Recently, a forensic psychologist named Shannon Curry testified at the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial. She stated that in her professional opinion, she believed Amber Heard has borderline personality disorder.
The defamation trial is hard to avoid right now, filling our newsfeeds on social Media as well as the news itself.
For many people, this will be the first time they have heard the term borderline personality disorder.
For many others, it will be a diagnosis they are aware of, without being too familiar with the nature of the condition.
Some however, will be familiar with the condition as sufferers.
So now it’s been mentioned in a high profile court proceeding, the general public will now have a better understanding of BPD right?
….not quite.
Unfortunately, the context in which BPD has surfaced recently, is one where it is being used as evidence in order to vilify and discredit someone.
Basically, lawyers on the side of the complainant (Depp) have chosen the aspects of the condition they felt would help them to denigrate Heard, in order to paint her as an unreliable, morally suspect individual who cannot be trusted.
Many people have called this out and criticised the “weaponization” of BPD, said to be diagnosed in around 1 in 100 people, in order to win a court case.
Personality disorders are generally agreed to occur on a “spectrum” different from person to person.
Licensed marriage and family therapist Saba Harouni Lurie pointed out that BPD has a strong relationship with adverse childhood experiences.
It’s hard to think of another example where such a condition would be used in the way it has been here.
Like a lot of mental health conditions, BPD is made more difficult by the fact it affects interpersonal relationships. This is exacerbated by lack of awareness, or worse, misinformation.
It must be a worry for some with BPD, that their diagnosis will now too be used against them in some way or distort someone’s understanding of them as a person.
Kathy Nickerson is a licensed clinical psychologist and nationally recognized relationship expert in the US. she highlighted the fact that BPD is “highly stigmatized.” She was also adamant that-
“If it’s proven that Amber Heard did abuse Johnny Depp, it’s not because she has borderline personality disorder, it’s because she has abusive tendencies,”
If you or someone you know suffers from BPD and understandably has been affected by this situation. Below are some links re myths around BPD and articles about the use of BPD in this trial.
Borderline Personality Disorder Myths and Facts | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Myths About Borderline Personality Disorder | The Recovery Village
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AWARENESS MONTH -May 2022 – National Today
Leave a Reply