Shrinking violets do not enter body building contests, sext people they just met, (right after their stepson goes missing no less) or drive cherry red convertables. (yes, I know it was a gift, but there was probably some discussion beforehand about her taste in cars.)
They do if there is clinical evidence to support a dx of Bipolar Disorder. I am loathe to play the game of armchair diagnosis, but ....
Sexual Dis-inhibition - (Sexting, alleged overtures made towards landscaper).
Excessive Verbosity - (Frequent, *wordy* emails sent to DHY, reported *chattiness* with others she encountered).
Attention Seeking Behaviors - (Cherry Red Convertible, Body Building).
Grandiose Plans - (MFH, Alleged Abduction).
Risk Taking - (Impaired Driving, Sexting.)
Inability to Maintain Gainful Employment - (Despite being well educated, TH had difficulty seeking and maintaining employment in a relevant field).
Fractured Interpersonal Relationships - (History of Divorce x 2, now 3).
Rapid Changes in Body Mass & Appearance - (BPD patients often fluctuate between states of near obesity and extremely low body fat. Pictures of TH taken over the years suggest a pattern of weight gain/disorganized personal care and excessive attention paid to physical appearance/rapid weight loss).
Much has been said about the possibility of TH having NPD. There is this notion that it is much easier associate some sort of criminal culpability with NPD. The public wants someone, somewhere to be responsible for this. Casting TH as an individual with NPD increases the probability (in our own minds) that she could be culpable.
Alternatively, an un-medicated (or incorrectly medicated) individual with BPD would be less likely to face criminal conviction for the crimes of which TH is a
de facto suspect. While Houze might have a difficult time successfully arguing an insanity defense, he could be use the premise of BPD as a mitigating factor during the sentencing phase.
JMO.
