Smarter Than BPD - Resurrected Ashes

Smarter Than BPD - Resurrected Ashes

By Peter L MillerHealth & FitnessMental Health
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Smarter Than BPD - Resurrected Ashes episodes

  • Self-Shame, Self-Judgment & What it Really Takes to Overcome BPD

    To experience self-judgment coupled with self-shame, I would suspect, is an almost universal aspect of experiencing borderline personality disorder (BPD) of any variation. And for a good reason, since a person suffering from BPD has typically been on the receiving end of so much critical/judgmental feedback for many years because of his or her difficulties regulating emotions. In other words, and perhaps on thousands of occasions, a person with BPD has been told that “they are doing it badly,” or “wrongly,” or “irrationally,” or that they “shouldn’t think that way,” or “shouldn’t feel that way,” etc., so that it becomes ingrained in them, even indoctrinated in them and hardened into “belief.” Experiencing repeated types of feedback of this nature subsequently also sets in motion an automatic internal feedback system of a similar variety (i.e., don’t worry mom or dad, brother or sister, friend or enemy, I’ll take over from here and do it to myself, and my brain will also do it to me on its own!!).


    To read more, go to ⁠⁠http://freebpdcourse.com⁠⁠ and click on Podcast Newsletter!


    25 min
  • Unstable/Unclear Self-Image in BPD & How To Deal With It

    Who am I? Is it ok for me to exist as an imperfect, growing, learning, developing being? Is it ok for me to make mistakes? Am I still a “good person” after I screw up, and screw up again, and again? Am I lovable, nonetheless? These are vitally important questions that require answers in the early stages of life so that a person can navigate the many hills and valleys of their life experience. Unfortunately, however, many of us sincerely do not have clear answers to these questions, and subsequently, we are haunted by them for much of our lives. They likewise haunt people with the emotional vulnerabilities of borderline personality disorder regularly, and most likely more so than non-BPD individuals because of their extreme emotional sensitivities which can strongly influence their thoughts.


    In today’s podcast, the subject was about unstable/unclear self-image, one of the often-enduring traits of BPD. Perhaps one of the most soul-crushing traits to experience day in and day out, but as real and painful as the toothache you desperately needed a dentist to help with that one time.


    To read more, go to ⁠http://freebpdcourse.com⁠ and click on Podcast Newsletter!


    24 min
  • Splitting, Roller Coasters, and Re-Learning the Mind/Body Apparatus

    Another one of the most common issues in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) goes by the name of “splitting”. And probably also one of the most annoying parts of the disorder, simply because it happens so frequently and easily distorts the lens of our perception. It might be comparable to having your stereo volume constantly turned up to nine or ten, when you (and those around you) would be satisfied with five or six. Of course, you would also have a harder time making proper sense of things and communicating when the volume is cranked, which is exactly what occurs when “splitting” is taking place.

    In cognitive behavioural theory, the types of thinking consistent with “splitting” are called “black or white”, or “all or nothing”. This generally means that a person would describe events and people as either “all good”, or “all bad”, and that the nuances of those events and people are not considered or entered in the equation of perception. But when there is a perceived threat (real or not) and the nervous system prepares for fight, flight, or freeze, there is also a natural narrowing of perception that allows for quick/survival-based decision-making. However as stated, the problem here is that the sense of threat for those with BPD is regularly exaggerated, and interacting with the world on those terms makes for many problems and heartache.


    To read more, go to http://freebpdcourse.com and click on Podcast Newsletter!

    25 min
  • Abandonment Fears, Automations, and Using Mindfulness to Make Changes

    When I consider abandonment fear and where it potentially came from in my childhood I'm reminded of a few experiences. For instance, I recall how I was terrified one night around age 10 when I didn't know if my father (single parent) would return from his Pipe Band activities. Even though he had always returned, I feared that this time would be different. I started experiencing a sense of panic and dread and I remained in this charged and toxic state (more or less) until he returned, that is until I heard his car pull up in the driveway.

    I also recall following my sister around the house and the yard when she would be responsible for my babysitting until my father returned. I recall she was quite annoyed by this behaviour and that she would tell me to calm down and stop worrying. Unfortunately, this tended to aggravate the way I was feeling and increase my anxiety (invalidating my emotions). I can see now how it also likely reinforced my sense of being alone in the world, at least emotionally. I can further see how it probably enhanced my hypervigilance to hold onto people “for dear life” in relationships. If I didn't, according to my beliefs taking root at the time, then I would probably lose them.
    To read more, go to http://freebpdcourse.com and click on Podcast Newsletter!

    23 min
  • Understanding the BPD Brain and Standing Up to Stigma

    Episode two (of season two) of the Smarter Than BPD – Resurrected Ashes podcast focuses on impacted brain parts in borderline personality disorder and issues with mental health stigma that people with BPD regularly face. I discussed these parts of the BPD knowledge base together for a particular purpose. That being: a better understanding of the “BPD brain” hopefully triggers a renewed compassion for anyone who takes the time to listen and learn the depth of the BPD healing and management challenge.

    We live in a world where people are typically judged for their surface appearances, as opposed to the whole of their being which includes their inner workings (thoughts, emotions, brain impairments, nervous system impairments, etc.). Therefore, when a person with BPD manifests words and behaviours that don’t seem to fit situations properly, it is almost guaranteed they will be ignorantly judged by others who don’t understand. They will be told to “calm down,” “not think that way,” “not feel that way”, and to otherwise “get it together” or be faced with unwanted consequences, such as loss of relationships or privileges, etc. In other words, they will instantly be invalidated instead of being on the receiving end of a curious other who is willing to take the time to hear, understand, and help reorient initial perceptions.


    To read more, go to http://freebpdcourse.com and click on Podcast Newsletter!

    23 min

About Smarter Than BPD - Resurrected Ashes

From the publisher's feed

This podcast is a reproduction of previously published podcast episodes. The new home for all content relating to Smarter Than BPD is http://freebpdcouse.com