Article by: Cinde-Lee Koopman & Simone Fourie
Recently, the whole world’s eyes were on the defamation case between celebrities Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard. During the trial, expert witnesses such as psychiatrists and psychologists were brought to the stand and made claims regarding clinical disorders that both parties appeared to have. In this blog post, we will focus on Amber Heard’s speculated disorder and what they entail.
What is a histrionic personality disorder?
Histrionic Personality Disorder is a mental health condition, falling under the Cluster B category of personality disorders. With the word “histrionic” meaning “dramatic”, the disorder is identified as patterns of uncontrollable emotional & attention-seeking behaviour. Its onset may begin from early adulthood, however, may be presented in a variety of contexts:
- Overpowering needs to be noticed.
- Misrepresented self-image.
- Individuals with HPD generally do not believe that they have problematic behaviour or thinking.
People with HPD may show:
- Individuals tend to be uncomfortable in matters whereby they are not the main attraction.
- The behaviour typically includes inappropriate sexual seduction or provocative acts.
- Superficial expression of emotions.
- Persistent use of physical appearance to lock attention to self.
- Speech may lack detail and is extremely impressionistic.
- Includes exaggerated expressions of emotions.
- Tends to be easily influenced by others.
- Individuals with HPD regard relationships to be more intimate than they are.
In the court case, it was testified that Amber Heard tends to blame others rather than accept responsibility for her wrong actions. It was evident that she had a preoccupation with her image. If you followed the case, it would be clear as day to you that Amber exhibited exaggerated emotions on the stand, as it was quite a theatrical performance. She constantly sought approval from the jury and the audience, and most of her statements seemed insincere. These are some of the traits prevalent in histrionic personality disorder. It can however be quite difficult to diagnose someone with this disorder, as the person would need to meet five out of the nine criteria listed in the DSM-5, which are very specific.
“Having a mental illness does not define one’s personality. Many of us now associate these conditions with negative behaviours; which can create shame in those who suffer from BPD or HPD. We should not associate one person’s actions with an entire disorder.“
What is borderline personality disorder?
- BPD includes prevalent patterns of unstable emotions and difficulty with emotion regulation.
- Inconsistency in relationships.
- Displays fluctuating moods.
- Onset may be from early adulthood.
- BPD is also marked by impulsive behaviour.
Symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
- Relationships may alternate between two extremes, either idealisation or devaluation.
- Consistently unstable self-image and sense of self.
- Episodes of intense emotions such as anger, anxiety, stress and sadness.
- Hysterical efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
- May engage in self-harming tendencies including suicidal thoughts and attempts.
- Severe feelings of emptiness.
- Dissociative feelings result in a disconnection from one’s sense of identity.
What consequences came from being publicly ‘diagnosed’ in this case?
Having the whole world know what psychological disorders you might suffer from opens the floor to mockery and ridicule. It also questions the validity and credibility of your other emotions. In the case of Amber Heard, she might be discriminated against in future job prospects, which can severely affect her income and standard of living, as she was depicted as a villain. In addition, being the subject of mockery from millions of internet users can harm her mental health even further.
It is also concerning that Depp’s defence team used Heard’s disorders against her. Even though we cannot use mental illness as an excuse for our behaviour, we also cannot use it to paint someone as a generally unreliable, dishonest person.
There is also the possibility that people will start throwing around the terms ‘histrionic’ and ‘borderline’, without considering that these are serious mental health issues that require psychological assistance. We need to be careful to not diagnose ourselves or other people in our lives based on what we see in the media.
We especially empathise with those who are struggling with these disorders, who may be labelled by the behaviours that were portrayed in the case, rather than being given the benefit of the doubt. Mental illness does not define one’s personality. Many of us now associate these conditions with negative behaviours, which can create shame in those who suffer from BPD or HPD. We should not associate one person’s actions with an entire disorder.
Even though awareness has been made of these disorders, we must remember that diagnosis can only be made by a mental health professional, in combination with diagnostic tests and evaluation. An accurate diagnosis requires time and patience to observe enduring patterns of behaviour. It is also crucial that we do not stigmatise those struggling with their mental health and forget the seriousness of such disorders. We need to be mindful and show kindness to everyone who is mentally unwell. As a society, the responsibility lies with us to not shame and place judgement on individuals who suffer from mental illnesses and put them under a magnifying glass while they are at their most vulnerable. Let us highlight these mental illnesses in a manner that will allow those suffering to come forward and seek the appropriate assistance, rather than treating it as a form of entertainment.