This discussion explores the struggle many individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) face in defining a stable sense of self, often driven by an unstable self-image that shifts based on relationships, emotions, and situations. The pervasive "Who am I?" question arises from this instability and affects not only self-perception but also relationships and life roles.
Research highlights that individuals with BPD often see themselves as helpful and sensitive, though these positive traits are frequently overshadowed by emotions like sadness, anger, and anxiety. This emotional turmoil, combined with an unstable self-image, can lead to self-contempt, isolation, and difficulties maintaining consistent roles across different contexts.
To address this, the key is recognizing that roles change with context, but these shifts don’t have to alter your core self-perception. The process involves understanding and defining your roles (e.g., as a family member, friend, or coworker), identifying descriptors for yourself that balance both strengths and weaknesses, and actively working to enhance positive traits while reducing negative ones.
Practical strategies include daily affirmations, such as naming a positive quality while looking at yourself in the mirror, and aligning behaviors with the descriptors you want to embody. By consistently applying these approaches across situations, you can develop a more stable and resilient self-image, grounding yourself in who you are regardless of external circumstances.
Daniel J. Fox, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in Texas, international speaker, and a multi-award-winning author. He has been specializing in the treatment and assessment of individuals with personality disorders for over 20 years in the state and federal prison system, universities, and in private practice. His specialty areas include personality disorders, ethics, burnout prevention, and emotional intelligence.
He has published several articles and books in these areas and is the author of:
BPD Guided Journal: Journal: Your Space to Release Intense Emotions, Nurture Self-Compassion, and Take Charge of Borderline Personality Disorder. Available at: https://shorturl.at/Ta5Dj
The BPD Card Deck: 50 Ways to Balance Emotions and Live Well with Borderline Personality Disorder. Available at: www.shorturl.at/jBHJV
Complex Borderline Personality Disorder: How Coexisting Conditions Affect Your BPD and How You Can Gain Emotional Balance. Available at:
https://rb.gy/hdyqyy
Antisocial, Narcissistic, and Borderline Personality Disorders: A New Conceptualization of Development, Reinforcement, Expression, and Treatment. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/2anv8dww
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook: An Integrative Program to Understand and Manage Your BPD. Available at: https://goo.gl/LQEgy1
Antisocial, Borderline, Narcissistic and Histrionic Workbook: Treatment Strategies for Cluster B Personality Disorders (IPBA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award Winner): https://goo.gl/BLRkFy
Narcissistic Personality Disorder Toolbox: 55 Practical Treatment Techniques for Clients, Their Parents & Their Children (IPBA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award Winner):: https://goo.gl/sZYhym
Dr. Fox has given numerous workshops and seminars on ethics and personality disorders, personality disorders and crime, treatment solutions for treating clients along the antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality spectrum, emotional intelligence, managing mental health within the prison system, and others. Dr. Fox maintains a website of various treatment interventions focused on working with and attenuating the symptomatology related to individuals along the antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality spectrum (www.drdfox.com).
YouTube: / @drdanielfox
Dr. Fox’s website: http://www.drdfox.com/
Dr. Fox’s Blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
Facebook: / appliedpsychservices
Twitter: / drdanieljfox1
LinkedIn: / drdfox
Instagram: / drdfox
Amazon Author’s Page: amazon.com/author/drfox
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