Pete Davidson is usually the punchline, or at least he used to be. Whether it’s his string of high-profile exes or those dark, self-deprecating jokes on Saturday Night Live, he’s built a brand out of being the "hot mess" everyone loves to watch. But beneath the bleached hair and the Staten Island swagger is a reality that isn't particularly funny. In 2017, the comedian went public with something that changed the way fans—and the industry—viewed his erratic behavior: a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
Honestly, the "Pete Davidson BPD" conversation often misses the mark. People see the headlines about him checking into rehab and assume it's just the typical celebrity drug spiral. It’s not. For Pete, those "tune-ups," as he calls them, are survival.
The Breakthrough: Finding Out It Wasn't Just the Weed
For a long time, Pete thought his "episodes" were just a side effect of his heavy marijuana use. He’s been open about using weed for years, partly to manage the physical agony of Crohn’s disease. But by 2016, things were getting scary. He started having these massive mental breakdowns—blind rage followed by total memory loss. He’d freak out and literally not remember what happened afterward.
He went to rehab thinking, "Okay, I'll get off the pot and I'll be fine."
It didn't work.
While he was in there, doctors initially thought he might be bipolar. They threw different meds at him, but nothing stuck. It wasn’t until 2017, at age 23, that a psychiatrist finally sat him down and gave him the label: borderline personality disorder.
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Most people would be devastated by that news. BPD is arguably one of the most stigmatized conditions in the DSM. But for Pete? It was a relief. In a 2021 interview with Glenn Close, he described it as a weight being lifted. He’d spent his whole life feeling "wrong" and "confused." Having a name for the beast meant he could finally start fighting it properly.
Why Pete’s BPD Looks the Way It Does
If you look at the clinical criteria for BPD, Pete Davidson is almost a textbook case, though his trauma is uniquely public. The disorder is rooted in a pervasive pattern of instability—in moods, in self-image, and especially in relationships.
One word: Abandonment. That’s the core of it. Pete’s father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter who died in the September 11 attacks. Pete was seven. One day his dad was there, the next he was gone. That kind of foundational trauma leaves a scar that doesn’t just "heal" with time. It creates a deep-seated fear that everyone you love is eventually going to leave you.
When you see Pete move from one intense relationship to the next—Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Kate Beckinsale—it’s easy to judge. But in the context of BPD, those "stormy" relationships are often a manifestation of that fear. It’s a cycle of "idealization and devaluation." You love someone so much it hurts, but the second you feel them pulling away, you panic.
The symptoms he's actually talked about:
- Chronic Emptiness: He’s mentioned waking up depressed every single day.
- Impulsivity: The tattoos, the sudden engagements, the reckless driving charges (like the 2023 Beverly Hills crash).
- Self-Harm: He’s admitted that many of his tattoos are actually there to cover up physical scars from cutting.
- Dissociation: Those "blackouts" during his rages are a classic BPD defense mechanism.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and the Road Back
You can't talk about Pete Davidson BPD without talking about DBT. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is basically the gold standard for treating this disorder. It was developed by Marsha Linehan, who—interestingly enough—also struggled with BPD herself.
Pete has been vocal about how DBT changed his life. It’s not about "fixing" the brain; it’s about "reprogramming" it. He’s talked about using mindfulness and breathing techniques to take a "beat" before reacting.
"I have to constantly bring myself out of it," he told Charlemagne Tha God in 2020. He has a routine: get outside, get in the sun, go for a walk. It sounds simple, but for someone whose brain is wired to feel emotions at a 10/10 intensity, these are vital survival tools.
The "Tune-Ups" Aren't a Failure
In 2023 and 2024, news broke again that Pete had checked into a wellness facility. The internet did what it does—it speculated. But the reality is much more mundane and much more responsible.
Pete treats his mental health like a chronic physical illness. You wouldn't judge someone with asthma for using an inhaler or someone with diabetes for getting an insulin adjustment. He goes in for "tune-ups." He’s even joked about it in his stand-up, saying "seventh time's the charm" when referring to his stints in rehab.
It’s a proactive move. BPD is exhausting. Imagine feeling every emotion—anger, joy, sadness—at triple the volume of a normal person. Sometimes you just need to go somewhere quiet and reset the baseline.
What This Means for Everyone Else
The impact of Pete Davidson being so "unfiltered" about his diagnosis can't be overstated. BPD has long been dismissed as a "difficult" person's disorder. It’s often used as a slur for "crazy."
By showing up to work at SNL or filming movies like The King of Staten Island (which is basically a semi-autobiographical look at his grief and mental state), he proves that BPD doesn't mean your life is over. You can be successful. You can be loved. You can be funny.
But you also have to do the work.
Actionable Insights for Managing the "Borderline" Experience
If you or someone you know is navigating a BPD diagnosis or similar emotional instability, here are the actual steps that have helped Pete and many others:
- Seek a Specific Diagnosis: Don't settle for "general depression" if it feels like more. Pete was misdiagnosed for years. Finding a specialist who understands personality disorders is key.
- Look into DBT: It’s not your standard "how does that make you feel" talk therapy. It’s skills-based. It teaches you how to tolerate distress without blowing up your life.
- Find Your "Sun": Identify the small, physical things that break an emotional spiral. For Pete, it’s literally walking outside. For others, it’s holding an ice cube or using a weighted blanket.
- Accept the "Tune-Ups": Recovery isn't a straight line. If you need to step back from work or social media to protect your head, that isn't a relapse. It's maintenance.
- Ditch the Shame: Stigma thrives in silence. Talking about it—even if it's just to one trusted friend—takes the power away from the "crazy" label.
Pete Davidson isn't a "cured" person. He’s a person in management. And honestly? That’s a much more realistic goal for the rest of us.
If you are in immediate crisis, remember you can always call or text 988 in the US and Canada to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.