“I wish I could just have this well-known illness that they know how to treat, and that allows my friends and family to predict when — and for how long — those manic and depressive swings will last,” the unidentified woman told Revelist. “It’d be easier on everyone.” Instead, the 22-year-old suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD), a mental disorder characterized by mood swings, erratic behavior, and unstable self-image. People with BPD often suffer a crippling fear of abandonment, and engage in unstable relationships and dangerous behaviors. While BPD affects almost as many people as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder combined, researchers know much less about it. That’s likely because the American Psychiatric Association only officially recognized the disorder in 1980 — nearly 30 years after it first recognized schizophrenia and bipolar. The lack of knowledge around BPD makes it difficult to treat. Sufferers are disproportionately likely to drop out of treatment, or become abusive toward their doctor, leaving many physicians at a loss. The Food and Drug administration has yet to approve a drug to treat BPD. Perhaps more damaging, however, is the amount of misinformation about the disorder. Revelist spoke with five women who suffer from BPD and asked them to clear up the most common misconceptions. These are their responses. The rapidly cycling emotions Garcia described are common to those who suffer from BPD. Unlike those with bipolar disorder, people with BPD can experience both both manic highs and depressive lows within the same day. The disorder often comes with periods of extreme energy, too: she said she has read entire books, or finished entire paintings, on manic nights when she cannot sleep. But the strain of controlling her emotions still stands out as the biggest drawback of her disorder. “To have to hold yourself back from being truly you — that’s what takes the biggest toll,” she said. Impulsivity is a hallmark of BPD, and sufferers are prone to engage in damaging behaviors like gambling, binge eating, and drug abuse. Specialized therapy, like dialectical behavioral therapy, can help with impulse control. “Learning to sit with your urges and not act on them is one step I’m working on to better control my impulsivity, but it does take a lot of work,” Raick said. “If people knew that this is a battle people with BPD face every day, there would be more understanding and acceptance in our community.” “What I’d really want people to understand is that my behaviors, past and present, have not been for the sake of causing drama or seeking attention,” she said. “They’re maladaptive coping mechanisms and it’s hard to undo that. I wish people could look at BPD sufferers with more empathy than they do.” “I think it’s a huge insult to say that we do it ‘because we can,’ and just blame our BPD”, she said. *indicates name has been changed
title: “Women Talk About Having Borderline Personality Disorder” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-12” author: “David Ochoa”
“I wish I could just have this well-known illness that they know how to treat, and that allows my friends and family to predict when — and for how long — those manic and depressive swings will last,” the unidentified woman told Revelist. “It’d be easier on everyone.” Instead, the 22-year-old suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD), a mental disorder characterized by mood swings, erratic behavior, and unstable self-image. People with BPD often suffer a crippling fear of abandonment, and engage in unstable relationships and dangerous behaviors. While BPD affects almost as many people as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder combined, researchers know much less about it. That’s likely because the American Psychiatric Association only officially recognized the disorder in 1980 — nearly 30 years after it first recognized schizophrenia and bipolar. The lack of knowledge around BPD makes it difficult to treat. Sufferers are disproportionately likely to drop out of treatment, or become abusive toward their doctor, leaving many physicians at a loss. The Food and Drug administration has yet to approve a drug to treat BPD. Perhaps more damaging, however, is the amount of misinformation about the disorder. Revelist spoke with five women who suffer from BPD and asked them to clear up the most common misconceptions. These are their responses. The rapidly cycling emotions Garcia described are common to those who suffer from BPD. Unlike those with bipolar disorder, people with BPD can experience both both manic highs and depressive lows within the same day. The disorder often comes with periods of extreme energy, too: she said she has read entire books, or finished entire paintings, on manic nights when she cannot sleep. But the strain of controlling her emotions still stands out as the biggest drawback of her disorder. “To have to hold yourself back from being truly you — that’s what takes the biggest toll,” she said. Impulsivity is a hallmark of BPD, and sufferers are prone to engage in damaging behaviors like gambling, binge eating, and drug abuse. Specialized therapy, like dialectical behavioral therapy, can help with impulse control. “Learning to sit with your urges and not act on them is one step I’m working on to better control my impulsivity, but it does take a lot of work,” Raick said. “If people knew that this is a battle people with BPD face every day, there would be more understanding and acceptance in our community.” “What I’d really want people to understand is that my behaviors, past and present, have not been for the sake of causing drama or seeking attention,” she said. “They’re maladaptive coping mechanisms and it’s hard to undo that. I wish people could look at BPD sufferers with more empathy than they do.” “I think it’s a huge insult to say that we do it ‘because we can,’ and just blame our BPD”, she said. *indicates name has been changed
title: “Women Talk About Having Borderline Personality Disorder” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-25” author: “Charles Evans”
“I wish I could just have this well-known illness that they know how to treat, and that allows my friends and family to predict when — and for how long — those manic and depressive swings will last,” the unidentified woman told Revelist. “It’d be easier on everyone.” Instead, the 22-year-old suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD), a mental disorder characterized by mood swings, erratic behavior, and unstable self-image. People with BPD often suffer a crippling fear of abandonment, and engage in unstable relationships and dangerous behaviors. While BPD affects almost as many people as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder combined, researchers know much less about it. That’s likely because the American Psychiatric Association only officially recognized the disorder in 1980 — nearly 30 years after it first recognized schizophrenia and bipolar. The lack of knowledge around BPD makes it difficult to treat. Sufferers are disproportionately likely to drop out of treatment, or become abusive toward their doctor, leaving many physicians at a loss. The Food and Drug administration has yet to approve a drug to treat BPD. Perhaps more damaging, however, is the amount of misinformation about the disorder. Revelist spoke with five women who suffer from BPD and asked them to clear up the most common misconceptions. These are their responses. The rapidly cycling emotions Garcia described are common to those who suffer from BPD. Unlike those with bipolar disorder, people with BPD can experience both both manic highs and depressive lows within the same day. The disorder often comes with periods of extreme energy, too: she said she has read entire books, or finished entire paintings, on manic nights when she cannot sleep. But the strain of controlling her emotions still stands out as the biggest drawback of her disorder. “To have to hold yourself back from being truly you — that’s what takes the biggest toll,” she said. Impulsivity is a hallmark of BPD, and sufferers are prone to engage in damaging behaviors like gambling, binge eating, and drug abuse. Specialized therapy, like dialectical behavioral therapy, can help with impulse control. “Learning to sit with your urges and not act on them is one step I’m working on to better control my impulsivity, but it does take a lot of work,” Raick said. “If people knew that this is a battle people with BPD face every day, there would be more understanding and acceptance in our community.” “What I’d really want people to understand is that my behaviors, past and present, have not been for the sake of causing drama or seeking attention,” she said. “They’re maladaptive coping mechanisms and it’s hard to undo that. I wish people could look at BPD sufferers with more empathy than they do.” “I think it’s a huge insult to say that we do it ‘because we can,’ and just blame our BPD”, she said. *indicates name has been changed
