Self-Esteem Shifts "Underneath that, there's a sense of inferiority and incompleteness," Dr. Oldham explained. People with BPD may even copy others' actions and behaviors because "their ability to be independent and autonomous is very impaired."
On the other hand, the feeling of being excluded, as it characterizes interpersonal experiences in BPD, may lead to stronger mimicry in an attempt to develop belonging. In this case, those patients who feel the loneliest can be expected to show the strongest mimicry.
However, when imitating others' actions occurs frequently and involuntarily later in adolescence or as an adult, it could be echopraxia. People with schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and those on the autism spectrum could be more likely to experience echopraxia, which may contribute to having social challenges.
Through elaborate displays of mimicry and impersonation, the individual with Borderline Personality Disorder adapts to all environments. However inside they feel nothing at all.
“Mirroring” is when a person mimics the body language, verbal habits, or attitudes of someone else, typically unconsciously. Mirroring can relate to personality types because personality traits correlate to many aspects of expression that may be mimicked.
Some people with quiet BPD can hide their condition and appear successful, independent, and overall high functioning. You might be able to hold a job during the day, but crash into a depressive, anxious, or dissociative state when the day is over. Think of quiet BPD as a mask.
Narcissism is not a symptom of BPD listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, as many as 40% of people with BPD may also have narcissistic personality disorder,4 so people with BPD may also show signs of narcissism.
One of the most common misdiagnoses for BPD is bipolar disorder. Both conditions have episodes of mood instability.
Challenges with getting a BPD diagnosis
The symptoms of BPD are very broad, and some can be similar to or overlap with other mental health problems, such as: Bipolar disorder. Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) Depression.
BPD makes people more likely to engage in impulsive or risky behaviors, such as: Speeding or other unsafe driving. Unprotected sex or sex with strangers. Binge eating.
The Victim
Individuals with BPD often feel helpless, hopeless, powerless, and ashamed. When in this state of mind, they may adopt a passive role and draw in others to make decisions for them and support them.
Borderline personality disorder is one of the most painful mental illnesses since individuals struggling with this disorder are constantly trying to cope with volatile and overwhelming emotions.
People with BPD are very sensitive to rejection. They may lie or exaggerate to cover mistakes or to maintain an overly positive image so that others will not reject them.
“People with BPD lie often, but it is not because they are pathological liars,” says Nikki Instone, Ph. D. “Lying is not a symptom of the disorder so much as a consequence of their internal battle.” Lying is really rooted in emotional dysregulation, which is one of the main symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Most people with EUPD/BPD aren't manipulative - but often those around us can be. Maddi Crease writes that a pervasive misconception about people who have emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) is that they easily manipulate those around them.
Romantic fantasization is a common feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD). The unpredictable emotional state associated with borderline personality disorder can cause confusing fluctuations in how borderlines view their romantic partners.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one of the most damaging mental illnesses. By itself, this severe mental illness accounts for up to 10 percent of patients in psychiatric care and 20 percent of those who have to be hospitalized.
People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain.
A pattern of severe mood changes over hours or days. Extreme anger and problems controlling anger. Strong, up-and-down relationships with family and friends that can go quickly from very close to anger and hatred. Extreme fear of and reactions to abandonment, and extreme behaviors to avoid abandonment.
Extreme emotional swings.
Unstable emotions and moods are common with BPD. One moment, you may feel happy, and the next, despondent. Little things that other people brush off can send you into an emotional tailspin.
For both loved ones, and indeed those with BPD a toxic relational dynamic emerges and is repeated in cyclical and patterned ways. This toxic relational dynamic revolves around the punishment and revenge sought by those who have Borderline Personality Disorder.
Gaslighting essentially denies or dismisses someone's experience. When people with BPD speak up about their feelings, toxic and abusive people avoid taking accountability. To do that, they tell the person with BPD that they're crazy or that they're overreacting.
People with BPD score low on cognitive empathy but high on emotional empathy. This suggests that they do not easily understand other peoples' perspectives, but their own emotions are very sensitive. This is important because it could align BPD with other neurodiverse conditions.