Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by rapid fluctuating moods, fear of abandonment, and unstable relationships. Those are a few of the nine symptoms that people with BPD experience. People who have borderline personality disorder are often stigmatized as being “too much” or “crazy.” That’s not the truth. If you’re living with BPD, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too difficult to handle. Everyone has strengths, and we all have flaws. Living with a mental illness isn’t easy, but you can thrive with the right treatment. Here’s what to expect when you have borderline personality disorder and how you can handle it when people don’t understand your condition.
Educate yourself: what is borderline personality disorder?
The condition borderline personality disorder has nine hallmark symptoms. They are:
- Extreme fear of abandonment
- Angry outbursts
- Unstable relationships
- Shifting self-image (or lack of a sense of self)
- Self-destructive or risky behaviors, such as drug use, reckless driving, or unprotected sex
- Self-harm
- Paranoia or losing touch with reality
- Mood swings
- Feeling empty much of the time
If you have five or more of these symptoms, you may have borderline personality disorder. It’s essential to speak to your doctor to get an official diagnosis. You may be worried about being judged, but it’s better to know so you can get the right treatment. If any of these symptoms resonate with your life experience, it’s crucial to talk to a mental health professional.
The stigma of borderline
Borderline personality disorder is a widely misunderstood condition. Some people are hesitant to look into their mental health diagnosis. They may be afraid to be diagnosed with borderline because of the stigma that society has attached to it. In the media, a person with BPD is often characterized as unstable, needy, and even dangerous. These stereotypes aren’t real. People with borderline personality disorder struggle just like anyone else. If their condition isn’t treated, it can lead to dangerous behaviors, but with the proper mental health care, a person with BPD can live a fulfilling life. What we can do to combat stigma is talk about the reality of living with borderline:
- Educate yourself on the misconceptions of borderline personality disorder
- Talk to those with BPD and learn their personal experiences
- Speak openly about borderline to your loved ones to show them the reality of the condition
- If you hear someone stigmatizing BPD – gently correct their assumptions with facts
Treatment options
It’s crucial to understand your treatment options when you live with borderline personality disorder. Knowing what can help is half the battle of getting a wellness plan. Borderline is often labeled “treatment-resistant.” That’s another stigma that we have to fight against as a society. There’s some truth to it, but it’s not a helpful statement. What mental health professionals mean by “treatment-resistant” is that the symptoms of borderline are challenging to address with many common types of therapy, such as psychodynamic therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. In the 1980’s Marsha Linehan, a psychological researcher at The University of Washington developed Dialectal Behavior Therapy as a treatment for borderline personality disorder. She was inspired to look for different treatment options as a result of living with her own mental illness. DBT combines elements of CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) but adds on a mindfulness component, similar to that which you see in Buddhism. The four tenets of DBT are:
- Mindfulness
- Emotional regulation
- Distress tolerance
- Interpersonal effectiveness
An individual living with DBT learns to be mindful of their emotions, observe them, accept their feelings, and keep going. The idea is that those with borderline personality disorder have difficulty experiencing their feelings because they feel too painful. When you practice DBT and radical acceptance, it becomes easier to tolerate distress associated with strong feelings. There is help out there for people living with BPD, and DBT is an excellent treatment option.
Keep hope alive
If you or someone you love has borderline personality disorder, it’s essential to know that there’s help out there, like counseling and therapy from BetterHelp. Therapy is a great place to start. Online counseling is an excellent and affordable treatment option. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and get the help that you need for your mental health. Try seeing a therapist and discussing these feelings so you can find ways to cope with your emotions and live a great life.
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So it doesn’t make you bad or crazy, but you go on to list a dozen things that make you bad or crazy?