Does Lorelai Gilmore have bipolar?

In this blogpost, we will be discussing if Lorelai Gilmore has bipolar while also looking at the alternate diagnoses that can be applied to the main character of the show ‘Gilmore Girls’. Gilmore Girls covers the lives of a mother-daughter duo and their other relationships.

Does Lorelai Gilmore have bipolar?

No, Lorelai Gilmore does not have bipolar. In the show ‘Gilmore Girls’, Lorelai does not portray or depict any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. However, due to her many mood swings, some fans of the show speculate that the character might be actually suffering from bipolar.

In the show, Lorelai Gilmore is the mother of Rory Gilmore and they both live in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. While Lorelai was originally estranged from her wealthy parents, she later reconciles with them after they promise to fund Rory’s education.

While this is the main story arc, the various relationships of the mother-daughter duo and how they live their lives in the quaint town is what the series is important about. It primarily covers the casual relationship between the single mother and the daughter.

Lorelai Gilmore was instantly a favorite among many viewers since she and Rory almost share a BFF like relationship rather than being mother and daughter. At the same time, it can also be seen that not everything Lorelai does is actually healthy in nature.

In fact, some fans who have deeply studied the show ‘Gilmore Girls’ and the personality of Lorelai Gilmore, have expressed that the character might be suffering from some mental illness. Some of the diagnoses that have been applied when it comes to Lorelai Gilmore are:

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: One of the theories as to what mental illness Lorelai Gilmore is suffering from is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. The character definitely finds it hard to concentrate and focus.

Lorelai also shows a very messy environment wherever she is, even while at work. She can also be seen to be constantly restless and never sits still in the series at all. Furthermore, she is always talking and never silent.

She definitely shows a lot of impulsivity and makes decisions without giving much thought to them. However, some fans feel that Lorelai’s ADHD-like symptoms may be due to all the sugar she consumes in the show in the form of coffee and sweets.

  • Borderline Personality Disorder: Borderline Personality Disorder is another alternate diagnosis that is tossed when it comes to Lorelai Gilmore’s mental illness. Many fans feel so looking at the large number of unstable relationships that the character has.

Lorelai Gilmore can be seen flitting from guy to guy like a butterfly in the show and it’s almost always the same set of men. She is never able to commit fully to any of them and also does not show any maturity in handling adult issues that come with relationships.

Another sign of Borderline Personality Disorder that Lorelai Gilmore depicts in the show is that her moods can change very easily. She also goes through very intense emotions, whether it is in relation to her daughter, her current partner or even her friends.

In addition to these signs, Lorelai Gilmore also has a self-destructive pattern. For Lorelai and Rory, the self-destruction is in the form of very unhealthy food which they consume by the pound in the show without giving any thought to the negative consequences.

Apart from using food as a self-destructive weapon, Lorelai Gilmore also shows many other self-destructive tendencies. An example is ruining her relationships with her parents constantly, even though she actually loves and needs them in her life.

Conclusion

In this blogpost, we have discussed if Lorelai Gilmore has bipolar while also looking at the alternate diagnoses that can be applied to the main character of the show ‘Gilmore Girls’.

If you like this blogpost, please leave your comments and questions in the space below.

Citations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilmore_Girls
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0238784/
https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/525/gilmore-girls/characters
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html#
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350889
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9762-borderline-personality-disorder-bpd
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/overview/

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