[jbug]

I have BPD and have been working really hard in the last few years to recover from it. Well I have noticed in the last few weeks that my symptoms are rearing their ugly head. For those of you that have gotten rid of their symptoms or at least gotten them to calm down. How do you deal with them returning? I don't like I feel like a failure and am having a hard time. I know its stress but it doesn't make it any easier.

Jbug

[dtcoyle]

Hi janniebug. I find that meditation helps me alot. I'm not talking about anything related to eastern religions... just really deep thought. Conversation with yourself. At night when I have a moment, or whenever actually, I'll think about my problems, become aware of them. Once you become really aware of your undesirable traits you catch yourself acting them out. Eventually it gets easier to catch yourself, and then correct yourself. For example: I use to have a serious problem with eye contact. Someone would talk to me and I would let my eyes roam around and focus on anything but the eyes of the person speaking to me, giving the impression that I'm not listening or do not care. I still have this problem on occasion but I'm usually aware when I'm doing it. Slowly over time I've been able to correct this problem as it occures. Awareness can apply to anything else. And you can correct yourself. It takes hard work but it beats the alternative.

Another thing that has helped me, which also ties into meditation, is thinking about the problems you have and are aware of and then writing them down. It helps to see it on paper. Once its on paper you can start picking it apart, analysing it basically. The whens,whys,whos, hows... etc. Ask yourself questions like: How can I stop doing this? Why do I do this? How is this effecting me and those around me? When did I start doing this?... etc. Those are a couple things that have helped me out alot. Basically, becoming aware of and admitting to my problems and then trying to figure out how to correct myself.

Thats great advice!

I've been finding my symptoms have been escalating a bit recently too... Stress... But knowing that doesn't seem to be helping me particularly...

Thinking about the whys and stuff... Really helps me a lot too. So I can catch myself. And the meditation too. I do breathing exercises. Quite often I find myself feeling intense sadness and rage and stuff and I can just feel it coming and going in waves... And it helps me feel a lot calmer so I'm better able to figure out what is going on and stop myself from acting out.

But that being said... It can be hard sometimes, yeah.

I think one thing that is really important is to reflect on how far you have come and not beat yourself up. Sounds like you are doing that already... I guess I just mean to take extra special care of yourself since you are fragile. Remember to do nice nurturing caring things for youself.

Hang in there...

My 'episodes' have gotten further apart...
And when they occur they are less intense...

But they are still there sometimes. When one occurs... I have trouble not seeing it as a step back. But over time... I've improved so much. I try to focus on that.

(((((((((((janniebug))))))))))))

im so sorry. i dont have any answers but wanted you to know someone cares that you are having a good time.