Your experience of living with BPD might not be the same as someone else’s, however, some common experiences that you might recognize might be; feeling overwhelmed by the strength of your emotions and how quickly they can change, that you’re a bad person and that there is something wrong with you, that you are not sure who you are or what you want in life and that people might leave you and abandon you for others. Because of these feelings you might find yourself questioning yourself and frequently changing jobs and ambitions, or quitting before achieving something because you fear that you might fail or be disappointed. Other behaviour might be that you easily lash out when you’re angry, struggle to trust people, end relationships because you think they might leave you, or have paranoid thoughts about people.
If you experience BPD you might feel that every day is a struggle, but there are many things that you could do to support yourself and cope. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it might help to focus on one feeling at a time and do things which can help you feel calmer (such as taking deep breaths, exercising, taking a warm bath, listening to music etc..) Some other useful tips might be to keep a mood diary to identify things that trigger a change in your mood, and sharing your thoughts with close friends and family as the thoughts may then seem easier to handle. It is also crucial to find specialised support (which might include talk therapy and/or medication) by reaching out to professionals or by joining support groups.
There are many people who will listen, give advice and support you if you or someone you know are experiencing Borderline Personality disorder. Recovery is a journey and it won’t always be straightforward, but learning more about yourself and others might definitely help you to learn how to cope and find a way forward.
Claire is a gestalt psychotherapist at Willingness. She works with adolescents and adults. She has a special interest in mental health. She can be contacted on claire@willingness.com.mt.
You can visit her profile on: https://zme.tec.mybluehost.me/willingnessmt/team/claire-borg/