Does Loki have bipolar? (+5 Signs of trauma)
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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…
This article will be examining if Loki has bipolar. We will also be discussing the different signs of mental health issues which Loki portrays in the Marvel movies and comics. Lastly, we will explain in detail the various factors which could have caused these issues in Loki.
Does Loki have bipolar?
No, Loki does not have bipolar. In the Marvel movies and comics, Loki does not show signs of bipolar disorder. However, it can be understood that the character definitely suffers from some undiagnosed mental illness.
Loki, or Loki Odinson, is the adopted son of Odin who is actually a frost-giant in nature. Odin goes on to adopt Loki since he was abandoned for being too small and scrawny for a frost-giant. Odin saves him and changes his appearance to resemble any other Asgardian.
Unbeknownst to Loki, he is brought up as a Prince and a brother to Thor, the biological son of Odin and Frigga. He is taught Asgardian values and grows to imagine himself occupying Odin’s throne when he is ready.
At the same time, there is a lot of sibling rivalry between him and Thor, since the latter is clearly favored by Odin as heir to the throne. When Loki finally learns of his true identity, it starts a raging war between Asgard and the other worlds which leads to a lot of destruction.
While it is not specified what mental illness Loki suffers from in the comics and the movies, it is plain to see that the character has some untended emotional issues which leads him to take up such a destructive path. Some of the diagnoses that have been tossed out by Marvel experts are:
- Borderline Personality Disorder: Looking at the impulsive and dangerous behaviors of Loki, many Marvel fans express that the god of mischief might be actually suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder.
Loki can be seen to be going through eternal mood shifts and also swaying in his relationships with others, especially with his family members. His vengeful nature can also be explained through the presence of an undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Another possible mental health diagnosis when it comes to Loki is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Loki definitely experiences a lot of trauma, especially when he learns that he is actually a frost-giant.
This comes as a major shocker to Loki since he has been taught to hate and despise that race ever since his childhood. Learning this would have been traumatic for Loki, and would have left some long-lasting scars on his psyche, leading to his PTSD.
Later down the line, Loki was imprisoned by Thor for quite a long time, during which he was not allowed any contact with the outside world. Long-term incarcerations have also been known to cause PTSD and other mental health issues in people.
- Split Personality Disorder: Some Marvel fans have also felt that Loki could be indeed suffering from Split Personality Disorder due to the god’s skill at changing shapes easily. However, this is pretty unlikely.
Loki changes his shapes and his appearances at the blink of an eye in order to cause more mischief and also to get away with his crimes. He does not express any anxiety with the different identities, even when he does so for a long time, as seen when he impersonates Odin in Asgard.
- Antisocial Personality Disorder: A possible explanation for Loki’s dangerous and criminal activities is that he might have Antisocial Personality Disorder. This is mainly seen in Loki’s dismissal of all life-forces other than Asgardians.
This racism towards frost-giants is the main reason why he is so hurt when he learns of his own true identity. Learning that he too is a frost-giant just makes him angrier towards everyone else, which starts him on his rampage.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Loki is definitely pretty obsessed with himself and mainly seeks grandeur. This can be seen in his obsession in occupying the throne of Asgard after Odin. It can also be seen when Loki comes to Earth.
On Earth, Loki expects those around him to kneel and basically pay homage to him. When this does not happen easily, Loki’s anger and disappointment is pretty clear to see. Some experts also reveal that Loki has the Dark Triad – Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy.
Signs of Loki’s mental health issues
Throughout the Marvel comics and movies, viewers are treated to many signs that Loki is indeed suffering from some undiagnosed mental illness. A few signs that the god of mischief actually has many mental and emotional struggles have been listed in the following section.
He struggles with his identity
Loki has a lot of identity issues right from the start. He grows up as an Asgardian, which is a huge matter of pride for him. When he learns that he is actually adopted from a race that he has been taught to hate, Loki’s identity is broken and he has to forge a new one from scratch.
He actively ‘hates’
Right from the start, it can be seen that Loki loves to hate and despise those who are different from him. This hate which manifests into physical actions is responsible for his negative and dangerous behavior which is felt throughout the nine realms.
His constant shape-shifting
Shape-shifting might actually be Loki’s talent and gift but goes on to show more mental trauma than what meets the eye. Through shape-shifting and constantly assuming an identity other than his, Loki’s own identity is continuously diluted and contorted.
His tactic of shape-shifting in order to escape from enemies and also problematic situations shows his cowardice. He is afraid to face and fight the situation and therefore runs away through shape-shifting.
His sibling rivalry
A main story arc that follows Loki throughout his appearances in the Marvel comics and movies is his sibling rivalry with Thor. While sibling rivalry is common in childhood, it is rare in adults and is a sign of emotional immaturity and poor self-esteem.
He has a very high sense of self
Loki can be always seen to be carrying himself with a lot of pride and arrogance. He easily masks his inner mental turmoil through an inflated sense of self and expects everyone else to dance to his tunes all the time.
Causes of Loki’s mental health issues
Loki’s mental health issues and emotional struggles can be a delight for any budding mental health professional to study. His story is definitely a beautiful example of how parental love can build up or break down a child. Some of the factors which could be causes of his issues are:
- His upbringing by Odin: Most definitely, the main cause of Loki’s mental health issues stems from the way his adoptive father, Odin, treated him. There was a clear difference in the way he and Thor were raised with Odin showing favoritism to the latter.
Odin always kept a watchful eye over Loki, perhaps too watchful, since he suspected that Loki’s actual personality might be psychopathic. However, this difference in upbringing led to an antisocial behavioral pattern in Loki.
- His secret identity: The incident which broke and traumatized Loki was learning that he was actually adopted by Odin. While learning this was painful enough, it only hurt more for Loki to understand that he is actually a frost-giant.
Not only was he taught to hate this species actively, but he also learns that he was rejected by them as a child due to his small physique. This could have led to a huge conflict of identity and esteem in Loki, which could have branched off into different mental health issues.
Conclusion
This article has examined if Loki has bipolar. We have also discussed the different signs of mental health issues which Loki portrays in the Marvel movies and comics. Lastly, we have explained in detail the various factors which could have caused these issues in Loki.
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Citations
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