Borderline Personality Disorder Exchange

Thoughts that may indicate BPD
Alternate between seeing people as either flawless or evil?

Have difficulty remembering the good things about a person they're casting in the role of villain?

Find it impossible to recall anything negative about this person when they become the hero?

Alternate between seeing others as completely for them or against them.

Alternate between seeing situations as either disastrous or ideal?

Alternate between seeing themselves as either worthless or flawless?

Have a hard time recalling someone's love for them when they're not around?

Believe that others are either completely right or totally wrong?

Change their opinions depending upon who they're with?

Alternate between idealizing people and devaluing them?

Remember situations very differently than other people, or find themselves unable to recall them at all?

Believe that others are responsible for their actions or take too much responsibility for the actions of others?

Seem unwilling to admit to a mistake-or feel that everything that they do is a mistake?

Base their beliefs on feelings rather than facts?

Not realize the effects of their behavior on others?

Feel abandoned at the slightest provocation?

Have extreme moodiness that cycles very quickly (in minutes or hours)?

Have difficulty managing their emotions?


Feelings that may indicate BPD
Feeling emotions so intensely that it's difficult to put others' needs-even those of their own children-ahead of their own?

Feel distrustful and suspicious a great deal of the time?

Feel anxious or irritable a great deal of the time?

Feel empty or like they have no self a great deal of the time?

Feel ignored when they are not the focus of attention?

Express anger inappropriately or have difficulty expressing anger at all?
Feel that they never can get enough love, affection, or attention?

Frequently feel spacey, unreal, or out of it?


Behaviors that may indicate BPD
Have trouble observing others' personal limits?

Have trouble defining their own personal limits?

Act impulsively in ways that are potentially self-damaging, such as spending too much, engaging in dangerous sex, fighting, gambling, abusing drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, shoplifting, or disordered eating?

Mutilate themselves for example, purposely cutting or burning their skin?

Threaten to kill themselves or make actual suicide attempts?

Rush into relationships based on idealized fantasies of what they would like the other person or the relationship to be?

Change their expectations in such a way that the other person feels they can never do anything right?

Have frightening, unpredictable rages that make no logical sense or have trouble expressing anger at all?

Physically abuse others, such as slapping, kicking, and scratching them?

Needlessly create crises or live a chaotic lifestyle?

Act inconsistently or unpredictably?

Alternately want to be close to others, then distance themselves?
(Examples include picking fights when things are going well or alternately ending relationships and then trying to get back together.)

Cut people out of their life over issues that seem trivial or overblown?

Act competent and controlled in some situations but extremely out of control in others?

Verbally abuse others, criticizing and blaming them to the point where it feels brutal?

Act verbally abusive toward people they know very well, while putting on a charming front for others?

Can they switch from one mode to the other in seconds?

Act in what seems like extreme or controlling ways to get their own needs met?

Do or say something inappropriate to focus the attention on them when they feel ignored?

Accuse others of doing things they did not do, having feelings they do not feel, or believing things they do not believe?