Maintenance Factors
Let's talk about the factors contributing to the perpetuation of depression in the protagonist of the animated series BoJack Horseman.
Substance Abuse and its Consequences
The most obvious maintenance factor is BoJack's alcoholism - he consistently engages in a cyclical pattern of behaviour where something bad happens, he feels bad, and then tries to numb his negative emotions with alcohol. In turn, in his drunken state, he tends to do something regrettable that will make him feel worse the next day, leading to more distress in the future.
As one example, BoJack is imprisoned at the end of the show after drunkenly breaking into someone's home.
Then there’s the aspect of drinking where he’s emotionally in a worse place the next day, as research shows alcohol only worsens depression symptoms (Fergusson et al., 2009).
However, there's a much subtler but pervasive factor than BoJack's drinking: his pessimistic attributional style.
Pessimistic Attributional Style
Even his friends constantly try to point out to him all the positive things about him—and his life—throughout the entire show. But he always finds a way to focus on the negative.
This persistent pessimism is a crucial part of the overarching factor in maintaining BoJack’s struggles with mental health: a pessimistic attributional style. Indeed, Abramson and colleagues (1978) proposed that people who have a relatively stable and consistent pessimistic attributional style have vulnerability in maintaining depression.
Attributional Style:
Pessimistic vs Healthy Coping
An attributional style is the way in which a person explains and interprets the causes for good and bad events in their life.
People with a pessimistic style tend to attribute bad events to three causes:
Stable Causes (versus something just temporary)
Global Causes (versus something specific)
And Internal (versus something outside one’s control)
Example 1
For example, when Sarah-Lynn passes away after excessive partying with BoJack, he says:
And Regardless of how inaccurate these views are, it becomes part of BoJack’s worldview, thus dictating his emotions.
And this manifests itself not only psychologically (like a lowered self-esteem and insecure attachments), but also biologically: these thought patterns are shown to change the regulation of the brain’s stress system, leading to (for instance) increased release of cortisol and adrenaline in reaction to stress. In turn, he’s more likely to evaluate events as more distressful than others normally would.
Stable - “It doesn’t get better and it doesn’t get easier. I can’t keep lying to myself thinking I’m gonna change, I’m poison.
Global & Internal - “I come from poison and I have poison inside me and I destroy everything I touch… I have nobody in my life who’s better off for having known me”
Example 2
Now here’s another insightful example:
In this scene, BoJack and Carolynn were going on a date to eat Gelato together. While Carolynn is getting ready, BoJack gets a confrontational phone call from an old friend who BoJack had a quarrel with in the past.
This phone call is all it took for BoJack to cancel the date and tell Carolynn, “you were right earlier when you said we don’t love each other”, adding on “we’re both just lonely and trying to hate ourselves a little less. That’s all we’re gonna be, and maybe that’s all we were”.
He truly believes, as he says, this phone call “brought him back to reality”.
This in turn leads to alienation; it only pushed Carolynn away and she stopped talking to him after this.
And research’s shown that this alienation behaviour in people with depression only leads to a greater sense of rejection that reinforces the existing depression. Behaviours that lead to alienation, perpetuating the issue (Joiner & Timmons, 2008)
Rumination: A Vicious Cycle of Negative Emotions
This is contrasted with a healthy approach to solving the problem, or just distracting oneself from the distress.
An episode that perfectly exemplifies this theme is called “Stupid Piece of Sh*t”, which narrates BoJack’s inner monologue. As implied by the title, throughout the entire episode BoJack refers to himself as a stupid piece of [Bleep] every time something doesn’t go well.
Protective Factors
Now let’s look at some things BoJack does right; his traits that decrease the likelihood of negative outcomes and actually reduce the impact of risk factors.
Self Awareness and Intelligence
Research has indicated that self-awareness and intelligence are protective factors against various mental health issues (Nolen Hoeksema & Hilt, 2009).
BoJack consistently demonstrates an ability to recognise the behaviours that would lead, or have led, to something bad.
He’s particularly good at identifying and getting an elaborate understanding of what he’s feeling, as you can see here:
“...but being famous, I'm never punished, so I act out even more. And since this pattern is so woven into my identity, it is unfathomable to me that it can ever be curbed, so instead, I drink! So, the only way I can progress is to return to my life as a sober man, and finally hold myself accountable for my actions, past and future.”
Clearly, he understands not only the root cause of some of his problems, including his drinking, but also the solution to it.
These moments of self-awareness are what have led him to take action, like when he - of his own free will - puts himself in rehab for his alcoholism.
Unsurprisingly, research shows these are two protective factors against a range of mental health issues.
Employment And Meaningful Engagement
He also recognises the importance of staying after some goal to keep himself preoccupied, such as keeping himself employed in the acting and entertainment industry, which is his passion. This is another important protective factor.
I think this is especially noteworthy because BoJack has enough wealth not to work another day of his life, but still goes out there and gets involved.
He also goes through phases of trying to get into an exercise routine and getting into self-help, essentially doing therapy on himself.
Social Support and Relationships
Although BoJack's relationships are often fraught with conflict, there are instances where his social connections provide vital support. Research has consistently shown that strong social support networks can be a powerful protective factor against depression (Teo et al., 2013). For example, his friendships with Todd, Diane, and Princess Carolyn, despite their ups and downs, offer moments of understanding, empathy, and encouragement that can help counterbalance the negative influences in his life. However, BoJack's depressive tendencies and self-sabotaging behaviours often strain these relationships, undermining the potential benefits of social support. Addressing these interpersonal challenges and fostering healthier relationships could further bolster BoJack's resilience against depression.
Self-care and Lifestyle Changes
Throughout the series, BoJack occasionally attempts to make positive lifestyle changes, such as engaging in exercise routines and exploring self-help resources. These efforts reflect a level of self-awareness and a desire for self-improvement. Regular physical activity and engagement in self-care practices have been shown to have a positive impact on mental health and overall well-being (Mammen & Faulkner, 2013; Rimes & Wingrove, 2013). While BoJack's attempts at self-care are often short-lived or inconsistent, cultivating a more sustained commitment to these practices could enhance his ability to cope with depression and improve his overall quality of life.