bvkowski
Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental illness that is said to affect 1-2% of the general population. Other studies believe it to be more prevalent, affecting 5.9%. Those of us with Borderline Personality Disorder (also called Emotional Regulation Disorder) have difficulty regulating our emotions and thoughts. Our brains are highly sensitive to emotional stimuli. Once our emotions are stimulated, it can take a long time for them to return to baseline. Not only that but our emotions are felt at a much higher intensity than other people's. An event that may be unremarkable to someone without BPD can be stimulating enough to arouse our emotions for hours.
Many people with BPD tend to only see situations in extremes. It can be hard for us to see the gray area. The people, places, and things around us are often sorted into a category of "all good" or "all bad." This is commonly referred to as splitting, black and white thinking, and all-or-nothing thinking. Splitting is difficult for not only us but for our loved ones, and it often puts a major strain on our interpersonal relationships. Furthermore, we have a tendency to see ourselves in the same way. Whereas one minute we may think we're unstoppable and capable of taking on the world, the very next we could feel undeserving of love or life. This pattern of thinking isn't a result of immaturity, stubbornness, or ignorance; it's a result of cognitive dysfunction.
Chasing Rainbows is dedicated to my own personal struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder, and the many discoveries that have flooded my world with an array of colors since being diagnosed.
WARNING: Due to the nature of BPD, some contents of this collection may be highly intense, and such may be triggering. Read at your own discretion. If you find you're in need of help, feel free to visit the organization I work for: http://www.letserasethestigma.com/