BPD has 9 basic symptoms. At least 5 are required for diagnosis. Let’s go through them with Bojack:
Fear of abandonment: The first and strongest example I think of offhand is Bojack sabotaging Todd’s rock opera because he is so afraid that Todd will leave him if he is successful.
Unstable relationships: Bojack doesn’t really have any stable relationships in his life. His romantic relationships end quickly. His friendships with Diane and PC frequently and rapidly oscillate between love and hate (even if he does usually come back around pretty quickly).
Unclear or shifting self-image: Bojack has a constant internal monologue telling him he is a piece of shit. He also has a completely contradictory view of himself as deserving kind of unlimited leeway from others for dicking them over. He sees himself as a hack but is also hurt when Todd doesn’t find him worthy of an Oscar.
Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors: This is mainly seen through his constant substance abuse.
Self-harm: His substance abuse can again be used as an example for this. This symptom also includes suicidal gestures, such as trying to drown himself in the pool.
(Noteworthy that we already have enough symptoms to be eligible for diagnosis so far)
Extreme emotional swings: We see Bojack go through pretty quick highs and lows frequently, especially during his benders, when he will be manically excited one moment and depressed the next.
Chronic feelings of emptiness: This is often called “the void” by those of us with BPD. Bojack mentions filing the void a few times, usually with food.
Explosive anger: We see this from Bojack when he fights with others, notably Diane.
Feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality: Several episodes are dedicated to Bojack having this experience, though he is usually on drugs during these episodes so an argument could be made that the drugs are causing this dissociation.
BPD has 9 basic symptoms. At least 5 are required for diagnosis. Let’s go through them with Bojack:
Fear of abandonment: The first and strongest example I think of offhand is Bojack sabotaging Todd’s rock opera because he is so afraid that Todd will leave him if he is successful.
Unstable relationships: Bojack doesn’t really have any stable relationships in his life. His romantic relationships end quickly. His friendships with Diane and PC frequently and rapidly oscillate between love and hate (even if he does usually come back around pretty quickly).
Unclear or shifting self-image: Bojack has a constant internal monologue telling him he is a piece of shit. He also has a completely contradictory view of himself as deserving kind of unlimited leeway from others for dicking them over. He sees himself as a hack but is also hurt when Todd doesn’t find him worthy of an Oscar.
Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors: This is mainly seen through his constant substance abuse.
Self-harm: His substance abuse can again be used as an example for this. This symptom also includes suicidal gestures, such as trying to drown himself in the pool.
(Noteworthy that we already have enough symptoms to be eligible for diagnosis so far)
Extreme emotional swings: We see Bojack go through pretty quick highs and lows frequently, especially during his benders, when he will be manically excited one moment and depressed the next.
Chronic feelings of emptiness: This is often called “the void” by those of us with BPD. Bojack mentions filing the void a few times, usually with food.
Explosive anger: We see this from Bojack when he fights with others, notably Diane.
Feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality: Several episodes are dedicated to Bojack having this experience, though he is usually on drugs during these episodes so an argument could be made that the drugs are causing this dissociation.