Does Evie from ‘Thirteen’ have BPD? (+7 BPD scenes)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this interesting article, we will be answering if Evie from ‘Thirteen’ has BPD or Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition to this, we will also be looking at the actual representation of BPD in the movie ‘Thirteen.’
Does Evie from ‘Thirteen’ have BPD?
No, Evie from ‘Thirteen’ does not have BPD. Evie is a rebellious teenager who becomes close friends with the main character in the movie ‘Thirteen’, Tracy Freeland. She introduces innocent and naïve Tracy to a whole new world of maladaptive and unhealthy behaviors.
However, it is never confirmed that Evie has any mental health disorder. But, from her actions and behaviors, it can be understood that the character certainly has a number of undiagnosed mental health issues and emotional conflicts.
Considering her age and her behaviors, it can mostly be assumed that Evie has a Conduct Disorder. Conduct Disorder leads teenagers to develop problems with authority and also take part in a number of illegal activities, just like Evie in the movie ‘Thirteen.’
Apart from Conduct Disorder, Evie might also have many other issues, especially considering the fact that she does not have a strong family structure and was also abused by her guardian’s boyfriend who pushed her into fire.
Looking at all the negative influences that Evie grew up with, it is surely no wonder that she acts the way she does. Her true aim and longing can be seen when she asks Melanie, Tracy’s mother, to formally adopt her as her daughter.
The closest it comes to a family that Evie has is Brooke, and she is pretty much non-existent. When Evie finds Tracy, they both strike up a close friendship that soon becomes toxic, mostly because of Evie’s bad influence on Tracy, and the latter’s admiration for the rebel.
The main point of ‘Thirteen’ is not about peer-pressure, since all the choices made in the movie were autonomous. Even before she met Evie, Tracy was already a struggling teenager who has the habit of cutting herself to relieve stress.
When Evie came along and broadened Tracy’s world, the actual inner-personality of Tracy simply lit up and was free to express itself. At the same time, the story did not seem to end happily for Evie as she was still yet to find a stable home for herself.
BPD in ‘Thirteen’
The movie ‘Thirteen’ came out in 2003, which was the peak for all teen dramas. However, the movie soon attracted a lot of critical acclaim, mainly because of its accurate portrayal of the various mental health issues teenagers go through.
While it was not quite confirmed in the movie, ‘Thirteen’ actually spoke a lot about BPD or Borderline Personality Disorder, particularly in the case of Tracy Freeland. Some of the signs and symptoms of BPD that ‘Thirteen’ showcases, particularly through Tracy are:
Tracy’s self-harming behaviors
Throughout the movie ‘Thirteen’, Tracy seems to be struggling with self-harming behavior. Whenever she gets too stressed or frustrated, she can be seen scratching herself with the help of scissors, as a result of which she has many scars on her arms.
At another point in time, Tracy is not able to find scissors and uses a razor blade to cut herself. Interestingly enough, these habits of Tracy were present even when a straight-A student and was yet to meet Evie.
Apart from cutting herself, Tracy also mentioned that she would kill herself by swallowing bleach, but never truly acts on it. Self-harming behaviors like these are quite characteristically present in Borderline Personality Disorder, as depicted by Tracy.
Her immediate attraction to Evie
Tracy goes through life as a regular student who has good grades, but she is immediately thrown off by the entrance of Evie in her school. Looking at Evie and all the attention she was getting made Tracy assume that she lacks many things in her life and needs to change.
The first day after she sees Evie, Tracy decides to go for a makeover and dumps out all her old clothes, and instead fills her wardrobe with trendier outfits. She does all this just to get Evie’s attention towards her.
After she talks to Evie, Tracy falls prey to a wrong phone-number prank. However, she still manages to meet Evie outside school. In order to impress Evie, Tracy steals the wallet of a lady when it falls out of her bag, which goes on to impress Evie.
This behavior is very unlikely of Tracy who would not have done something like this usually. These types of grand gestures are often seen in Borderline Personality Disorder, especially when the person has found a favorite person of their own and wants to impress them.
Tracy’s distorted self-image
Tracy truly goes through many shifts in her self-image throughout the movie ‘Thirteen.’ She does not have a strong hand in knowing what her true personality is. Instead, she decides to mirror and sponge off the personality of another person, Evie whom she admires.
This shocks and terrified Tracy’s mother, Melanie, who assumes that this is because of peer-pressure from Evie. But in fact, Evie never forces or pressurizes Tracy to do any of these things. Tracy makes these decisions by herself, with no other external influence.
This distortion of self-image is another characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder, and Tracy accurately shows it in the movie. At certain times she demonstrates over-confidence, but later finds herself shattered and completely deflated in her ego.
Her impulsivity and recklessness
Tracy also shows high levels of impulsivity as seen in the movie ‘Thirteen.’ Her impulsivity becomes quite prominent after she meets Evie and starts to model her attitudes and actions after this new favorite person of hers.
Evie has already been exposed to sex and drugs, and Tracy easily embraces these activities as well. In many cases, Tracy gives Evie ideas, which are both reckless and dangerous in nature. The various impulsive behaviors in the girls include sex, drugs and even petty crime.
Her intoxication
Tracy also struggles with intoxication throughout the movie. This is mostly introduced by Evie, and she and Tracy both keep getting intoxicated at various points in the story. This is not only in terms of alcohol, but even in drugs and dangerous chemicals.
In one scene, Tracy and Evie get high on canned air, in a very dangerous move. The girls get very high and end up hitting each other, with no sensation of pain. Taking part in such harmful behaviors can also be seen in Borderline Personality Disorder as well as other mental disorders.
Her treatment of her mother
Tracy and her mother, Melanie, don’t exactly share that great of a relationship. However, whatever relationship they had only became worse after Tracy started giving so much attention to Evie.
She starts becoming even more disrespectful towards Melanie, and even avoids her brother, Mason. This is not a characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder but definitely shows how intense Tracy’s feelings toward Evie were.
Her reaction to Evie’s departure
Brooke, Evie’s cousin and guardian, decides to take her to Ojai to separate the girls. This not only hurts Evie, but severely hurts Tracy. Tracy weeps intensely in her mother’s arms since she cannot process the fact that her favorite person just left.
The movie soon ends, but not without a scene of Tracy screaming deliriously along in a park in the middle of the day. It can however, be assumed that Tracy would have found it very hard to come to terms with her new life without her best friend, although their relationship was toxic.
Conclusion
In this interesting article, we have answered if Evie from ‘Thirteen’ has BPD or Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition to this, we have looked at the actual representation of BPD in the movie ‘Thirteen.’
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