[august burning]

Does anyone else feel that the symptoms and behaviors associated with BPD completely consume your life and define you as a person? Every time I read about BPD I feel like it is describing me exactly and that BPD is all that makes me who I am; that there is nothing else to me. I feel that my existence is nothing more than that of a very destructive, emotional tornado.

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Do they define me? No - but I certainly am the definition of BPD.

[Verity81]

In a discussion with my T I said I would get confused as to what parts of me were BPD and what were not BPD. He said the black and white thinking has put BPD traits and other traits in two separate categories. I was kind of seeing it like I had two separate personalities, BPD me and non BPD me if that makes any spense? You can see I do have identity confusion! Lol well both BPD traits and non BPD traits are ME but that DBT will help to lessen the impact of the BPD traits. I hope that made some sense cos I'm confused again! Oh well lol

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Verity - It kind of made sense to me..... I think I like your therapist.

[ifst5]

I take the view that a personality disorder is closely interwined with the psyche. I'm also of the belief that trying to pull all of that apart isn't really helpful. You're aware of the difficulties you have which is good - and it sounds as though you're trying to get help with managing those difficulties better. Maybe it would help you to think about some of the positives that come from those difficulties, because there are usually always positives. You know emotional pain very well no? Then i'd wager you have a lot more empathy than the average person. Empathy is not only a powerful tool but a useful one. How many people would do better in their careers for example, especially ones that are more people-oriented, if they just had a bit more empathy? The upside to my condition that i love the most is my creativity. I've had to be a bit more inventive when it comes to managing my difficulties, and the difference that having a creative outlet brings is staggering. I want to combine my love of the arts with helping others, emotionally i'd find that satisfying.

Just keep going, you're doing the best you can and maybe a slightly different persepctive is what's needed now so you can maintain that momentum. Good luck.