People with BPD tend to be extremely sensitive. Some describe it as like having an exposed nerve ending.
The condition is also known for anger, mood swings, and impulsiveness. These qualities can dissuade people from being around someone with BPD. On top of this, many people with the condition struggle with self-awareness and how others perceive them. This makes them extremely sensitive.
Most people with BPD are emotionally sensitive but that doesn't mean that all people who are emotionally sensitive have BPD.
People with avoidant personality disorder are very sensitive to anything critical, disapproving, or mocking because they constantly think about being criticized or rejected by others.
Compared to non-patients, BPD patients showed the anticipated higher crying frequency despite a similar crying proneness and ways of dealing with tears. They also reported less awareness of the influence of crying on others.
Individuals living with quiet BPD may have decreased levels of empathy, high conflict relationships, clinginess and fear of abandonment, adds Dr. Lira de la Rosa. “The combination of these symptoms can lead to unstable interpersonal relationships, low self-esteem and periods of depression.”
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.
The big difference is that people with BPD tend to be willing to express themselves in any and all environments regardless of who is present. Whereas people with HSP tend to be more withdrawn in front of others and reserve their mood swings for a few safe people.
Your family member or loved one with BPD may be extremely sensitive, so small things can often trigger intense reactions. Once upset, borderline people are often unable to think straight or calm themselves in a healthy way. They may say hurtful things or act out in dangerous or inappropriate ways.
These triggers are criticism; fear of unworthiness; and helplessness. The first trigger is criticism. As I have found in my work with BPD clients, those suffering from borderline personality disorder have a difficult time accepting criticism, whether constructive or not.
Physical touch can be interpreted as a sign of intimacy and closeness. For someone with BPD, who struggles with a fear of abandonment, touch might stir up feelings of vulnerability and fear, leading to avoiding physical contact.
If they are able to do the work, and if you are both able to manage the intensity of their emotions, the sometimes confusing impulses, and the level of their fear of separation, you can have a loving relationship with a sibling, a parent, a friend, or a lover with BPD.
While people with BPD tend to "act out"—such as having angry outbursts—people with quiet BPD "act in," directing their symptoms and emotions at themselves. "Quiet" and "high-functioning" are deceptive descriptors.
People with BPD may not have a consistent self-image or sense of self. This may worsen obsessive tendencies, since they may find it difficult to see themselves as real or worthy individually, separate from their relationships.
Later research has suggested that people with this disorder may have inborn difficulties in regulating their anxiety or moods. They may be more vulnerable to loss or more sensitive to stress than average.
Persons with BPD do not choose manipulation. It mostly happens to them. The way they experience their own emotions in a given situation involving significant others pushes them to resort to manipulative activities.
Instead of being honest and calmly expressing their needs, they turn to “manipulation” tactics like self-victimizing, blaming others, picking fights, making threats, etc. For instance, instead of saying “I've been feeling anxious.
They may have frequent and volatile mood swings, which often include trying to control the people around them. They may seem to believe the world revolves around them. A person with BPD may appear to be emotionally immature because they often expect others to put their needs first.
Research indicates that BPD is linked to above-average intelligence (IQ > 130) and exceptional artistic talent (Carver, 1997). Because your partner with BPD may be exceptionally bright, they digest information and discover answers to problems more quickly than the average person.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has long been believed to be a disorder that produces the most intense emotional pain and distress in those who have this condition. Studies have shown that borderline patients experience chronic and significant emotional suffering and mental agony.
Early evidence indicated that outpatients with BPD, compared to non-psychiatric controls, have crucial deficits in the important domains of emotional intelligence including self-awareness, control of emotions, motivating oneself, and empathy [4,5,6,7,8].
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.
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder (DDD)
DDD is a rare mental disorder that results in people feeling outside of their body. It also can include feeling like things outside of them aren't real. Common symptoms include: Feeling completely numb to sensations or emotions.
Dating someone with borderline personality disorder can be challenging. Your partner may have major difficulties with strong emotions, drastic mood swings, chronic fear of abandonment, and impulsive behaviors that can strain your relationship with chaos and instability.