BPD... Part 2

Symptoms:
These are the most common symptoms of bpd, there are many more symptoms and combinations of other disorders affiliated with bpd, in certain cases.

Everyone has problems with emotions and behaviors at times. But with a bpd, the problems are intensely severe, repeat over a long period of time and disrupt their life. They view themselves as fundamentally bad or unworthy; they may feel unfairly misunderstood or mistreated, bored, empty and have little idea who they are. This can lead to frequent changes in long-term goals, jobs, friendships, gender identity and values. These symptoms may result in frantic efforts to avoid being alone, especially when lacking in social support! Some of these common symptoms include:
· Intense emotions & mood swings
· Impulsive behaviors: substance abuse, binge eating, risky sex, impulsive shopping and self-injury
· Low self-worth
· A frantic fear of being alone (abandoned)
· Severe depression
· Loosing a sense of reality
· Rationalizing between false and real rejection


What Causes bpd?
People, who are faced with dealing with bpd, usually have endured some kind of childhood trauma such as physical and/or verbal abuse or neglect. People who develop bpd also have severe problems coping with anxiety or stress. Little more has been discovered at this time, as to what causes bpd.

Living with bpd can be a night-mare at times. It comes on like a vicious attack without warning. You can either slip off into a perfect lala-land where everything is grand or journey into a dark negative frame of mind where there is no light. There is no balance between the two; and at either end of the stick you are still left trying to rationalize reality.

You seem to always be defending your feelings and views, whether good or bad. And people are always telling you that you are in the extreme, black & white thinking; as though that changes anything. The negative, in the black, is the worst. For me it comes with allot of deep depression, confusion and sometimes anger. I can become so immobilized that I can’t get out of the house or even put a sentence together to ask for help. And it is quite scary when my thoughts trail into suicide, for I am not a suicidal person! It can become very lonely, because not allot of people understand and more don’t have the patience to help.

The very worst part of all this is when you try to reach out and people tell you it’s not that bad and dismiss it. Or they say things like: you’re choosing to stay in the negative; or you’re not trying hard enough. BPD is a real dysfunction that 3% of us live with on a daily basis. When people dismiss the hurt and pain that engulfs my world; it is as though they put no value to me as a person and my feelings and views are lower yet. It makes me feel as though there is something toxically wrong with me. And when I scream for help, I am serious about needing help but can’t always rationalize how to get the help!

I know that people who suffer with bpd can be a handful to have to deal with. We are people that will sit on your last nerve and try to push you away, but mean no harm and desperately want you to stay! If you know someone like me, but don’t fully understand bpd, I urge you to do your homework. There are many great websites with valuable information for you to learn from. When someone, like me, is reaching out in an out-of-the-box way, don’t let the screams fall upon deaf ears… reach back, if only to be there to give a hug or just to listen. When you recognize dangerous signs do what you have to do to help, the person may be blinded as to how to help themselves and you might just save a life! And if you are someone who has bpd, please know that you are not alone.