Does Clay Jensen 13 Reasons Why’ have BPD? (+5 Signs of issues)
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In this detailed post, we will be answering if Clay Jensen has BPD. We will also be checking out the various signs and symptoms of mental health issues that Clay Jensen shows in the series ‘13 Reasons Why.’
Does Clay Jensen from ‘13 Reasons Why’ have BPD?
No, Clay Jensen does not have BPD. In the drama series ‘13 Reasons Why’ where Clay Jensen appears as the main antagonist, he does not show the characteristic signs of Borderline Personality Disorder.
However, he definitely seems to be struggling with some undiagnosed mental health issue for the majority of the series. In the finale of the series, Clay Jensen admits to his classmates that he suffers from anxiety and depression.
At the same time, throughout his appearances in the series, many fans of the show have continually tried to diagnose Clay Jensen. Some of the alternate theories which have been discussed when it comes to Clay Jensen’s mental health are described as follows.
- Psychogenic Amnesia: Some mental health experts who have studied the behaviors and actions of Clay Jensen feel that he has Psychogenic Amnesia. This is mainly due to the many gaps in his memory.
Clay Jensen often finds that he forgets where he has been the previous day and even forgets who he is talking to. At many instances in the series, he is seen to be very confused and dazed which all fuel this particular theory.
- Schizophrenia: Another possible explanation for Clay Jensen’s actions in ’13 Reasons Why’ is Schizophrenia. This theory is pretty well-accepted and discussed in fan forums on this drama series.
Clay Jensen constantly sees Hannah Baker after she dies by suicide and even talks to her, asking her for answers. These hallucinations essentially do not stop and at one point, Clay is a total mess and can be seen going through a meltdown.
The presence of these visual as well as auditory hallucinations is the main reason why many fans think that Clay Jensen may actually have Schizophrenia. In addition to these hallucinations, Clay Jensen also struggles with several delusions in the series.
- Dissociative Identity Disorder: Some fans and viewers of ‘13 Reasons Why’ have also felt that Clay Jensen may actually have Dissociative Identity Disorder. This is mostly because Clay Jensen’s memory lapses.
At many times in the series, Clay Jensen can be seen admitting that he has no idea what he is doing and how he got to his present condition. At the same time, he does not have any clear-cut personalities or identities to further fuel this theory.
As a result of this, many people believe that what Clay Jensen may be suffering from is not exactly Dissociative Identity Disorder, but in fact Dissociative Fugue, which can further explain his actions.
- Panic Disorder: It is true that Clay Jensen surely suffers from anxiety and depression, as per his own words. But, he also goes through a number of panic attacks in the series which lead people to assume that his diagnosis is actually a Panic Disorder.
- Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder: One more possible explanation of Clay Jensen’s mental health issues is Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder, also called Complicated Grief.
He is definitely not ready to let go of Hannah Baker’s death and is obsessed in finding out the main reasons why she killed herself in the first place. While it is true that Hannah and Clay were definitely close and shared something special, Clay’s grief process is way too long and complex.
Signs of Clay Jensen’s mental health issues
In the drama series ‘13 Reasons Why’ where Clay Jensen appears as one of the main characters, it is evident that the teenager is struggling with a number of mental health issues. By his own admission towards the end of the series, Clay has anxiety and depression.
Apart from these, Clay Jensen also seems to be dealing with a number of other mental health issues and problems. In this section of the post, we have covered the various signs of mental health issues and emotional struggles which Clay Jensen depicts in the series.
He has constant hallucinations
After Hannah Baker dies by suicide in the series, the only person who can see her is Clay Jensen. These are clearly hallucinations. Clay constantly ‘sees’ Hannah Baker appearing in different places and even talking to him about who led her to kill herself.
At many times, Clay speaks to the hallucination of Hannah, and this is unfortunately not caught by his friends early on. Apart from Hannah Baker, Clay Jensen also sees hallucinations of other people like Monty.
The hallucinations clearly get in the way of Clay’s life and lead him to become even more obsessed with Hannah’s death. In one instance, when he is about to get intimate with a current girlfriend, he has a hallucination of Hannah and immediately stops.
Hallucinations can be mainly seen in psychotic disorders like Schizophrenia, which have pushed many people to assume that Clay Jensen might be suffering from this mental health disorder. But other illnesses like bipolar disorder, BPD and substance abuse can also lead to hallucinations.
He has frequent memory lapses
Clay Jensen can also be seen struggling with his memory often in the series. More often than not, he has no clue as to what he is doing and how he got here. Memory lapses like these can also be seen in a number of mental health disorders.
In looking at Clay Jensen’s backstory and how these memory lapses were mainly triggered by the death of Hannah Baker, his first love interest, some mental health experts have pinned the diagnosis of Psychogenic Amnesia on the character.
He takes part in vandalism
Another sign that Clay Jensen is surely suffering from some deep mental health issues and conflicts is his reckless behavior. Throughout the series, Clay can be seen taking part in vandalistic behaviors like setting a car on fire.
He even fires a fake-gun at people in a mock drill. In another episode, he can also be seen driving his car off a cliff. The worst part is that in almost all these instances, Clay Jensen is not aware of who he is and what he is actually doing.
He dissociates many times
Clay Jensen repeatedly dissociates throughout the series. He often seems spaced out and fails to understand what he is doing in the present scenario. This dissociation can be seen mainly in the wake of a traumatic event, leading to disorders like PTSD and even dissociative fugue.
His emotions are very intense
Clay is never an easy-going person in ‘13 Reasons Why’. His emotions are always very intense and quite unpredictable. He somehow feels that he and Hannah Baker shared a very deep relationship when in fact there was not much substance at all.
After listening to his name on the tapes that Hannah Baker left, Clay Jensen becomes triggered to find the person who has led to her suicide. This emotional roller-coaster never seems to end for Clay Jensen and even those who are close to him.
Throughout the series, Clay goes through a number of meltdowns. One in particular is painful to watch as Clay has a full-on meltdown in front of Bryce’s house where he begs Justin to make Hannah stop talking to him.
Intense emotions and mood swings can be seen in a number of mental health disorders, particularly mood disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder and even Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Conclusion
In this detailed post, we have answered if Clay Jensen has BPD. We have also checked out the various signs and symptoms of mental health issues that Clay Jensen shows in the series ’13 Reasons Why.’
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