Amber Heard suffered from PTSD due to Depp’s abuse, says psychologist

A psychologist has told jurors that actress Amber Heard suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder due to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of former husband and Hollywood star Johnny DeppDawn Hughes testified on Tuesday that she had diagnosed Heard after examining her for 29 hours and reviewing therapy records and that she had concluded that Depp engaged in a ldquohigh degree of violencerdquo reports lsquoVarietyrsquoHughes recounted numerous instances of alleged sexual violence which she said were motivated by Depprsquos ldquoobsessive jealousyrdquo and a desire to show dominanceHughes was the first witness called by Heardrsquos attorneys as they began their defence in a 50 million defamation trialThey are seeking to counter the image presented by Depprsquos lawyers who portrayed Heard as the abuser in their relationship and maintained that Depp would retreat whenever she instigated fightsldquoWhen Mr Depp was drunk or high he threw her on bed ripped off her nightgown and tried to have sex with herrdquo Hughes testifiedHughes also referenced incidents in which Depp allegedly penetrated Heard with his fingers and on one occasion with a bottleShe said Depp showed particular jealousy regarding James Franco with whom he believed Heard was having a relationshipldquoThese incidents often happened in a drugfuelled ragerdquo she saidHeard is expected to give a fuller account of the alleged abuse when she takes the witness stand on WednesdayHughes was called to rebut the testimony of Shannon Curry a psychologist called by Depprsquos team last week who told the jury that Heard suffered from borderline personality disorderCurry examined Heard for 12 hours on Depprsquos behalf and testified that Heard was prone to give ldquooverly dramaticrdquo statements and was ldquofull of ragerdquoHughes said she disagreed with Curryrsquos diagnosisShe said in her examination Heardrsquos symptoms were consistent with a victim of intimate partner violence Hughes also noted that Heard had suffered from parental abuse as a child and carried over some of those dynamics in her relationship with DeppldquoShe also believed she could fix him just like she tried to fix her fatherrdquo Hughes saidldquoShe truly believed she could fix Mr Depp and rid him of his substance abuse problems but that did not workrdquoHughes also testified that Depp exerted ldquocoercive controlrdquo over Heard and was focused on controlling her careerldquolsquoAmbitionrsquo was a weaponised term in that relationshiprdquo Hughes saidCurry also testified that Heard suffered from histrionic personality disorder which she said was marked by ldquodrama and shallownessrdquo and ldquoextreme discomfort with not being the center of attentionrdquo Curry also stated that Heard did not suffer from PTSDDepprsquos side presented testimony from a couples therapist Laurel Anderson who said they engaged in ldquomutual abuserdquoHughes argued that while both parties may engage in verbal or physical abuse itrsquos also important to look at the balance of power in the relationshipldquoWhat the research talks about very clearly is you have to examine contextrdquo Hughes said ldquoYou have to examine the differential of power and control mdash and coercive control mdash in the relationship to make a full determinationrdquoIn a pretrial motion Heardrsquos lawyers sought to have an independent mental examination of Depp Depprsquos attorneys opposed that motion arguing that Depprsquos mental state is not at issue The judge denied the motion