It is human to enjoy the company of others, but sometimes, you may find yourself being alone. This should not lead to fear or worry. People with the borderline personality disorder, however, experience intense fear of being abandoned by loved ones or being alone. This is a condition that many teenagers struggle with as it can manifest itself at a young age.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects one’s behaviors since it is related to emotion dysregulation. This is what makes people get intense emotional responses that can be difficult to manage. Today, we aim at helping victims of this disorder by discussing it in details. Allow us to start by informing you about the symptoms you should watch out for before discussing how you can cope with the condition. Enjoy!
What are the signs of borderline personality disorder?
This is a mental condition that affects your emotions and relationships with others. People who have the condition find it hard to cope with separation and rejection. They show rapid changes when it comes to their personality due to shifting values and goals.
One may experience episodes of paranoia due to stress. The lack of supervision makes teens with this disorder engage in risky behaviors such as unsafe sex, reckless driving, and prescription drug abuse. Some make drastic choices such as ending a healthy relationship or quitting work. Victims engage in such actions as they try to find ways to deal with their emotional pain.
You may also develop mood swings that can range from intense happiness to irritability. Signs of shame, guilt or anxiety may also kick in. The condition may also lead to intense anger and a quick temper. The worst case of this disorder is when people start feeling empty and develop suicidal thoughts.
How can you cope with the borderline personality disorder?
New ways of copying can help you minimize emotional distress and boost your confidence in the way you deal with situations. They can also reduce symptoms of emotion dysregulation and prevent you from self-harming tendencies. The following are some of the most effective methods that you can use.
Get a playlist which creates an opposite emotion to what you are experiencing. For instance, happy songs can lift your spirit when you are going through intense anger. You can also deal with anxiety caused by BPD through soothing music.
Music is also an outlet for people to express or communicate how they feel. It is a form of therapy that can distract you from your thoughts and also stabilize your moods.
Find ways of distracting your mind from negative emotions. People choose different activities to achieve this. It could be dancing, cleaning, walking or drawing. The aim is to ensure that you do the things that bring your joy and peace of mind. Do not engage a lot in passive activities such as watching television since the light is not healthy.
Get support
Do not let strong emotions weigh you down. Reach out to family and friends and share your feelings with them. Talking about it helps relieve stress, and you can get good advice to help you with your struggles. You can also get a support group online or in the community that focuses on victims of BPD. Alternatively, seek support from therapy sessions.
Ride out your emotions
When you have a strong emotion that makes you feel like engaging in harmful activities, try riding it out through the use of a timer. This feeling should last for at least ten minutes. You can ride out your emotions by understanding how to regulate them. For instance, if someone is upsetting you, try to think about anything else before reacting negatively towards them.
Practice mindfulness
Many victims of borderline personality disorder have trouble differentiating between what is real and what is not. Practicing mindfulness can help you remain in the moment to avoid bringing past emotions into the present. Recognize what you are feeling as you avoid suppressing it.
Mindfulness meditation prevents you from judging others over things they may have done in the past by allowing you to focus on the present situation. It also helps you become aware of your sensations such as sight, touch, and smell. This will help you deal with any emotional pain and prevent you from self-harm.
Grounding exercises come in handy when you are feeling anxious, disassociated or getting impulsive urges. They can help you soothe such emotions and reduce symptoms of the disorder. You should use them when you have overwhelming feelings in various situations.
Some of them include auditory and visual exercises. This focus on your sight and hearing senses to ensure that you remain in the present. For instance, you can engage your senses by paying keen attention to any sounds near you. The point is to capture different sound layers, their intensity as well as their pitch.
You can also practice humming song or reading poems. Place some ice on your hand and focus on the cold sensation. Nature sounds are also part of grounding exercises which help you reconnect with the present moment.
Enjoy warm showers
There is nothing as relaxing as a warm shower. This helps you relax the muscles and calms your nerves. Enjoy a warm bath as you focus on the sweet smell of your soap. Let this distract your mind from negative emotions. Feel free to use candles or lavender to provide you with a calming aroma. You can also massage your body and hair during your shower to release any tension.
Help others
If you are feeling empty inside, you can reverse this by making yourself useful to another person. Do something small for someone such as giving them a simple gift. It can help minimize emotional pain and make you feel good about yourself.
Final thoughts
The borderline personality disorder is a condition that may be hard to understand. It not only affects an individual but also the people surrounding them. The coping skills above will help you deal with your emotions and improve your relationships with others.
