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5 Personality Traits of Borderline Personality Disorder That Aren't 'Manipulative' or 'Scary'

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I have read a lot of negatives of having borderline personality disorder (BPD). But I have yet to see the positives of having BPD. Believe it or not, you can embrace the benefits of BPD. Borderlines know firsthand about about the drawbacks of having BPD and symptoms that come with it. Many borderlines are challenged every day with ridicule, stigma and insults. Most information written about borderlines is negative. Borderlines are labeled as “scary,” “dangerous,” “out of control,” “irrational” and “manipulative.” 

However this article isn’t about that. This article is about embracing BPD and the positives of having it.

1. We are loyal.

Of course getting on the bad side of someone like me with borderline personality disorder is not a good idea. We always love the hardest and the deepest. Even when we push you away and say we hate you, deep down we do love you and care for you. A borderline’s love for someone runs deep. Yes, we have our fears of abandonment and trust, but deep down when you become our favorite person, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for you.

2. We are empathetic.

We feel so deeply that we tend to help those who are hurting, offer a sense of empathy and belonging and help them find effective ways to feel better.

3. We are creative.

With high intense emotions comes release. Many borderlines turn to self-harm or substance abuse to cope. Others find healthy positive outlets to manage their emotions. Borderlines tend to be creative. A lot of borderlines are painters, musicians, actors, dancers etc.

4. We are relentless.

We never give up. We always have hope that we will get better and we show up to our therapist appointments and doctors appointments ready to get better and work on improving ourselves. We try different medications and go to different kinds of therapies in hopes we can improve.

5. We are adaptable.

People with BPD are very adaptable. It’s easy for us to meet people and get along with many different types of people and personality types. Its easy for us to take on different jobs,  take on different work roles which makes us great in a work setting.

Getty Images photo via berdsigns

Originally published: March 1, 2018
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