Does Deadpool have BPD? (+5 Signs of issues)

The following article will be explaining if Deadpool has BPD. We will also be checking out the various signs of mental health issues and emotional struggles that Deadpool might be struggling with in his story arc as seen in the Marvel comics and movies.

Does Deadpool have BPD?

No, Deadpool does not have BPD. In the Marvel movies and comics which feature him, Deadpool is not confirmed to have Borderline Personality Disorder. But, he certainly shows a number of signs of this particular personality disorder.

Deadpool is actually the alter-ego of Wade Wilson. Wilson goes through a procedure to cure his cancer which leaves him permanently disfigured. At the same time, he gets the ability to heal his body from injuries at a very highly accelerated rate.

Wade Wilson therefore dons the identity of Deadpool and becomes more like an anti-hero. However, in some comics, he is portrayed as a supervillain. Deadpool also stands out in the fact that he actually knows that he is a comic character.

While Deadpool may not exactly have Borderline Personality Disorder, it is also quite clear that he has a number of undiagnosed mental health issues. Marvel fans who have closely studied the character have come up with a number of theories concerning Deadpool, such as,

• Dissociative Identity Disorder: Deadpool actually shows a number of signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder. For instance, the very fact that Wade Wilson and Deadpool are two completely different identities is one sign.

Another sign is that Deadpool constantly speaks to himself in two voices, i.e. he listens to two different voices in his head. In the comics, one voice is signified by a yellow-colored speech bubble while the other one is denoted by a white speech bubble.

At the same time, Deadpool does not exactly show many other signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder. He knows well what his two different identities are and does not treat them like two different people.

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Another diagnosis which probably rings more true for Deadpool is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The character can be seen often losing his attention and focus on little things.

Deadpool also speaks really fast and has trouble staying in a single spot for an extended period of time. This lack of attention in Deadpool is often blamed on his superpowers in the ability to regenerate very easily.

• Bipolar disorder: Another possible explanation for Deadpool’s mental health is bipolar disorder. Some fans who have studied the character closely in his appearances have felt that he clearly exhibits the highs and lows of bipolar disorder.

The sudden increase in impulsivity and recklessness as seen in Deadpool is often assumed to be caused by the manic phase of bipolar disorder. At the same time, this is quite unlikely since manic phases and depressive phases need to be present for an extended period of time.

This however, is not seen in Deadpool. He also rarely goes through depressive phases, but can be seen taking out his aggression and anger through violent means. His manic phases are also not in tandem with what the diagnostic criteria for this mood disorder dictates.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: As a result of his traumatic back-story, it is also often assumed that Deadpool might actually have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Deadpool even shows a few signs of this disorder in his development.

He even goes through a number of panic attacks when he encounters some flashbacks. However, his best coping mechanism is to use humor for everything that has affected him in the past. Deadpool enumerates a number of traumas from his past when he speaks to Vanessa.

For instance, he mentions that he was molested by his uncle when he was a child. This definitely could not have been easy for Deadpool. The presence of traumas like these and Deadpool’s maladaptive coping mechanism can point to the presence of PTSD.

• Schizophrenia: Some people also believe that Deadpool actually may have Schizophrenia and not any other mental health disorder. The two voices in Deadpool’s mind can be interpreted as auditory hallucinations.

Hallucinations are quite common in Schizophrenia, along with a number of other psychotic symptoms. At the same time, Deadpool does not show the many other characteristic symptoms of Schizophrenia, and therefore this mental health disorder may not exactly apply.

• Psychosis: Another possible explanation for Deadpool’s mental health and his actions and behaviors is psychosis. This is again mostly because of the hallucinations that Deadpool seems to hear in his head.

He also seems to be quite disconnected with reality. While psychosis itself is not a diagnosable mental health condition, it is certainly an important symptom in many mental health disorders like Schizophrenia and even mood disorders.

Signs of Deadpool’s mental health issues

Throughout his story arc and his appearances, Deadpool actually presents with a number of toxic traits, even if he is able to get away with them through his humorous and charming self. His actual mental health diagnosis is not confirmed in his story arc.

At the same time, he shows many signs of deep mental health issues and emotional struggles, for which he does not exactly get help. Some of the signs of Deadpool’s mental health issues which he shows in the comics and the movies are discussed in the following section.

He is definitely very unstable

Deadpool is definitely a very unstable character. His emotions and reactions are never really predictable. While this actually gives him an upper-hand when dealing with enemies, it still shows that he suffers from some undiagnosed mental health issues.

He uses humor quite a lot

Among the many Marvel super-villains and anti-heroes, Deadpool is definitely one of the funniest. He has the ability to poke fun at himself at all times, which can seem like a huge plus. However, humor is often a coping mechanism to mask some deep painful traumas.

He hears voices in his head

Deadpool also seems to have two different identities in his head. He listens to different mind-voices. The presence of these voices in Deadpool actually lead many people to assume that he actually suffers from some psychotic disorder like Schizophrenia.

He is overconfident a lot of the time

In many instances, Deadpool is pretty confident to a fault. This over-confidence in Deadpool leads him to take on many suicide missions and underestimate his opponents which gets him into a lot of trouble.

This overconfidence is not only seen in terms of Deadpool’s physicality, but even his other talents and abilities. For example, he is quite confident around women and thinks that they will be able to easily fall for his charm.

While confidence is not a sign of mental health issues, over-confidence in oneself can point to narcissism. Narcissistic behaviors are present in personality disorders like Antisocial Personality Disorder and even Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

He is insecure about his appearance

While Deadpool is definitely confident most of the time, he is terribly insecure about one aspect, i.e. his appearance. In many situations, Deadpool is seen to immediately change his attitude and behavior when someone pulls his mask off.

However, towards later parts of his appearances, in the comics and the movies, Deadpool actually becomes quite comfortable with the way he looks and can be seen taking off his mask often in front of people he is comfortable with.

Conclusion

The following article has explained if Deadpool has BPD. We have also checked out the various signs of mental health issues and emotional struggles that Deadpool might be struggling with in his story arc as seen in the Marvel comics and movies.

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

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