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How To Defend Yourself Against Toxic People

Most of us know at least one toxic person. That person who constantly undermines you, makes you feel worse about yourself and leaves you feeling emotionally exhausted. It can be a family member, a so-called friend, a work colleague, a neighbor, or…

How to Reduce Your Heart Rate When You’re Anxious

Living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) can feel like a never-ending attack of symptoms on top of symptoms. Not only do you have the symptoms of BPD to contend with, but each symptom often has several symptoms of its own. For example,…

Can Borderline Personality Disorder Cause A Low Sex Drive?

In a previous article, we discussed how hypersexuality can be a symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Hypersexuality is when someone is excessively preoccupied with sexual thoughts, urges, or behaviors that interfere with their life. While it’s true that some people with…

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are involuntary, unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses that enter a person’s mind. These unwanted thoughts can be distressing as they may involve irrational fears, violence, self-harm, or other thoughts that could be deemed inappropriate. For example, someone might be walking…

Quotes About Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Quotes about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can provide validation to the feelings we experience as sufferers of the disorder. They can also offer us an insight to how other people view BPD and their experiences with Borderline Personality Disorder. That’s why we’ve…

The Scary Parts of Recovering From BPD

On the surface, the idea of recovering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) sounds like a dream scenario. Gone are all those nasty symptoms that have been dragging you down and making you feel awful for all those years. What could be scary…

The Surprising Fact About BPD and Pain Tolerance

There are many interesting and surprising things about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). From how there are 256 potential combinations of BPD symptoms to how omega-3 helps reduce BPD symptoms, there are always new findings and interesting little statistics about BPD that come…

Celebrities Who Have BPD

It’s become increasingly common for celebrities to be willing to discuss their mental health issues during interviews. These mental health issues can come in many forms; depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are all challenges that many celebrities deal with in their daily…

Dissociation and Borderline Personality Disorder

Dissociation in times of stress is one of the nine symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). However, unlike the more obvious symptoms like rapid mood swings or unstable relationships, not everyone is as familiar with dissociation and the ways it can manifest.…

How Do You Get A BPD Diagnosis?

There are a few different kinds of people who visit us at BPD-Aware.com. The first are people who have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and are looking for tips on how to manage their symptoms and work towards recovery. The second are people…

STEPPS for Borderline Personality Disorder

Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) was developed in the late 1990s by Dr. Nancee Blum, an expert in the field of psychiatry. The STEPPS program has been shown to be helpful for people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)…

DBT Skills: Build Mastery

Many people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) struggle with low self-esteem. The symptoms of BPD often cause tumultuous relationships, difficulties staying in education or employment, and a general lack of direction in life, all of which harm self-esteem. However, there is a…

DBT Skills: Non-Judgmental Stance

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) consists of four cores: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Each of these cores provides a way to better cope with the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and how severely those symptoms affect you. Today…

Does BPD Improve With Age?

There is a common belief that Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) improves with age. Could it be true that time heals all wounds, even mental ones? Or is this just another myth surrounding BPD? In this article, we’ll look at why BPD might…

When is BPD Awareness Month?

BPD Awareness Month takes place each May and provides an opportunity for those with BPD, as well as their loved ones, to shed light on a mental health condition that affects millions of people around the world. It’s hoped that BPD Awareness…

How Does BPD Affect Memory?

Memories are fundamental to the way we live as they influence so many aspects of our lives. Our memories inform our identity, guide our behavior, help us retain skills and knowledge, impact our emotional well-being, and more. False or forgotten memories can…

BPD and the Sudden Breakup

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental condition that affects millions of people around the world. Its symptoms include emotional instability, fear of abandonment, and difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, among others. It’s these three symptoms that we will be mainly focusing…

Supporting A Partner With BPD

Supporting a partner who has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is challenging, without a doubt. There will be dizzying highs and terrifying lows. There will be moments where you doubt the relationship will make it and other times where you feel like your…

Daily Naps and Their Benefits To People With BPD

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can leave sufferers feeling emotionally overwhelmed, on edge, and exhausted. When you feel this way, it only makes the symptoms of BPD worse. On top of this, many people with BPD struggle to maintain a healthy sleep pattern.…

What is BPD Rage?

There are nine core symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), one of which is difficulty controlling anger. The anger that can brew in someone with BPD can perhaps more accurately be described as a rage as it can be much more volatile…

How Many People Have Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may not be as prevalent as conditions such as depression and anxiety, however, it is still widespread among the population. How widespread is BPD? That’s what we’re going to look at in this article. There are, of course,…

Should People With BPD Have Kids?

One of the questions I often see being asked about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is whether it’s a bad idea for people with BPD to have kids. With BPD being so tough to live with and caring for children being so challenging,…

What Are The Best Jobs For People With BPD?

Due to the nature of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), many people with BPD struggle with employment. The distorted self-identity, mood swings, splits, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction make it massively difficult to hold down any job, let alone plan out a career. A…

Living With BPD: Why Do I Feel So Tired All The Time?

While it’s not a core feature of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it’s incredibly common for people with BPD to suffer from fatigue. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear from my friends who have with BPD. As someone who has…

The Worst Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

There are nine core symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and each of these can manifest itself in a variety of ways. While everyone’s experience of BPD is unique and none of the symptoms are pleasant to cope with, certain symptoms can…

What To Do When Your BPD Partner Splits On You

Splitting is a common symptom of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). When someone with BPD splits they are seeing things in a very binary, black-or-white way. They may believe someone in their life is a perfect angel one moment and then the worst…

DBT Skills: Wise Mind

Wise Mind is one of the most crucial concepts in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and is designed to help people achieve a balanced state of mind. For people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), who tend to think in a black-and-white manner, Wise…

A Glossary of BPD-Related Terms

There can be a lot of new and confusing terms when you first begin to learn about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). If you’re scrolling /BPD on Reddit or browsing through tumblr, it can be full of terms like pwBPD and FP –…

What Are BPD Eyes?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by nine core symptoms: fear of abandonment, unstable interpersonal relationships, impulsivity, mood swings, a distorted self-image, intense anger, chronic feelings of emptiness, re-occurring thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and bouts of paranoia…

The Best Books To Read About BPD

For those who’ve been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), or suspect they have it, it’s natural to want to find out more about the condition. Likewise, those who have people in their lives with BPD will also want to educate themselves…

Important Things to Remember When You Have BPD

When you’re living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), your mind can play tricks on you and make you forget a great number of important things. These are things that can help guide you back onto the right path if you’ve lost your…

Signs Your Child Might Have Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a challenging condition to live with. Left untreated, BPD can cause severe problems such as the inability to hold down a job, unstable relationships, a lack of self-esteem and self-identity, and poor executive functions. All these issues…

Nine Conditions That Commonly Co-Occur With BPD

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is very challenging to live with. What makes it even tougher is that BPD often co-occurs with other mental health conditions, something that’s referred to as a comorbidity.  Comorbidities add an extra level of difficulty to getting a proper diagnosis and the correct…

Going No Contact With Someone Who Has BPD

When you’re in any kind of relationship with someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), there are often many highs and lows to traverse. Even the kindest, most empathetic person can suffer through enough of the lows that they feel like enough…

Common BPD Triggers

Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) isn’t easy at the best of times. Even when things seem to be going well, something can come along and trigger a massive BPD episode. Sometimes it can be a major event that would seriously affect…

How Running Helped My Recovery From BPD

I’ve talked in the past about how the PLEASE skill from Dialectical Behavior Therapy was one of the most important techniques in my recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It made me re-evaluate the relationship between my physical health and mental health.   While I…

BPD and Hoovering

Hoovering is a manipulation tactic that uses several techniques to suck people back into a toxic relationship. This is relevant to people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) because they can be susceptible to hoovering from people with narcissistic tendencies. It’s also a…

BPD and the Fight-or-Flight Response

One of the most important findings in the research on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in recent years is that people with BPD tend to have a fight-or-flight response that is triggered much more easily than in people without BPD. In this regard,…

Brain Differences In People With BPD

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has received an increasing amount of research in recent years and some of the most important studies in the field have looked at the physical and neurochemical differences in the brains of people with BPD compared to the…

DBT Skills: PLEASE

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. It’s for people who have a hard time managing their emotions, especially those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). DBT mixes ways of changing behavior and thinking with mindfulness…

BPD and Impulsivity

One of the most common symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is impulsivity. People with BPD tend to (but not always) struggle with impulse control. This can lead to making risky decisions and other dangerous tendencies. Impulsiveness manifests in various ways in people with BPD.…

Stories of Hope and Recovery From People With BPD

Stories of Hope and Recovery From People With BPD We recently published an article about people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) hitting rock bottom. While it’s important to highlight the significant struggles of living with BPD, it’s just as important to show…

What To Do When You Disagree With Your Therapist

Therapy is a vital tool for people managing the challenge of living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but what happens when you start to doubt whether your therapist is helping you effectively? Recognizing signs that your therapist might be wrong is crucial…

What Rock Bottom Feels Like When You Have BPD

Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be full of dizzying highs and terrifying lows each day. Within these lows lies a harrowing terrain known as rock bottom – an abyss where all hope feels lost and the light at the end…

Can Someone With BPD Live Alone?

Living alone is often considered to be a milestone of independence and adulthood. While this may be the case for some people, when you have mental health issues like Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), things become more complicated. BPD is a complex mental…

BPD and Problems With Sleeping

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex issue that can cause big swings in mood, a shaky sense of self, fear of abandonment, dissociation, troubled relationships, and many more problems. One such problem, one which isn’t discussed much, is the link between…

6 Signs That It’s Time To Leave Someone With BPD

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is incredibly difficult to live with. The constant emotional instability, the fear of abandonment, the splitting, and all the other symptoms can make life feel like hell. It can be tough living with someone who has BPD too.…

The Supplement That Can Reduce Symptoms of BPD

There are a growing number of treatments and medications that exist to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but one of the most surprising medications is one that anyone can buy is a supplement from their nearest supermarket, health food store, or pharmacy.…

BPD and the Fear of Abandonment

To be diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) you need to suffer from at least five of the nine core symptoms. These symptoms include an unstable sense of image and difficulty regulating emotions. One of the most pervasive of these symptoms is…

Does Borderline Personality Disorder Exist on a Spectrum?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex disorder that still requires a lot more research for us to better understand it. One of the most interesting theories posits that BPD may exist on a spectrum. When people first hear spectrum, their mind…

DBT Skills: IMPROVE

Distress tolerance skills are one of the four modules of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that provide the necessary tools to tolerate situations you can’t immediately change. This means accepting the situation and tolerating the unpleasant emotions. One of these distress tolerance skills…

Telling Your Partner You Have BPD

Being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the most important times in your life. It can clarify experiences and challenges you have faced but it can also mark the beginning of a difficult journey. One of the most delicate…

How To Set Boundaries With Someone Who Has BPD

Setting boundaries with people who have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is not only crucial for their well-being, but vital to the mental and emotional health of those around them. BPD is a mental health disorder characterized by emotional turmoil, fear of abandonment,…

BPD and Hypersexuality

Hypersexuality is a disorder defined by an excessive preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are distressing or disruptive to one’s life. It can lead to significant personal, professional, and social difficulties. While not officially classified as a distinct disorder in…

DBT Skills: DEARMAN

One of the key skills taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is DEARMAN, an acronym that stands for Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, and Negotiate. This skill is designed to help individuals communicate effectively and assertively, improving interpersonal relationships and…

Borderline Personality Disorder and Eating Disorders

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Eating Disorders (ED) are two complex conditions that can devastate someone’s life. Understanding the comorbidity between these disorders involves exploring their definitions, the different types of Eating Disorders, the links between BPD and Eating Disorders, their causes,…

Exploring the Link Between BPD and Childhood Trauma

While the precise causes of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are multifaceted, involving genetic, environmental, and social factors, a growing body of research highlights a significant link between childhood trauma and the development of BPD. This article delves into how childhood trauma can…

Why You Should Seek Therapy

In the tapestry of mental health, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) stands out as a particularly complex and challenging condition. BPD not only affects the lives of those who bear its weight but also ripples out to touch the lives of friends, family,…

DBT Skills: The TIPP Exercise

The TIPP exercise is a skill from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) designed to help individuals manage extreme emotional distress and regain emotional equilibrium quickly. It stands for Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation. For someone with BPD, using TIPP…

101 Distraction Techniques for a Mental Health Crisis

During a mental health crisis, individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often find themselves caught in a whirlwind of overwhelmingly intense emotions or thoughts. In such instances, the capacity to rationalize or employ long-term coping strategies may be significantly impaired. Distraction techniques serve…

Manipulation and Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by intense emotional instability, fear of abandonment, and difficulty in maintaining stable relationships. While the origins of BPD are multifaceted, involving a combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors, manipulation during…

What is EUPD?

EUPD stands for Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, which is more commonly known as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in many countries. It’s a mental health disorder characterized by a pattern of unstable moods, thoughts, self-image, and behavior. These symptoms often lead to impulsive…

DBT Skills: Radical Acceptance

One of the critical challenges people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) face is issues with distress tolerance, which is the capacity to withstand emotional discomfort and stressful situations without resorting to maladaptive coping mechanisms. Distress tolerance is a crucial component of emotional…

DBT Skills: Opposite Action

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) stands as a comprehensive Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT), initially developed by Dr. Marsha M. Linehan in the late 1980s. It was designed to aid people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). However, it is also used to treat other…

DBT Skills: Walking The Middle Path

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) specifically designed to help people who struggle with emotional regulation, such as those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). DBT focuses on teaching patients techniques to cope with distress, regulate emotions,…

Love Bombing and Borderline Personality Disorder

Love bombing is a manipulative tactic often used in the context of a romantic relationship, though it can occur in any type of relationship. It involves overwhelming someone with loving words, actions, and behavior as a manipulation technique. Key characteristics of love bombing include excessive attention,…

Social Media and Borderline Personality Disorder

Social media has become a major part of modern life, offering various ways to connect, share, and express oneself. For individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), social media can be a double-edged sword. There are an overwhelming number of social media sites…

How Caffeine Affects Borderline Personality Disorder

Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the world. Whether it’s the rich aroma of coffee, the delicate taste of tea, or the spark provided by energy drinks – many of us enjoy multiple caffeinated beverages throughout the day. As a…

Borderline Personality Disorder and Self-Harm

Among the many symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), one of the most concerning is the desire to self-harm. Not everyone with BPD has these desires but some do and many of those who do act on their self-injurious desires. This article aims…

A Healthy Daily Routine For Someone With BPD

When you live with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it’s vital to create a healthy daily routine. A well-balanced daily routine helps to provide some stability and discipline in your life, something which can help a great deal with the up-and-down nature of living with…

10 Reasons Why People with BPD Might Hesitate to Seek Therapy

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by a fear of abandonment, emotional instability, unstable relationships, a distorted self-image, and a variety of other symptoms. It’s a disorder that between 2 and 6% of the population suffer from, many of whom…

How to Find a Therapist When You Have Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by difficulties in managing emotions, maintaining stable relationships, and a fluctuating self-image. While BPD can be incredibly difficult to live with, it can be managed and treated. Seeking therapy is a brave…

Why is My BPD Worse When I’m in a Relationship?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by patterns of instability in interpersonal relationships, amongst other symptoms such as rapid shifts in mood and unstable self-image. Many people with BPD note that their symptoms become worse when they’re in a romantic…

Great Gifts For People With BPD

Whether it’s a birthday, holiday, or “just because”, giving someone a gift is a great way to show that you appreciate them and value your relationship with them. However, it can be challenging to determine the appropriate gifts to buy. Selecting a present for someone with Borderline Personality…

The Hidden Strengths of People With BPD

While living with BPD presents a unique set of challenges, it’s essential to recognize that people with this disorder can possess hidden strengths and capabilities that can contribute to personal growth, especially once the decision has been made to undergo treatment. In this article, we…

How to Keep a BPD Journal That Will Help Your Recovery

Keeping a journal that you write in daily is a valuable tool that can help you manage your Borderline Personality Disorder in a manner that is more clinical while allowing you to express yourself all at the same time. Writing down your thoughts and…

Tips to Help You When Your BPD is Flaring Up

When you feel the symptoms of your borderline personality disorder flaring up inside of you, it can feel like the end of the world. With all those horrid thoughts and feelings whirling around in your mind, it can be next to impossible to function. Having a…

What Does FP Mean In BPD Culture?

Whether you have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), know someone with it, or are just studying BPD for your own education, you may have come across the term “FP” in your travels and aren’t sure what it means. FP simply stands for Favorite Person. For someone with BPD, a…

Healthy Hobbies For People With BPD

Hobbies can play a huge role in reducing your symptoms of borderline personality disorder and aiding you on the road to recovery. They can provide a vital distraction at times when you might otherwise fall into bad habits while also bolstering your mental health…

Schema Therapy (ST) for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Schema therapy (ST) is one of the most popular and successful forms of treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It’s a form of psychotherapy that aims to identify negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier ways of thinking.It’s a form of…

Eight Things People With BPD Want You to Know

Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a huge struggle. Our emotions can pull us every which way and leave us drained and confused with everything around us. Sometimes, we’re not always the best at communicating exactly how we feel, so for those…

What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that significantly affects a person’s ability to manage their emotions, thoughts, and self-image. This can often lead to unstable relationships, difficulties in employment, and a lack of long-term planning. Those affected by Borderline Personality…

What is Splitting in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

One of the most common terms associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is “splitting.” Splitting is a term used to describe the inability to hold conflicting thoughts, feelings, or beliefs. To put it simply, someone with BPD who is “splitting” is seeing things in a very “black and white” manner. For…

Why Might Someone With BPD Hate Their Own Name?

Many of us know the common signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). But did you know that a lesser reported but still common issue for people with BPD is hating your own name? It’s true. A quick scan of BPD communities…

What is Self-Destructive Borderline Personality Disorder?

Self-Destructive Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the four subtypes of BPD. Someone with BPD may display symptoms of one or more subtypes at any one time. It’s rare to fit perfectly into any one subtype of borderline personality disorder. Sufferers…

What is Petulant Borderline Personality Disorder?

Petulant Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the four BPD subtypes, along with Discouraged BPD, Impulsive BPD, and Self-Destructive BPD. Someone with BPD can fit into one or more of the four subtypes at any one time. Similarly, it’s not uncommon to shift…

What is Impulsive Borderline Personality Disorder?

Impulsive Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the four subtypes of BPD, along with Discouraged BPD, Petulant BPD, and Self-Destructive BPD. Sufferers of Borderline Personality Disorder may suffer from multiple subtypes of BPD at the same time or shift from type to type over the…

What is Discouraged Borderline Personality Disorder?

Discouraged BPD (also known as Quiet BPD) is one of the four subtypes of BPD alongside Impulsive BPD, Petulant BPD, and Self-Destructive BPD. Someone with BPD may have more than one subtype or move from type to type throughout their life. Discouraged BPD looks quite…

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