What is BPD?

BPD stands for Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental health condition that affects everything in the individual’s life: from relationships, to job/career, to socialization with peers, building and maintaining friendships, and overall sense of self and identity.

People with BPD are highly sensitive individuals who feel big feelings and have vast imaginations. BPD falls under the “Neurodivergent Umbrella” alongside ADHD, Autism, PTSD, and other mental health conditions because of how their brain is wired, and they have different needs than your average neurotypical. People with BPD were born with heightened emotional sensitivity, which neuroscience confirms through various studies of brain scans and research. In other words, being highly sensitive and emotional is NOT a choice, and understanding this is the first step in dismantling the horrific stigma surrounding this disorder.

The stigma and misunderstanding of BPD is that they are manipulative and intentionally creating crisis/problems for attention. This could not be further from the truth. Most BPD behaviors are a genuine cry for help and/or emotional reassurance. Chronic invalidation of this need exaggerates the need for understanding, because otherwise can escalate the behaviors of an already triggered and traumatized individual. The goal is to reduce harm in a way that is objectively helpful.

BPD develops because of both nature and nurture: it develops first because of genetic predisposition (brain and nervous system growth and sensitivity) AND a traumatic environment in early stages of life (from childhood throughout adolescence). The unfortunate combination of being a highly sensitive/emotional child in an environment where the child’s needs were either neglected, invalidated, harmed, or punished causes a sensitive child to develop a poor understanding of the world and of themselves. Maladaptive coping mechanisms and self-sabotaging behaviors become patterned habits which can follow and continue into adulthood before therapy interventions.

The goal of therapy and/or coaching intervention is to learn how to break these patterns, and find alternative solutions to live a healthier and more fulfilling life to reduce pain and trauma from re-emerging. With the right help from peers, a supportive community, and therapeutic care team, individuals with BPD can achieve remission and reduced symptom intensity. BPD doesn’t have to be painful long-term, it IS possible to live with and manage so life can be relatively peaceful and stable.