What this post will set out to do is prove that while
Belarus may have neurotic tendencies, she does not have APD. I should also
mention that I don’t mean to conflate the labels of psychopath and sociopath. What
matters is that both are listed under APD. I’ve noticed in the fandom that
Belarus is often labelled as either or without having an actual idea of what
the diagnosing criteria is for the personality disorder.

Similarly, while I don’t go into it much here, it should be
noted that a good chunk of canon information about her comes from the untranslated
video game, Desktop Buddies (2008). The most neurotic piece of
trivia we are given there is that Belarus wore Russia’s underwear on her head, has looked at suggestive photos of him, and has fantasized about them having sex…

Source: Hetarchive, Belarus’ profile.

I attribute this
mostly to the hyperbolic shock sexual—unequivocally inappropriate—humour that Himaruya previously employed to evoke reactions
from the audience. Such humour is no longer employed, but the trope of Belarus’s
obsession and love for Russia has still remained. Overall, it was a crude way of
portraying Belarus’ tight historical ties with Russia.

That said, one by one, I’ll be going through the criteria of
APD to prove that while Belarus may have neurotic tendencies, she does NOT have
APD. Even though she fulfills some of the criteria, she doesn’t get a passing
grade for the true diagnosis.

Disclaimer: I’m very critical of the DSM because of the
vagueness of its criteria and its history of overdiagnosing and
overmedicalizing biological and mental conditions/ making up conditions that aren’t even remotely pathological. This doesn’t mean that it’s not a useful tool either; I just
carry a degree of skepticism when using it because of its overuse, as well as
the fact that it once listed homosexuality as a disorder.

A) Significant Impairments in
personality functioning manifest by

1. Impairments in self-functioning (a or b):

a) Identity: Ego-centrism; self-esteem
derived from personal gain, power, or pleasure.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

Belarus is the exact opposite of ego-centrism. Her whole
life revolves around her devotion for Russia, not herself. For example, she
once forgot her own language and only spoke Russian.

Source: Volume 2. 

b.Self-direction: Goal-setting based on personal gratification;
absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to
lawful or culturally normative ethical behavior.

Criteria: Fulfilled (✓).

Belarus’s personal gratification is achieved when she’s with
her brother, meaning that she’ll do anything to be with him.

Ex: She’s broken through doors to get to him.

Source: Volume 2.

Examples of where she hasn’t conformed to normal ethical
behaviour would include holding other nations at knifepoint and breaking
Lithuania’s fingers when they went on a date.

Source: Hetarchive, Comic Diary 11.

2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):

a. Empathy: Lack of concern for feelings, needs, or suffering of others;
lack of remorse after hurting or mistreating another.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

Belarus is always putting Russia above herself and making
sure that his needs are met. She does have empathy, even though it’s only
directed at her brother.

On the other hand, she doesn’t experience remorse when
she hurts other nations in order to meet Russia’s needs.

Ex: She holds Latvia at knifepoint to pressure him into
complying with Russia.

Source: Volume 1.

b. Intimacy: Incapacity for mutually intimate relationships, as
exploitation is a primary means of relating to others, including by deceit and
coercion; use of dominance or intimidation to control others.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

As seen with the Lithuania
example, Belarus is unable to form mutually intimate relationships. This
applies to Russia as well, who for obvious reasons, does not reciprocate her
love.

Source: Volume 2. 

However, Belarus is not
exploitive. She’ll use force to control others but not for her own personal gain. In her world, she lives to serve her
brother. A person with APD is both egocentric and is unable to relate to
others; what excludes Belarus is that while incapable of doing this with other
nations, she’s able to do so with Russia.

Source: Hetarchive, Halloween 2011 Event + Christmas 2010 Event.

B) Pathological
personality traits in the following domains:

1.
Antagonism, characterized by:

a. Manipulativeness: Frequent use of subterfuge to influence or
control others; use of seduction, charm, glibness, or ingratiation to achieve
one’s ends.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

As mentioned above, Belarus doesn’t
manipulate other nations to get what she wants. I say manipulation in the sense
that people with APD are skilled at reading others and pull a lot of strings behind
the scenes to get those close to them to do what they want. They do this
through charm and a grandiose presentation of self. Meanwhile, Belarus will
merely use brute force.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., March 31rst, 2010). 

b. Deceitfulness: Dishonesty
and fraudulence; misrepresentation of self; embellishment or fabrication when
relating events.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

Belarus is painfully honest about
her intentions. She straight up tells Russia of her desire to marry him. She
also divulges that she doesn’t want to be with anyone else but Russia. In other
words, Belarus doesn’t curate or put up a false presentation of herself. She
wants to be with Russia and everyone knows it.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Nov 11th, 2010). 

c. Callousness: Lack of concern for feelings or problems of others;
lack of guilt or remorse about the negative or harmful effects of one’s actions
on others; aggression; sadism.

Criteria: Partially fulfilled,
but not really.

Examples cited: Breaking
Lithuania’s fingers, holding Lichtenstein and Latvia at knifepoint.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Jan 8th, 2010). 

Another example would be when she
told Belgium, who was feeling self-conscious about her ‘plain’ appearance to
become Russia’s servant. This demonstrates a complete lack of concern for
Belgium.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Nov 25th, 2013). 

Again, people with APD wouldn’t
be as devoted or as concerned for another person as Belarus is for Russia. Belarus’
ego is very much invested in Russia. She’s not the pinnacle of her existence–Russia is.

d. Hostility: Persistent or frequent angry feelings; anger or
irritability in response to minor slights and insults; mean, nasty, or vengeful
behavior.

Criteria: Fulfilled (✓).

Belarus is notorious for being
hostile. This is especially the case in circumstances where Russia is either challenged
or insulted.

Ex: She throws a hanger at
Denmark simply because he was Russia’s rival in a costume contest.

Source: Hetarchive, Halloween 2011 Event.

2. Disinhibition, characterized by:

a. Irresponsibility:
Disregard for – and failure to honor – financial and other obligations or
commitments; lack of respect for – and lack of follow through on – agreements
and promises.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

Belarus doesn’t form many obligations,
but when she does, she commits wholeheartedly. Big surprise, she promises to
stay by Russia’s side. Although, she does leave him briefly to live with
America after the USSR disbanded.

Source: Volume 2.

b. Impulsivity: Acting on the spur of the moment in response to
immediate stimuli; acting on a momentary basis without a plan or consideration
of outcomes; difficulty establishing and following plans.

Criteria: Fulfilled (X).

There’s no doubt that Belarus is
impulsive. The hanger example and the fact that she pulls a knife on Italy just
for approaching her speaks to this.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Nov 8th, 2013).

c. Risk taking: Engagement in dangerous, risky, and potentially
self-damaging activities, unnecessarily and without regard for consequences;
boredom proneness and thoughtless initiation of activities to counter boredom;
lack of concern for one’s limitations and denial of the reality of personal
danger.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

Belarus’ stalking of Russia doesn’t
come at the cost of harming herself.

C) The impairments in personality functioning
and the individual’s personality trait expression are relatively stable across
time and consistent across situations.

Criteria: Unfulfilled (X).

While the traits that do satisfy the
personality impairment criteria are consistent, there aren’t enough of them to
warrant a diagnosis.

D) The
impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait
expression are not better understood as normative for the individual’s
developmental stage or sociocultural environment.

 Criteria: Fulfilled (✓).

 I think we can all agree that Belarus’s
behaviour is not normal for any stage of development.

 E) The
impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait
expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a
substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition
(e.g., severe head trauma).

Criteria: Not enough information is known –> Unfulfilled
(X).

F) The individual is at least age 18 years.

Criteria: Artificial and of no intrinsic value but fulfilled (✓). 

All in all, while Belarus does fulfill some of the vague
criteria outlined in the DSM for APD, it’s not enough to stipulate a diagnosis.
Without a doubt, Belarus has several neurotic tendencies. Regardless, unlike
someone with APD, Belarus isn’t egocentric or unempathetic. What it all boils
down to is that her undivided devotion to Russia is the largest disqualifier
for the personality disorder.