Does Craig have bipolar in Degrassi? (+7 Signs & Symptoms)

The following detailed article will be discussing if Craig has bipolar in Degrassi. We will also be checking out the signs and symptoms of bipolar that Craig demonstrates in Degrassi, along with a few factors which may have contributed to his mental health issues.

Does Craig have bipolar in Degrassi?

Yes, Craig has bipolar in Degrassi. His bipolar disorder was confirmed through a diagnosis in the fourth season of the drama series, ‘Degrassi’. However, even before his official diagnosis, Craig is seen to exhibit many signs and symptoms of this mental illness.

In the show ‘Degrassi’, Craig is shown to be a former student who loves photography, which he however, loses interest in much later. Craig, or Craig-er or Lord Stud, is very liked by the ladies in Degrassi and is considered quite a catch.

Signs of Craig’s Bipolar in Degrassi

In the series, Degrassi, Craig’s bipolar was depicted quite realistically. It is this realistic portrayal of Craig’s bipolar that drew a lot of approval from fans and critics alike. In the following section of the article, we have discussed the various signs of Craig’s bipolar in Degrassi.

He shows reckless shopping habits

Craig demonstrates reckless shopping in one of the episodes when he is clearly in the manic phase of his bipolar. For instance, he overly spends money on a guitar that he does not necessarily need.

In another situation, Craig can be seen spending a lot of money on a hotel room and even a ‘Weeknd’ concert which results in an overdraft of his credit card. Reckless shopping and impulsive spending habits are characteristic of bipolar disorder.

He talks too much at times

At times, Craig can be seen talking too much, much faster than his counterparts. An increased word rate for no reason is often characteristic of bipolar disorder. His speech often mixes up words and seems to steer off topic many times as well.

He tries to kill himself

Craig is one of the characters in Degrassi who tries to kill himself. In one of the episodes, he jumps in front of a train but the attempt fails fortunately. Degrassi also shows another character, ‘Claude Tanner’, attempting suicide which unfortunately is successful.

Suicidal attempts and suicidal ideations are pretty common in bipolar disorder, especially during the manic phase. This is the only time that Craig is seen attempting suicide. Later on, Craig becomes much more resolute about his life, especially after the death of his dad.

He shows impulsivity in his sex life

Craig can also be seen to be increasingly impulsive in his sex life. In fact, Craig does not show a stable committed relationship throughout the series. The character actually goes on to cheat on all of his girlfriends.

He also loses his virginity at a young age and gets someone pregnant by accident. Taking risks in sex life and also having rocky relationships is a characteristic trait of bipolar disorder, or even an underlying mental illness.

He also takes illegal substances

Another characteristic trait of Craig’s bipolar disorder is him taking illegal substances. In one of the episodes, Craig can be seen taking a nasal drug. Substance abuse, including alcoholism, is also a tell-tale sign of bipolar disorder.

He drives without a license

Craig further takes part in dangerous and illegal activities. For instance, he drives around illegally without a license. This further proves the fact that Craig most definitely suffers from some mental illness or the other.

He shows high excitement levels inappropriately

In certain situations when he is expected to react confused or even angry, Craig shows high levels of excitement, which can be seen as abnormal from the outside. For example, when he gets Manny pregnant, he does not react confused like a normal teen and is actually happy.

Causes of Craig’s bipolar in Degrassi

Several factors could have contributed to Craig’s bipolar in Degrassi. However, the main factors for his bipolar disorder have been explained in the following points.

  • His abusive father: The main reason behind Craig’s bipolar disorder as well as his other mental issues is because of his abusive father. The relationship between the two is definitely toxic and at one point his father physically hurts him.
  • His father’s death: While his father was indeed abusive towards him, Craig definitely sought a good relationship with him. This was shown when Craig had a meltdown after learning that his father died. This further traumatized him.

Conclusion

The following detailed article has discussed if Craig has bipolar in Degrassi. We have also checked out the signs and symptoms of bipolar that Craig demonstrates in Degrassi, along with a few factors which may have contributed to his mental health issues.

If you like this article, please post your comments and questions in the space below.

Citations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrassi:_The_Next_Generation
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288937/
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/DegrassiTheNextGeneration
https://www.looper.com/752518/the-best-characters-in-degrassi-the-next-generation-ranked-by-likability/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/bipolar-disorders/what-are-bipolar-disorders
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9294-bipolar-disorder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder
https://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/mental-health-bipolar-disorder

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