Does Disney Princess Elsa Have Borderline Personality Disorder? Part II: Let It Go

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Jay Boll, Editor in Chief

'Elsa, the character who sings the song, appears to have a problem with emotional dysregulation. According to the songwriter, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the popular singer Demi Lovato was chosen to record the radio single version of the song partly because of her own struggles with mental health. 

Lovato, who is open about living with bipolar disorder, has stated that the story is so relatable because “Elsa is finding her identity; she’s growing into who she is and she’s finally accepting her own strength and magical powers. Instead of hiding it, like she’s done all her life, she’s letting it go and embracing it.”

'In Part I of the Frozen series, I suggested that Elsa experiences something like borderline personality disorder (BPD). In this interpretation, Elsa’s frozen rages are an outward display of the emotional dysregulation she feels inside. During the “Let It Go” scene we see her gain control of her terrifying “gift” as she throws away the gloves to build a magic castle made of ice.'

'lsa displays the kind of self-acceptance that is the cornerstone of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, a recommend treatment for BPD. The discarding of her gloves is a powerful declaration of personal freedom. So is the tossing of her crown. But on another level it’s an abdication of responsibility, literal and emotional.

The principles of mindfulness, another cornerstone of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, tell us that it’s good to live in the present moment and not allow the past to determine our thoughts about the future. But Elsa’s statement feels more like a denial of the past than acceptance of it. The song concludes with the line “The cold never bothered me anyway,” as Elsa slams the door, closing herself off from the rest of the world in a self-imposed Arctic exile.

In terms of her growth as a character, Elsa is still at the beginning of a journey to achieve emotional balance and connection to others. The main action of the movie will be about her struggle with the inner demons of a fiery temper and frozen heart, and the parallel story of her younger sister Anna, who is dealing with her own issues of insecure relationships.'

'All of these songs reinforce the theme of Frozen: seek acceptance not from others, but from yourself. When listened to from this perspective, each song has something to tell us about emotional regulation, interpersonal boundaries and the simultaneous longing and fear of connecting with others.'