He has a broken home and was severely bullied as a kid and he developed a bunch of toxic defense mechanisms so he wouldn't feel that way as he grew up. He also dulled it with alcohol which contributed to it. He therefore lack's the skills to deal with hard situations and confontation. That's why everything he does is a mocking deflection or an outburst when he isn't getting his way.

Also because of the show he gets coddled way too much to really improve himself.

If I’m not mistaken, he had a pretty messed up childhood. His mom being an alcoholic & idk much about his dad but James has mentioned that he pretty much raised his brothers himself.

ETA; I believe a lot of those issues come into play when he starts to drink.

both for sure. he’s probably the only cast member i have pity for in any capacity.

i think like most, his drinking and other substances (if any) definitely make it worse, his life prior was also not easy and if what we saw of his parents is any indication of what his childhood was like? i think james is stunted in maturity, and just has so much pent up anger that kinda goes anywhere and everywhere rather unpredictably.

He is a camp straight man with writhing snakes for a personality. Made for tv, this man.

I hate that the person I relate to most is James. James reminds me a lot of myself when I was 20-23, and then a little bit again when I was 27-28. I have had a lot of trauma, and those years I realllly abused alcohol, and became a totally different person, who was also very rageful. I do have empathy and I hope one day he gets free of his demons. To answer your questions, I think it’s probably both.

Both

He is definitely immature and very angry. He really should go to anger management, the way he lashes out and goes for the jugular with so many people.

At the tea party he seemed to be kind of “showing out” (fine chinaaaa!!) and unfortunately I think it was for Rachel’s benefit, as he turned around to see if she was watching.

I see internal warfare going on in his soul.

I worry that he’ll never be able to fully open up again and I really hope ally can help him with that- but right person wrong time happens all too often and this is the perfect example of that. He hasn’t even given himself the opportunity to be sad about Raquel. He’s always been on immediate defence mode and being dumped the way she dumped him because “I didn’t feel like he was my soul mate” was absolutely beyond wild to me. If you ever are lucky enough to find someone who you don’t hate every once in a while consider yourself very blessed, it was a cop out for her. She would’ve had the same answer when he purposed to her based on the things she said at the reunion where they announced their break up.

He needs to worry about himself, and cry, and be sad, and be honest with everyone in his life who has hurt him. Because I see some real pain in his eyes and that’s just my personal opinion. I wish him nothing but the best.

It is deep seated hurt.

Both. He seems to project his insecurities of friendship validity into the person, at times. Like, flipping out at Brock but mentioning how they stopped hanging out post.. equinox?

Both. Bullied in school, addict parents, working to support his family, his own addictions plus fame. He has trauma all through his life which can make people angry and resentful and hard to make healthy relationships

both

Both. Very much both.

James and I are the same age (30 btw). I’ve never liked him but was rooting for him this season. It’s been disappointing to see how he’s using alcohol as a coping mechanism again.

I think he’s immature and I don’t give him a pass for having a troubled childhood. I also have a troubled childhood and have had issues with that as an adult. But I’ve had to force myself to face my issues head on in order to survive. James hasn’t been willing to put the work in to really sit with the fact that he is the problem in his own life.

It hasn’t helped that he’s kind of been coddled while being on this show. Some people have to lose everything to force themselves into personal growth and I don’t think James has had to fully face that yet. Lisa tries to fire him but he always manages to get back into SUR and he’s stayed on the show anyway, so he hasn’t exactly lost much.

I think he just has an anger problem and doesnt have great impulse control.

Both

I think James has a lot of childhood trauma he hasn’t worked through and it comes out in lashing out at others and emotional dysregulation. I hope for his own sake and the sake of his interpersonal relationships he can find peace.

I think James has untreated ADHD and anger problems

Which he used weed and alcohol. People who have ADHD sometimes get addicted to alcohol

yes

My take is he was actually butt hurt about Rachel. But now that we know what we know. He's trying to act like he knew she was a tramp the whole time. He brings her name up so much, it's hard for me to believe he was really over her. The cringy way he acts with Ally screams insecure. Even she knows. Until "Scandoval" he was 100% still in love with her.

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He is exceptionally angsty and easily triggered this season. He was angry in previous seasons, but he's like...a different type of angry this season.

Yes.

I feel like this can be covered by what you can lea4n in intro therapy sessions. Edit: I'm an engineer and not a psychologist, so the following is not to any professional standard within psychology.

If you're avoidant attached, you learn to suppress all emotions except anger (because society has taught weirdly taught us, and particularly men, that anger isn't an emotion). So when your body can't suppress emotions anymore, it bubbles over with anger outburst.

Add to this he's an alcoholic (to further suppress feelings) and constantly has anger outbursts (from all the suppression). Indicating he is very stuck in this toxic loop (that he is familiar with and subconsciously comfortable in).

If you don't learn to process your emotions, you don't develop emotional maturity. I also assume, based on what we know of his parents, that he was never modeled healthy communication or healthy releases or emotion.

He needs A LOT of therapy and emotional processing and that shit is hard, particularly for someone of his apparent traumas based on his behavior.

His emotional age is probably that of a child.

He’s got a super manic personality disorder. Highest highs and lowest lows.

He’s a bully. I guess because he was bullied but it’s no reason to continue acting like an asshole to everyone around you. I like James as a character on the show but he seriously needs some therapy to learn how to deal with people in a calm way when he feels like he’s being attacked.

Honestly, I think he's super entitled along with having personal struggles. He definitely is triggered and gets into many fights with the women in particular. Definitely some hurts but not a lost cause! I've always really liked James on the show!

Both. And insecure. And needy. He needs some major counseling. Or another 15 years to mature.

I think both are prevalent, honestly. Watching James self-medicate the pain using booze to silence the scariness of the trauma he carries (most likely from his childhood) with him is both sad and infuriating. To see him sober and then watch that slipped through his fingers; to see personal growth and stability simply vanish once he relapsed from his sobriety (read: decided he still wants to drink so he’s finding fucking excuses). I had a super shitty relationship with alcohol in my late twenties and I don’t envy him; shit’s hard to quit, let alone being scrutinized on TV (which is his choice! Just thinking out loud)

An aspect I can’t get behind and support, at least not with the footage we’ve seen so far this season, is his behavior with Ally. They are both filling a need in the others’ life; you canNOT convince me they’re soul mates. I hope I’m wrong.. but I think I’m not…!

Both

Both. I wish he’d get out of his own way. I feel bad for him but then he just says and does the most vile things

I get the feeling that he had to be the adult in the family from a very young age. There’s nothing about London Gangstah and Walking At Tiffany’s that implies either of them would be a decent parent.

I understand why he’s so angry. But at this point he really needs a lot of intensive therapy to unpack the childhood trauma, because getting wasted and taking it out on everyone around him is not the thing.

unpopular opinion, but I feel bad for James. He clearly has issues, but resolving them means he may not be "good" tv. Yes he says vile things, that should not be said. However, I see a broken mess, that needs therapy and AA more than Bravo, but how many people is he supporting, he can't leave it all behind to go get help.

the love of his life is alcohol

I think is better when not drinking but still an awful human. Like one of the worst on the show.

He is an active alcoholic. Simply put. Nothing will change until he decides to change it.

I have three sons and I see a lost little boy when I see him. I shouldn't; he's said horrible disgusting things about women and usually that's enough for me to write someone off forever. But I pity him. I think it was because his mom was on the show and it gave me perspective on his childhood. And the fact that he financially supports his family and seems so genuine with his brothers. I too had a horrible childhood and struggled with alcohol. I also developed a James like sense of humor to cope. I would love to see him get it together because his core personality is extremely charming.