Pete Davidson: Part Two

Pete Davidson is a star who is unable to step out of the spotlight. His previous relationship with Ariana Grande consistently made the covers of tabloids, and he was the center of controversy when he joked about congressman and ex-Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw’s eye patch. More recently, however, Davidson has made headlines due to his openness about his mental health. Davidson was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, which is extremely stigmatized and generally not something that people share or have the courage to open up about. Despite this, he has shared his struggles with the disorder and alleviated much of the stigma by delivering his experiences through his comedic tone. 

Borderline Personality Disorder is defined in the DSM-5 by nine traits, but only requires five to be present for a diagnosis. It is mainly defined by intense mood swings and a persistent fear of abandonment. The disorder is believed to be somewhat genetic, but can also be caused by childhood trauma. In Davidson’s case, this is likely a result of him losing his father during the 9/11 attacks when he was just seven years old. The way that he has opened the discussion surrounding the disorder has greatly raised awareness in the mental health community.

Davidson has noted how the disorder is not separate from him, but rather it is who he is. This distinction is significant, because a disordered personality is who someone is and how they interact with others; treating the disorder is essentially training the patient to act differently day-to-day. Davidson has also chided much of the stigmatized statements about BPD. It is often said that people with BPD are unloveable and hopeless, but he has fought those arguments stating: “i been hearing a lot of ‘people with bpd can’t be in relationships’ talk. i just wanna let you know that’s not true. just because someone has a mental illness does not mean they can’t be happy and in a relationship. it also doesn’t mean that person makes the relationship toxic. Everybody is different and there are a lot of treatments for mental illnesses and I have done/am doing all of them.”

This statement gives hope to those who are borderline in a society that has otherwise mostly given them a bleak outlook. So what is the hope for them? Davidson has discussed this as well. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan who battled with BPD herself. As of now, it has had a fifty percent success rate among patients with borderline. In regard to DBT, Davidson has noted that “It’s so hard and like, lame, but once you actually do it and go through the [DBT skills] book and you’re like, ‘I’m gonna use this skill’ or like hold ice or take a cold shower or listen to your favorite song really loud — it sounds fucking lame and annoying, but when you do it, it actually kind of works.”

Many people speak about BPD and few speak out in support of those who have the diagnosis, but only Davidson has spoken about it in such a way that alleviates the stigma and builds a stronger understanding surrounding the matter. Pete Davidson is a great example of how celebrities and other people in the spotlight can use their platform to raise awareness and help others feel they are not alone.