how to better understand a loved one who displays symptoms of borderline personality disorder

Navigating relationships with someone who identifies with BPD traits can be challenging, but meaningful connection is absolutely possible with understanding and patience. Splitting episodes, black-and-white thinking, and intense emotional experiences can make intimacy complex, but the idea that individuals with these traits are “toxic” or “incapable of love” couldn’t be further from the truth. While trauma and emotional sensitivity can present hurdles, relationships rooted in self-awareness, empathy, and open communication can thrive. In this episode, I share insights and tools designed to help both individuals identifying with BPD traits and their loved ones build stronger, healthier connections. I wish I’d had resources like this at the start of my own recovery journey—something to share with my partner and family to help them understand what I was going through. If you’ve ever struggled to put your experiences into words, this episode may serve as a supportive bridge for you and those closest to you.In this conversation, we explore:How childhood trauma can shape emotional responses, creating a heightened sensitivity to rejectionRecognizing triggers and the importance of validation (focusing less on “why” and more on creating a sense of safety)Using “behavior chain analysis” from DBT to access a balanced, “wise mind” perspectiveDeveloping “crisis plans” and identifying vulnerabilities to help prevent episodesUnderstanding the role of the “inner critic” and the impact of shame and self-judgmentHow family and loved ones can play a supportive role in treatment and recoveryWhether you’re on your own healing journey or seeking ways to better understand someone you love, this episode offers tools and perspectives to foster deeper empathy and connection. Recommended resources: ■ Supporting Loved One with BPD: Quickstart Guide (full YouTube video by clinical psychotherapist Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes)■ Dr. Dawn Elise Snipes’ website: https://www.docsnipes.com/ Craving more? Become a Premium Submarine. Join an exclusive community and unlock hundreds of hours of members-only content: full-length episodes, deep-dive series, guided meditations, and more—all for the cost of a couple of coffees a month. Start exploring at backfromtheborderline.com.The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional. acast+ https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

I don’t want to talk to your personality; I want to talk to your soul. Imagine if your most painful and debilitating mental health symptoms and self-sabotaging behaviors aren’t evidence of 'disorder' or 'dysfunction', but adaptive strategies that once kept you safe. My goal is to help you shift from asking ‘What’s wrong with me?’ to ‘What happened to me?’The word ‘borderline’ in this podcast has nothing to do with psychiatric labels. It has everything to do with coming back from the inner psychological brink we all experience. Everyone has found themselves on the edge, in that liminal space where the old self falls apart and the new Self emerges. Here, we explore what it means to undergo true emotional alchemy: that ancient and primordial process of falling apart, confronting the underworld of our psyche, and falling back together into someone stronger, wiser, and more whole.Many highly sensitive people who identify with the seemingly never-ending list of diagnostic mental health labels contained within ‘the bible of psychiatry’ (the DSM) share the same underlying sense of being irreparably broken, disconnected from their intuition, and paralyzed by life’s existential questions. I believe the resulting—and perfectly understandable—chronic feelings of emptiness and spiritual starvation are the TRUE causes of our current collective ‘mental health crisis.’Together, we’ll dive into depth psychology, mythology, human consciousness, critical psychiatry, and the impact of trauma to help you begin the process of emotional alchemy. This exploration will help you get to the root cause of your suffering and free yourself from the toxic shame, limiting beliefs, and mental programming that have kept you locked in the chains of your past.In an era where mental health and spirituality are too often commercialized, I’m not here as a guru with a quick fix to sell you. I don’t believe anyone is ever truly ‘healed’ or ‘cured.’ There is no return to some mythical state of pre-trauma purity, but rather a continuous spiral of unbecoming, unlearning, and transformation. As a fellow seeker, I will be there in your ear, walking alongside you on your path toward wholeness as a sort of parasocial big sister. That, I can promise.By integrating the concepts we explore together, you’ll begin to see that anyone—even you—can come back from the borderline.CRAVING MORE? Visit backfromtheborderline.com to dive into my universe, connect with me, access my Patreon, and discover more about my journey and work. Don’t forget to follow Back from the Borderline so new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays automatically drop into your podcast feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.