Does Bokuto from Haikyuu have BPD? (+5 Signs of issues)
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This detailed post will discuss if Bokuto has BPD. We will also be explaining the different signs of mental health issues and emotional struggles that Koutarou Bokuto depicts in the anime series, ‘Haikyuu’.
Does Bokuto from Haikyuu have BPD?
No, Bokuto does not have BPD. In the series, ‘Haikyuu’ where Bokuto appears as one of the volleyball players, he does not depict many signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder.
However, due to his loud and brash character, Bokuto is often said to be dealing with mental health disorders. Some of the fans of the ‘Haikyuu’ series have come to many conclusions as to what mental health disorder this character is suffering from. Some diagnoses are:
- Bipolar disorder: One theory regarding Bokuto’s mental health is that he might actually have bipolar disorder. Bokuto often goes through a number of mood swings where he becomes very excited at one moment and depressed in the other.
At many instances in the series, Bokuto can be seen displaying unusual levels of excitement and energy which point to the manic episodes of bipolar disorder. Furthermore, in the middle of many matches, Bokuto can be seen going into an emo mood which signifies his depression.
However, many other fans disagree with this theory, since in reality, the manic phases and depressive phases in bipolar disorder actually go on for several days together and don’t exactly last for just a couple of hours.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Some fans of ‘Haikyuu’ also believe that Bokuto might actually have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This is usually because of his high levels of excitement and energy.
On the other hand, Bokuto does not suffer from the low attention span and concentration difficulties. As a result, the theory that Bokuto actually suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is also not agreed upon in ‘Haikyuu’ forums.
Signs of Bokuto’s mental health issues
Koutarou Bokuto is one of the strongest players in his volleyball team and a third-year student in the Fukurodani Academy. While his strength and skill on the court is certainly well-known, it is also understood that Bokuto is a moody and quite emotional character.
Bokuto’s mental health diagnosis is never shared in the series and neither does he fit all the diagnostic criteria for any one particular disorder. Some of the signs that Bokuto is actually going through mental health issues have been discussed as follows.
He goes through many mood swings
Apart from his prowess in volleyball, Bokuto is popularly known for his mood swings. He is often said to go into an emo mood at times. During these times, Bokuto also expresses a sad body-language with his hair becoming deflated from its usually spiky self.
In fact, these mood swings of Bokuto are his biggest weaknesses according to many other players in the team. Bokuto’s mood swings often come about when he is in the middle of a competition or a tournament.
As a result of Bokuto going through multiple mood swings in ‘Haikyuu’, many fans of the series assume that he might have bipolar disorder. However, his highs and lows are too short in duration to confirm this mood disorder.
He finds it hard to understand feelings
At many times in the ‘Haikyuu’ series, Bokuto can also be seen finding it very hard to understand the feelings of others. He almost seems unintelligent to what others are going through and expressing.
This can mostly be seen in his relationship with Tsukishima. He finds it hard to empathize with the discomfort that other people are going through. At the same time, he can also be seen being kind and sympathetic in many situations.
A lack of empathy and sympathy can be seen in many mental health disorders, and even in the Autism Spectrum. Those who have been diagnosed with ASD might find it hard to read social cues and understand social behavior, which can be misunderstood as a lack of empathy.
He suffers from performance anxiety
Bokuto’s mood swings are almost always seen when he is in the middle of a game. Everything might be going well for Bokuto, when a small setback causes him to dwindle in the middle and fixate on a depressive episode.
These mood swings actually have a lot in common with the symptoms of performance anxiety. Performance anxiety is not only felt in athletes and sportspersons right before a competition or a match.
It can also be experienced during a match or a tournament, especially when the person is going through some major hiccup. This anxiety of Bokuto during a competition is actually solved by him towards the latter part of the series, which bring even more power to the strong player.
He can be quite attention-seeking
Bokuto can also be quite attention-seeking and wants everyone around him to admire him and praise him. Bokuto is a natural volley-ball player and expressed a lot of interest in the game right from an early age.
Even when he joins the academy, he already comes in with a reputation of holding a great skill set and being a strong player. As a result of this, Bokuto finds fame and acceptance everywhere he goes.
At the same time, Bokuto can be seen being quite arrogant when he is in the team, particularly in the way he refers to himself. He only tends to see his strengths and his talents, which can actually be a good thing.
But in Bokuto, as he was so focused on his strengths and his prowess, he fails to see what his weaknesses can do for him, as in the case of his mood swings. Due to this, he only manages to find a solution for his mood swings much later in his career.
Craving attention from other people all the time is a sign of many personality disorders, like Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder. But, it is also clear that Bokuto’s traits do not fit either of these diagnoses.
He can be seen hyper-focusing
Bokuto is a very talented player and truly loves playing volleyball. At times, he can be seen hyper-focusing and completely fixated on a task. This makes him oblivious to the other things that are happening around him.
In many games, this tendency of Bokuto to actually fixate on a particular activity and disregard the others, has actually led the team to lose. This is because Bokuto is the ace of the team, and without his presence of mind, the other team-members cannot fulfill their roles.
This tendency of Bokuto to hyper-focus on something was actually called out by Akaashi. Akaashi in fact, listed out a total of 37 weaknesses which are present in Bokuto. Among them, Bokuto’s hyper-focusing problem also came into light.
Hyper-focusing on something may not seem like a big problem, but can actually become problematic since there are always multiple things which need attention at any particular time, as in the case of a volleyball game.
Hyper-focusing is also a characteristic sign of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and is actually contrary to the main signs and symptoms of the disorder. In many cases, hyper-focusing can also be seen in the manic phases of bipolar disorder.
Conclusion
This detailed post has discussed if Bokuto has BPD. We have also explained the different signs of mental health issues and emotional struggles that Koutarou Bokuto depicts in the anime series, ‘Haikyuu’.
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