Tag Archive for: borderline personality

BPD, Trauma, Outbursts, & Reality Checks: How much of this is actually real?

One of the things that people with borderline personality disorder, BPD traits, or emotional sensitivity often say is an issue for them that causes a lot of regret, shame, and apologizing, is what might be summed up as “emotional outbursts”  — those moments when, even though you’ve already apologized recently for flying off the handle, […]

Coping with Anxiety When You ‘re Emotionally Sensitive

This past week has been pretty good, with the exception of reemergence of intense anxiety.   Just like most everyone else, from time to time work gets stressful, health issues, etc.  I won’t whine, because I know we all have our “cross to bear,” as my mother says.   We are all carrying something.  We’re all doing our […]

Feel Good Diary Sheets | A tool for remembering

Do you have trouble remembering the “good” and pleasant moments and memories when you are in a crisis or dealing with intense, difficult emotions?  I know that this has been a challenge for me on many occasions, and that this is a particularly challenging thing to do for a lot of people who have Borderline […]

Controlling Impulses by Starting Small (DBT Ice Cube)

Early on in my diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and until I really got into the skills of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), I had a pattern of quickly jumping from an impulse, thought, or emotion to an action. I felt anxious, so I would run or freak out.  I felt angry, so I would yell, throw […]

Moodiness & Mood Swings | Borderline Personality Disorder

I hate it when I feel this way.  For those of you who are in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), you probably, like me, recognize the word “hate” as being very strong and extreme. When I’ve used it in the past with my psychiatrist, she said, “Why don’t you try describing how you feel with a […]

Jealous, Insecure Inner Child at Work | Listening To Her Concerns

It started out with physical sensations.  My neck and shoulders hurt. My jaw had a sharp pain right at the hinges. I felt a headache coming on. It was all out of nowhere, really, but it was all very familiar. Usually I would get these symptoms if I had spent all day hunchback over the […]

DBT Diary Cards | Why I Fill Them Out

Yesterday in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) class, I felt a bit like the teacher’s pet. When the doctor asked who had filled out their Diary Cards, I was the only one to raise my hand (which made made me feel a little embarrassed, but to be honest, I liked the look of approval from our therapist.) […]

BPD & Difficulty with Relationships | I’m Sorry Jenny

On my way to the grocery store just now, as I approached the stop sign,  I saw an old friend and colleague get into her car. It was so good to see her face. I gently waved.Things ended on bad terms between us, but the bitterness that remains with her surprised and hurt me. She […]

Some Thoughts on Judging | Borderline Personality Disorder

Last week in DBT class, we talked about judging. According to Dr. Marsha Linehan, the pioneer of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) for BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder / Emotion Regulation Disorder): “Judging is when you observe a fact and then add an evaluation of good or bad.” Her recommendation is to “non-judgmentally observe a fact and […]

BPD & Friendship: My lonely road

I had a difficult phone call today. I was speaking to someone who had been a dear friend to me for several years.  I hadn’t spoken to her since August, when I broke her heart by dropping out of her wedding (as her bridesmaid) just weeks before her big day. I had begun to grow […]