Does Steven Universe have anxiety? (+5 Causes)
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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.
The current blogpost will be answering if Steven Universe has anxiety and the various signs of his anxiety mentioned in the show. We will also be discussing the different factors which may have led to this anxiety and other mental health problems depicted in the show.
Does Steven Universe have anxiety?
Yes, Steven Universe has anxiety. More specifically, Steven Universe has PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder which can cause the person to exhibit symptoms of anxiety in a reaction to certain trigger factors.
While not all the episodes of Steven Universe may show that he has anxiety, the latter half of the first season of the show have depicted clues that the character may indeed have many mental health needs and really needs professional help.
Steven’s anxiety is mostly discussed in his visit to Dr. Maheshwaran who picks up on clues that the character is indeed suffering from something that is deeply psychological in nature. However, this is brushed off as something silly or too trivial.
The episode of ‘Growing pains’ is the one which most talks about this anxiety and other psychological issues that Steven Universe may be going through. Not just Steven Universe, but even many other characters in the show depict mental health issues in one way or the other.
Signs of Steven Universe’ Anxiety
Steven Universe’s anxiety and other mental health issues may be subtle at times and this can be hard to detect. In this part of the blogpost, we have listed the various signs of Steven Universe’s anxiety.
- Steven Universe keeps transforming physically in size and shape throughout the episodes which may be a reflection of the different struggles and battles he might be fighting at a psychological or a subconscious level.
- The character is known to blow up small issues and treat them as if they are apocalyptic in nature. This is often the reason why gets into more trouble with other characters in the series.
- Steven Universe also seems to be highly reliant on others to deal with problems, especially with Connie. When Connie is distant from him, the character shows a lot of anxiety and inability to deal with small challenges.
- Another sign of mental health issues that the character may be going through is the sheer amount of desperation he shows in taking care of others and solving their problems rather than dealing with his own pain and trauma.
- Steven Universe has also been seen to change his color to ‘pink’ when he goes through an anxiety attack. This can be seen in the first episode of the spinoff, Steven Universe Future, where the character starts glowing pink when someone refuses his help.
- Steven can also be seen to struggle with showing his emotions outside. This is seen in the episode, Prickly Pair, where the character feels ashamed of the fact that he is not able to express his emotions and feelings in a positive manner.
- Another sign of the deep psychological issues that lead to anxiety in Steven Universe is his actual aim for the future, which is to be ‘everything that everybody wants me to be when he is grown’. This is an unhealthy way of thinking.
Causes of Steven Universe’s Anxiety
Steven Universe’s anxiety can be blamed on a variety of factors, and not just one. The different causes of Steven Universe’s anxiety have been explored in the following points.
- Steven Universe goes through a lot of trauma all the time. Constantly, the character can be seen to be fighting death directly or seeing others die around him. This can definitely lead to anxiety and stress in a person, especially if they are not getting help.
- Steven Universe also deals with a lot of guilt about the actions that his own mother had made earlier. He continuously tries to bring reparations for these actions, even if he is not at all responsible for these.
- The character also has many issues with Connie, his best-friend, whom he develops romantic feelings for. When Connie rejects his proposal, Steven Universe goes into a spiral of depression, feeling anxious and panicky afterward.
- Even when he goes through many traumatic issues, he never seeks help since selflessness and looking out for others is so deeply ingrained in to his behavior. All this bottling up eventually leads him to seek the help of Dr. Maheshwaran later.
- Steven Universe also does not have a realistic or achievable goal set for himself. Instead, he constantly worries about others and tries to make them happy. He, however, learns that self-love is the way to go through Cactus Steven.
Mental Health Problems in Steven Universe
Apart from the main character’s anxiety and PTSD, other characters in the show can also be seen to struggle with mental health issues. Some of the other mental health problems which audiences can see in Steven Universe episodes are:
PTSD in the crystal gems
Almost all the characters in Steven Universe can be seen to demonstrate signs and symptoms of PTSD. From the frequent panic attacks to the constant questioning of themselves, the characters of Steven Universe all seem to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Pearl and BPD
Pearl is one of the main characters in Steven Universe and is known for her frequent anger outbursts and mood swings. She also has passionate relationships with her loved ones, which are often stormy, further proving this fact.
Rose Quartz and Sociopathy
Rose Quartz, also known as Pink Diamond, is one of the main reasons for the current scenario in the Steven Universe world. This character can be seen to be highly narcissistic in nature and often displays sociopathic/psychopathic tendencies in her approach towards others.
Connie and Intimacy issues
Connie, who is the best friend of Steven Universe and goes on to become his fiancé later, does not necessarily suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition. At the same time, we can see that she finds it difficult to form and maintain stable relationships and has intimacy issues.
Lapis Lazuli and Depression
Lapis Lazuli, another important crystal gem in the Steven Universe, also seems to be suffering from depression. The character often seeks isolation and finds even minimal social interaction very pain-staking to deal with.
Amethyst and OCD
Amethyst from Steven Universe seems to depict many symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, many fans and experts on the show speculate that she might be demonstrating symptoms of Bipolar Personality Disorder due to her unpredictable nature.
Garnet and Dissociation
Garnet often seems to be spaced out and can be out of touch with reality. She can seem to be lacking in awareness of her physical surroundings and the activities that are going on around her. Therefore, Garnet is discussed in fandom circles to have a dissociation disorder.
Onion and Autism
Onion seems to be portraying symptoms of the Autism Spectrum but these are not specific as to which type the character falls in. Apart from Onion, many other characters and their personalities can be explained by the presence of autism.
For instance, many fans speculate that Pearl has high-functioning autism which makes it difficult for her to maintain relationships in a healthy manner. Steven Universe himself is often discussed as having autism.
Conclusion
The current blogpost has answered if Steven Universe has anxiety and the various signs of his anxiety mentioned in the show. We have also discussed the different factors which may have led to this anxiety and other mental health problems depicted in the show.
If you like this blogpost, please leave your comments and questions in the space below.
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