Rue's biopolar disorder is not reduced to a quirky new character trait, a narrative device used to ramp up the plot, or something to make her seem dangerous to herself or others. Later, her depressive state pulls her into 22-hour marathons of Love Island, during which she resists the urge to get out of bed and pee despite excruciating kidney pain. Rue's manic state isn't violent - she's just excitable and hyper-focused on the single task of rescuing Jules from Nate. This is why Euphoria's portrayal of bipolar disorder is so necessary and refreshing. "It is really important for people not to think of as walking time-bombs that will destroy other people," Dr. Lucious' mother and Pat both severely beat people, and the preface to Midsommar is that Dani is grieving because her bipolar sister killed their parents, and then died by suicide while in a manic state. Lucious' mother in Empire, Pat in Silver Linings Playbook, and Dani's sister in Midsommar are all examples of characters who are violent as a result of their bipolar disorder. However, media often portrays aggression and wild outbursts as an integral part of the diagnosis, which can lead to widespread misconceptions. And similar to Rue's experiences, it's not always immediately clear that someone is living with bipolar disorder.ĭepressive episodes are very similar to depression, so spotting manic periods is key to a bipolar diagnosis. While anyone can develop it, the NIMH finds that it tends to overlap in teens who have also been diagnosed with depression, anxiety disorders, and ADHD, as Rue was. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder tends to develop when a person is in their late teen to early adult years. The happy or "up" phases are called manic episodes, while the sad or "down" phases are called depressive episodes. ![]() Still, that doesn't make it any less revelatory or important: the extreme depictions still far outnumber the authentic ones, and Euphoria is helping to push back against lingering stereotypes previously enforced by pop culture.īipolar disorder causes people to experience extreme mood changes that can last anywhere from days to a year. ![]() The way Rue's bipolar disorder is depicted in Euphoria is not necessarily new though there have been many sensationalized portrayals of the disorder on TV and in movies, there have also been a handful of thoughtful and accurate ones. But in the July 28 episode, she comes to the realization that she also likely has bipolar disorder - just as her doctor suspected back in the pilot episode. Throughout Euphoria's first season, we've watched Rue grapple with substance use disorder as a result of her depression, anxiety, and ADHD diagnoses. Spoilers ahead for Season 1, Episode 7 of Euphoria.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |