make peace with her past.
In the Steven Universe series, Amethyst is known to be one of the most care-free and joyful characters and can be seen really living it up. She is a loud character who also loves to eat and sleep, even though she does not need these activities.
While it is true that Amethyst definitely portrays most of the signs of Borderline Personality Disorder, some fans of the show have theorized that the character actually suffers from anxiety and not BPD.
Signs of Amethyst’s BPD
Amethyst is truly one of the most beloved characters in the Steven Universe series. While her BPD has not been confirmed, she shows a number of signs of the disorder. Some of these signs of Amethyst’s Borderline Personality Disorder have been discussed in the following section.
She shows instability in relationships
Unstable relationships are a common characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. She constantly flits between liking and disliking someone. This can especially be seen in her treatment of Greg whom she frequently blames for all the negative things in her life.
At the same time, she can also be seen pouring all her love and affection on Greg. She also shows a high level of insecurity in their relationship. Even in terms of her other friends, like Steven, Amethyst shows instability in her perspective of them and her relationship with them.
She is truly afraid of abandonment
Amethyst shows a very high fear of abandonment due to her past experiences. She was the last Gem manufactured on earth and also felt very left behind when the Gem rejuvenator hits her and erases her memory.
All these experiences lead Amethyst to believe that others might abandon her at any time. Therefore, she truly tries her best to keep everyone as close to her as possible. She clearly displays this in Greg when she does not allow him to do anything so that he will stay with her.
She is prone to anger outbursts
Everyone knows that Amethyst can easily get angry at any time, which sometimes makes others keep their distance from her. Being highly prone to anger is also a sign of Borderline Personality Disorder which can even play havoc with social relationships.
Amethyst gets angry very easily and also finds it hard to control her rage. Her rage easily manifests in her body language and her tone of voice. While many of her reasons for getting angry are legit, she still finds it hard to control it when compared to others.
She has a distorted self-image
Amethyst clearly has a distorted image of herself and constantly swings back and forth on her principles and morals. In one instance, she can be seen highly confident and praising her abilities, and another instant she might reduce herself to a ‘parasite’.
Having a distorted self-image is another sign of Borderline Personality Disorder and this can be easily detected in Amethyst. This distortion in her self-image, however, never seems to affect her usual high levels of self-confidence.
She shows addictive behaviors
Another sign of Borderline Personality Disorder which Amethyst shows in the Steven Universe series is addictive behaviors. Amethyst does not do drugs or alcohol in Steven Universe, but shows a high proneness to behaviors like watching too much TV.
She can be seen binge-watching TV for hours after hours, without paying attention to her surroundings or those around her. She is also addicted to useless material things and wants to keep collecting more and more.
Amethyst’s room is almost always filled with junk and she cannot seem to part with anything. Hoarding behaviors can also be classified as an addiction, since the person ‘consumes’ a large amount of things and showing a lot of anxiety about giving them away
She does not feel ‘normal’
When compared to the other characters from Steven Universe, Amethyst certainly does not feel very normal. Looking at her actions and her words, it looks like Amethyst is yet to find her belongingness in the group, unlike the other Gems.
She instigates fights on purpose
Amethyst is scary during fights and many of the arguments and fights that she takes part in, she instigates them. She often teases other people to the point where they will eventually get frustrated and lash out at her.
She even crosses boundaries and limits, even with those she loves, just to get them raging. Instigating others to fight and then participating in the fight is another sign of Borderline Personality Disorder.
She takes part in dangerous situations
Steven Universe is filled with a lot of adventures, some of which are very dangerous. In any dangerous situation, Amethyst is often the first one to jump in. She does not clearly plan her way and simply hops in the situation in a very impulsive manner.
For example, her impulsiveness to fuse into a destructive machine is a sign of how reckless her mind can be. She even shows a lot of impulsiveness in small things, such as eating a rotten burrito.
She suffers from very poor self-esteem
Overall, Amethyst clearly suffers from very poor self-esteem. At the same time, she cleverly masks this with a very high self-confidence. She is confident of her skill-sets and her ability to fight.
But, she lacks in her self-worth and self-identity, which leads to her poor self-esteem. This again toys with the way she perceives herself as a Gem. This is also a sign of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Causes of Amethyst’s BPD
Amethyst from Steven Universe definitely shows many signs of Borderline Personality Disorder, but this mental health diagnosis has not been confirmed by the creators of the series. Some of the causal factors which could have led to this are:
- She is the last Gem to be created: Amethyst is the last to be created on Earth and is actually left in the ground for an extra 500 years when compared to the other gems. This also toys with her self-esteem as she feels left behind and much younger.
- She had her memory erased: When Spinel returned, Amethyst was hit by the Gem rejuvenator, which led to her memory being erased. Even though Steven restores it, an experience like this is seriously traumatic and could have affected Amethyst’s psyche.
- She is not fond of her appearance: When compared to the other Gems, Amethyst was left in the ground for an extra 500 years. This leads her to be much shorter and even stouter than the other Gems around her.
This appearance is what sets Amethyst apart, and while the other Gems never bring it up, Amethyst feels inferior to them due to her appearance. This could have also triggered many subconscious conflicts which could have led to her Borderline Personality Disorder.
Conclusion
In this blogpost, we have described if Amethyst has BPD. We have also looked at the various signs of Borderline Personality Disorder that Amethyst portrays in the Steven Universe series, along with a few factors which could have caused or triggered it.
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