Does Jules have bipolar? (+3 Causal factors)
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This info-rich article will be answering if Jules has bipolar. We will also be taking a look at the different signs of mental illness that Jules portrays in the show, Euphoria. Furthermore, we will be describing some of the factors which could have led to her mental health issues.
Does Jules have bipolar?
No, Jules does not have bipolar. In the drama series, Euphoria, which follows several teenagers and their struggles with mental health and relationships, Jules is not portrayed to suffer from bipolar disorder.
However, it can be clearly seen that the character definitely has mental health struggles. When she was younger and struggling with gender dysphoria, Jules portrayed many signs and symptoms of depression.
Even after transitioning, Jules still battled with some mental health issues but the series does not clearly specify as to what illness it might be. Many fans of ‘Euphoria’ who have followed Jules since her first appearance have felt that she actually has Borderline Personality Disorder.
The theory for Jules Vaughn’s Borderline Personality Disorder in the series ‘Euphoria’ is mainly of the impulsive traits which can be seen in her along with the intense mood swings. She also shows a high tendency to have violent sexual encounters with men.
Another trait of Borderline Personality Disorder which can be noticed in Jules is her inclination towards self-harm. At the same time, this is not exactly confirmed by the series, but her depression during childhood is specifically mentioned.
Signs of Jules’ mental health issues
It is not exactly confirmed as to what mental illness Jules is clearly suffering from in ‘Euphoria’. At the same time, she portrays numerous signs that she is suffering from some undiagnosed illness in the series. A few signs of Jules’ mental health issues are discussed as follows.
She has violent tendencies in sex
Jules is a transgender teenager and regularly takes part in violent sexual encounters. She also has a certain ‘type’ that she partakes in sex with regularly. Most of her sexual partners are cis-white men.
After going to therapy and deeply introspecting her tendencies and emotions, Jules states to her therapist that she partakes in violent sexual encounters to fully embrace her feminine side. However, she later admits that she is lesbian and is no longer interested in men.
She does not have healthy relationships
Jules also does not have healthy relationships with many people in the ‘Euphoria’ series. The longest relationship that Jules is seen to have is with Rue with so many fans rooting for them and calling them ‘Rules’.
While her relationship with Rue can many times look like a dream come true for both the characters, deeply studying it can reveal that it was not always healthy. Both Rue and Jules became very co-dependent on each other which is not a good sign for a relationship.
She has a history of depression
Jules also has a history of depression when her backstory is revealed in the ‘Euphoria’ series. Prior to transitioning, Jules can be seen going through a depressive phase for which her mother actually admits her in a psychiatric facility.
She can be impulsive at times
Another sign of some underlying mental illness in Jules is that she shows high levels of impulsivity and recklessness at times. In one instance, Jules decides to skip town all of a sudden to meet an old friend.
In high contrast to her actual personality, Jules even snorts drugs before a concert showing her impulsive side. High levels of impulsivity and recklessness are main signs of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder and even borderline personality disorder.
She takes part in self-harming
Jules also takes part in self-harming behaviors, mainly seen in her backstory. Her first instance of self-harming is seen in Jules’ backstory when her mother lied to her and admitted her in a psychiatric facility for treatment of her depression.
However, her self-harming does not stop here. In another example, Jules hurts herself with a knife when Nate taunts her at a party. At the same time, many fans conclude that this is part of Jules’ impulsivity and not necessarily self-harming.
She gets angry very quickly
Jules is known to have a very quick temper and is prone to get angry really quickly, even with a very small trigger factor. Serious anger and rage issues can also point to some underlying mental illness in a person.
She can be out of touch with reality
Jules may be the favorite character on the show for many people due to her presence of mind. However, in many instances, she also shows a major out of touch persona when it comes to reality and logic.
Even though she is so connected with Rue and so deeply in love with her, she constantly doubts the validity of their relationship. This doubt also causes many troubles between the two characters.
She can be seen consuming drugs
Substance abuse is one thing which can be ruled out of Jules. But when her impulsive side kicks in, she can be seen turning to drugs and alcohol. For example, she blacks out drunk at a party and also snorts some unknown drug when she goes to meet her old friend.
Causes of Jules’ mental health issues
Many factors are to blame for Jules’ struggle with mental health issues in the drama series, ‘Euphoria’. In the points below, we have mentioned a few factors which might have caused her emotional and mental struggles.
- Her gender dysphoria: As a tween, Jules struggled with gender dysphoria which eventually led to depression. Due to her struggles with depression, Jules’ mother takes her to a psychiatric facility to make her seek treatment.
While admitted there, Jules tries to harm herself for the first time. Jules was however pretty fortunate to have enough resources around her to fully complete her transition. It still took a long time to get over her dysphoria though.
- The relationship with her mother: Jules’ mother lied to her and took her to a psychiatric facility for treatment. While her mother did what she thought was best for her child, Jules never completely recovered from this.
Jules felt traumatized and cheated by her mother. As a result of this, she continued to have a very strained relationship with her mother. This dysfunctional family structure could have also contributed widely to Jules’ mental health issues.
- Her low self-esteem: Jules can also be seen to struggle with low self-esteem throughout the series. At the same time, this is not fully evident due to the strong way Jules carries herself throughout her appearances in ‘Euphoria’.
Looking deeply at the personality traits shown by the character, it can be seen that Jules actually struggles with poor self-esteem which is the main reason behind her many impulsive actions and behaviors.
Her poor self-esteem and constant identity issues can also be blamed due to the fact she is still afraid of being judged and harassed as a transgender teen. This can be clearly seen in the party where Nate decides to rile her up which ends in Jules cutting her own arm with a knife.
The drama series ‘Euphoria’ was highly praised for its portrayal of mental health issues and the poor self-esteem that transgender people often go through as a result of their identity. Jules’ poor self-esteem could have inadvertently worsened whatever metal health issue she had.
Conclusion
This info-rich article has answered if Jules has bipolar. We have also taken a look at the different signs of mental illness that Jules portrays in the show, Euphoria. Furthermore, we have described some of the factors which could have led to her mental health issues.
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