What Is Borderline Personality Disorder?

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In BPD, splitting can cause sudden shifts in how we perceive the people closest to us.

One hurtful interaction can temporarily overshadow everything positive about a relationship.

Taking a broader perspective can help us respond to conflict without damaging important relationships.

Imagine you're telling your partner about a frustrating phone call you had with your mom, and they jokingly remark, "Well, we all know how much you love being right."

You know they're teasing, but you feel yourself starting to get angry. In fact, without meaning to, you’re now thinking of the last time your partner made an off-color comment. And the time before that. Before you know it, you’ve written them off as insensitive and uncaring. Despite starting the evening looking forward to hanging out together, you’re now questioning whether you even want to be with this person.

Yes, your partner's comment was insensitive, and it's certainly reasonable to feel hurt. At the same time, in the heat of the moment, that single interaction has overshadowed all the positive experiences you've shared and the qualities you usually appreciate about your partner.

All-or-Nothing Thinking in Relationships

For people with borderline personality disorder (BPD), experiences like this are really common.........

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