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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How to cope with Borderline Personality Disorder?

12 replies

Blackdays · 03/06/2018 20:18

I'm looking for hints and tips to manage the rollercoaster that is being closely acquainted with someone diagnosed with BPD. One minute you're the 'angel' next 'the demon'. Walking on eggshells so as not to trigger their abandonment feelings. Do you have any good advice for navigating that narrow path to keep things on an even keel?

OP posts:
Wanderlusting99 · 03/06/2018 21:22

Is it a new diagnosis? We found having the label really helpful to understanding, but couldn't get treatment on the NHS, so have been paying privately every week for DBT, it is very much helping him to see what is a standard thought pattern and what is BPD, but it's a very bumpy rollercoaster. Please feel free to pm me, as I don't want to put too much publicly

Oddcat · 03/06/2018 21:37

Can I ask how you managed to get the person to be assessed? I'm sure my DD has something like this but I darent even mention anything about seeing someone.

Haffiana · 03/06/2018 22:08

I have a certain amount of experience of this - not with a partner, but with a friend. I had some excellent advice both from another, older friend with BPD who had managed to grow out of the worst of it (this does happen btw) and also from some of the great websites about BPD.

Firstly don't walk on eggshells.

In my experience what helped my friend was not under any circumstances to alter my behaviour or react to her behaviour when she was having an episode.

If she started threatening suicide - and she did, regularly - I would calmly but firmly ask her to leave my house, even if it was the middle of the night. I would insist on it. It broke my heart but I would make her leave immediately.

If she self-harmed -and she did frequently - I would call an ambulance, and leave her to them. I did not engage with her about it at all.

Most of the time she was a marvelous person, really wonderful. A very good friend.

If you are allowing yourself to be manipulated by the person with BPD then you are doing them no service at all - you are not being a 'safe' person for them to be with. They need to be with someone who will be utterly impervious to their ups and downs. This is what they actually need, that sort of stability. They need someone who will not be manipulated. If you can be manipulated that will make them very anxious.

If you can manage to simply and totally be impervious to being sucked into whatever is their ongoing train wreck, then they will still have episodes and your life will be still full of drama. However you will be actually helping them, and also - and this is even more important - protecting yourself. If you can't do this then you need to get out immediately, for both your sakes.

It isn't your place or job to not trigger them. Someone with BPD will play you like a fiddle at the same time as being propelled into worse behaviour because you are making them anxious by your reacting and being 'nice' or whatever you think you are being.

Oddcat · 03/06/2018 22:11

That's fantastic advice and has really struck a chord with me and how I'm failing to deal with my DD.

Wanderlusting99 · 03/06/2018 23:01

GP needs to refer to a psychiatrist, a GP can't diagnose. I don't know the age of your DD but is is extremely rare to get a diagnosis before mid 20s as that's considered the age the brain finishes developing, before this the brain is too flexible to be conclusively diagnosed with BPD. The person I know had many signs from mid teens, diagnosed with depression and anxiety, but wasn't diagnosed with BPD until nearly 30.

Oddcat · 03/06/2018 23:07

She's 20

Oddcat · 03/06/2018 23:12

Sorry posted too soon

She's 20 and I have had my suspicions for a good few years now. She really struggles with relationships because she is very needy and seems to smother people she makes friends with , they eventually get fed up and she moves into the next person. She is very manipulative, has massive explosions of temper and just doesn't seem to 'get' rational explanations (I can't really describe it). She has never taken responsibility for any of her actions, there's always an explanation and it's always someone else's fault. I do find it exhausting.

ExceptionFatale · 03/06/2018 23:45

I'm sorry you're having a tough time OP. I think because BPD in particular seems to manifest/present itself with a unique variety of challenges for loved ones (and the afflicted of course), you might find a little more help in a BPD specific community.

I reached out to bpdfamily.com when trying to understand why my SOs ex whom he hadn't spoken with (number change, etc) in over 2 years started showing up at our home at 1am. It was pretty unnerving to say the least. So I would recommend you go to their message board and introduce yourself/peruse the previous threads. It helped me greatly.

bpdfamily.com/message_board/index.php

A big internet hug, handhold, and Flowers for you OP. I really do hope this helps you even a little.

bionicnemonic · 03/06/2018 23:55

Oddcat that sounds very like a friend of mine. He was diagnosed with adult ADD, but I think many of these characteristics cross over. He was helped massively with a drug called Reboxitine, also meditation and dietary improvements (gut bacteria are a big part of mental health)
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248201/#!po=25.0000

Oddcat · 04/06/2018 00:04

Thankyou for the link and sorry to hijack your thread Op - I'm at the end of my tether, she's disappeared again, I've not seen her since last Monday.

pumpkinbump · 04/06/2018 18:49

Thank you all for your input. I've seen him twice so far and he hasn't 'talked'. Still claims to have things to say.

pumpkinbump · 04/06/2018 18:50

Sorry I am not sure why this posted on this thread

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