A clinical psychologist appointed to review the troubled relationship between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp testified to jurors that the actress suffers from two personality disorders and has "exaggerated significantly" her post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the bitter split between the couple, according to the British "Daily Mail."
Depp's legal team called Dr. Shannon Curry as an expert witness to testify in the high-profile defamation trial against the Hollywood star. The clinical psychologist said in court that she concluded Heard shows traits consistent with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD), both of which affect individuals experiencing patterns of emotional instability and attention-seeking behavior.
Dr. Curry testified that she was initially assigned in early last year to review documents in the legal battle between the two feuding parties and to identify behaviors in their relationship that could be consistent with "intimate partner violence." However, the psychology expert noted that her role changed after several months, specifically in October, as she was asked to perform a psychological evaluation of the 36-year-old Heard.
Curry stated in court that "the results of Ms. Heard's evaluation support two diagnoses: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)." She concluded that Heard has "significantly exaggerated" her post-traumatic stress following her relationship with Depp, mentioning that in the actress's view, the actor transitioned from being "perfect" to "scum."
Curry highlighted that the borderline personality disorder Heard suffers from is characterized by "underlying terror of abandonment," indicating that someone with this condition tends to make "desperate attempts" to prevent such abandonment, potentially leading to "extremely extreme behaviors."
As a result of these disorders, Curry noted that individuals like Heard may appear charming at the beginning of a friendship or relationship but can easily switch to a darker side. "Most of us accept people as a whole, [but] with a person with borderline personality disorder, when things reach their peak, the other person transforms from being perfect to scum, and their value is completely diminished; they are the worst... then there is a repair phase because the person with this disorder will feel remorse," she explained, confirming that individuals with borderline personality disorder are generally "very concerned with their appearance and use their looks to gain the respect they seek."
According to the clinical psychologist's diagnosis, Heard represents a "complex" case of borderline personality disorder, where individuals tend to resort to "aggressive behavior that hurts just a little more" and can be "very destructive." Curry also stated that people with borderline personality disorder struggle with identity issues and tend to constantly shift their interests and values.
It has been speculated that Heard exhibited such behavior last week when social media users noted that the actress appeared to mimic Depp’s courtroom outfits and hairstyles. Social media users claimed that Heard deliberately wore outfits resembling those previously worn by Depp during the trial in an attempt to "play mind games" with him.
Curry elaborated on the distinctive features of HPD, including "extremely dramatic presentation" and "rapid shifts between emotions," such as transitioning from very animated to sad. She stated that individuals with HPD have an "excessive sensitivity to criticism" and direct numerous accusations and escalations, often responding forcefully and physically preventing partners from trying to leave. She indicated that they "often abuse their partners and may sometimes physically restrain them," which means that Heard lived a life characterized by "drama and shallowness," driven by the primary motive of "always being the center of attention." Without that, a person with HPD feels "completely empty."
During her specialized assessment, Curry clarified that she reviewed numerous case materials, including Heard's medical records, mental health treatment records, witness testimonies, as well as audio and video recordings, in addition to conducting two multi-hour meetings with Heard on separate dates in December 2021 before reaching her diagnosis.
The court also listened to two instances from Heard’s medical notes illustrating her condition, where she first acknowledged that she had cut her arm in the past, which is a typical symptom of someone with borderline personality disorder.
Rocky Pennington, Heard’s former boyfriend, had previously recounted how they were once shopping for Thanksgiving items when Heard suddenly hit her face. Dr. Curry suggested that such behavior could occur if Heard felt that Pennington was not meeting her "needs," consistent with the symptoms when expressing criticism.
When asked whether Heard was suffering from PTSD due to her relationship with Depp, Curry answered negatively, asserting that Heard has "grossly exaggerated the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder," stating that in one assessment, Heard was amplifying the condition by 98%, striving to show that she "engaged in levels of exaggeration." Curry indicated that such exaggeration is not "typical even for someone suffering from the most disabling forms of PTSD," which predominantly involves three issues: sleep disturbances, prolonged feelings of shock, and recurrent nightmares.
Dr. Curry's testimony is set to bolster Depp's claims that his ex-wife falsely accused him of physically and sexually abusing her in a 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post, asserting that Heard was the actual abuser.
