How do you respond to borderline splitting?

Caring and Management
  1. Cultivate empathy. Start by reminding yourself that splitting is part of the disorder. ...
  2. Encourage and support treatment. ...
  3. Maintain lines of communication. ...
  4. Remind your loved one that you care. ...
  5. Set boundaries. ...
  6. Take care of yourself. ...
  7. Try to manage your response.


What to do when your BPD partner is splitting?

What's the best way to help a person who's experiencing splitting?
  1. Learn as much as you can about BPD. It's easy to get offended by the up-and-down behavior of someone with BPD. ...
  2. Know your loved one's triggers. Often, the same events over and over again are a BPD trigger. ...
  3. Understand your own limits.


What happens when a borderline splits?

Splitting is a psychological mechanism which allows the person to tolerate difficult and overwhelming emotions by seeing someone as either good or bad, idealised or devalued. This makes it easier to manage the emotions that they are feeling, which on the surface seem to be contradictory.


What triggers splitting in BPD?

Triggers for BPD Splitting

Splitting is simply a defense mechanism used to counter emotions a person with BPD cannot control. In people with BPD, splitting is a way of avoiding, deflecting, or sidestepping the characteristics issues that underpin the disorder, including: A fear of abandonment or rejection.

What do you say to someone who is in a borderline episode?

Tell them that you really want to understand, and ask if they can say more about what they are feeling and why. Give the person hope for recovery by reassuring them that people with BPD can and do get better. Accept that the person is struggling and that life goals might need to be broken down into smaller steps.


"Splitting" In Borderline Personality Disorder: What You Should Know



Why do borderlines hurt the ones they love?

Often, the borderline person is unaware of how they feel when their feelings surface, so they displace their feelings onto others as causing them. They may not realise that their feelings belong within them, so they think that their partner is responsible for hurting them and causing them to feel this way.

How do I make my borderline feel loved?

Recognize in your loved one's abilities and help them realize their own potential rather than taking on their challenges for them. Let them know that you support them and believe in them. Help them take steps to become more self-sufficient, not less. Of course, this does not mean ignoring legitimate crises.

Do borderlines feel remorse?

Only remorse leads to a real apology and change. One of the hallmarks of people with Borderline Personality Disorder or Narcissistic Personality Disorder (BP/NP) is that they often do not feel truly sorry. Even though a BP/NP may say he or she is sorry, there is often something lacking.


How long does BPD episode last?

A person with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from only a few hours to days.”

Do borderlines regret the loss of a quality partner?

Do borderlines regret the loss of a quality partner? No, they often regret the decision to let that partner go. People who suffer from a borderline personality disorder (BPD) often have intense and unstable relationships. They may idealize their partners one minute and then devalue them the next.

Can a person with BPD revalue someone after devaluing them?

Yes absolutely. But not in all cases. If you're in a position of being devalued, initially you must have been in a position of being valued. Devaluation happens when the fear of abandonment and/or rejection is triggered.


Who do borderlines attract?

Those who have BPD tend to be very intense, dramatic, and exciting. This means they tend to attract others who are depressed and/or suffering low self-esteem. People who take their power from being a victim, or seek excitement in others because their own life is not where they want it to be.

Why do BPD push you away?

As a result, the fear of being abandoned often causes people with BPD to form unhealthy attachments, sometimes abruptly cutting off, as well as making frantic attempts to hold onto relationships. These overly intense or erratic behaviors, in turn, often push loved ones away.

How do you respond to BPD silent treatment?

How to respond
  1. Name the situation. Acknowledge that someone is using the silent treatment. ...
  2. Use 'I' statements. ...
  3. Acknowledge the other person's feelings. ...
  4. Apologize for words or actions. ...
  5. Cool off and arrange a time to resolve the issue. ...
  6. Avoid unhelpful responses.


Do borderlines end up alone?

Across the 20 years of the study, the rates of social isolation in the borderline participants ranged from 22 percent to 32 percent, with 26 percent remaining isolated at the end of the study period.

What is a BPD favorite person?

A favorite person is the center of attention of an individual living with BPD. This means they consider this person as a trusted friend, confidant, and counselor all wrapped in one. Dr. Roberts notes that the person with BPD demonstrates an “anxious-preoccupied attachment style.”

How long does BPD rage last?

Intense and sometimes inappropriate rage is a characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD). A person with this condition has difficulty regulating their emotions or returning to their baseline. Extremes of rage and other intense emotions may last longer than might be expected, from a few hours to a few days.


Do borderlines use Gaslighting?

Gaslighting is by no means unique to individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but certain symptoms make it more likely for people with BPD to feel gaslighted by others and create circumstances where others feel gaslighted by them. Gaps in memory result from dissociation.

Do borderlines choose their favorite person?

MD. People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often rotate between idolizing and devaluing others. In the case of the “favorite person,” the individual with BPD prefers one person and wants to spend all their time with them.

What not to do with borderline personality disorder?

Don't point out how you feel that they're wrong, try to win the argument, or invalidate their feelings, even when what they're saying is totally irrational. Do your best to stay calm, even when the person with BPD is acting out.


How do you tell if a borderline loves you?

How do you know if a person with BPD loves you?
  • Consistent need for reassurance.
  • Intense declarations of their love or appreciation for you.
  • Reaching out more frequently when you don't respond.
  • Fear that you will leave them or no longer love them.


Do borderlines deserve love?

They are often criticized, marginalized and stigmatized, but the truth is that they deserve love and understanding like anyone else. BPD, or borderline personality disorder, is a psychological diagnosis that indicates a person has difficulty regulating their emotions.

How do people with BPD show affection?

Affection – People with BPD are either extremely affectionate or withdrawn, which may be confusing for those who don't have the disorder. Abandonment – Lots of people are scared that their partner isn't happy; but when you have BPD, you may be in constant worry that they will leave.


How do borderlines act in romantic relationships?

A person with BPD may also be very physical and eager to spend a lot of time with their partner. At the same time, people with BPD are sensitive to abandonment or rejection. Many are hyperfocused on perceived signs that a romantic partner isn't happy or may leave them.

Why are relationships hard for borderlines?

People with borderline personality disorder often find it difficult to trust other people . This, along with their fear of abandonment and tendency to idealize or devalue relationships, may make it difficult to ensure that this condition does not negatively impact relationships.