neuroplasticity

Imagine having your #BPD under control having many years of hard work with DBT. You finally you have "built a life with living," practice mindfulness, self-soothe and self-regulate. You have been clean for several years and you find a loving, handsome and exciting partner and travel to another continent with him. Life, at last, feels magical, gratitude is embodied within you and then you suffer a severe #Stroke at the age of 46. It leaves you speechless (aphasia) leaves you visually impaired and your brain is permanently damaged.

I am 2 years and 3 months post-stroke now and finally ready to write about it all, the stroke, the recovery, #Neuroplasticity and healing. Watch out for up-coming articles.

I’m 46 years old, and have struggled with BPD as long as I can remember. I’ve also struggled with alcohol and PTSD. I was abused as a child, and have subsequently spent many years in therapy to deal with the “mind salad”.
Long before I knew about BPD, I had to deal with being an alcoholic. Something I found that helped me through that has also proven helpful with the BPD.
I delved into the books. I learned everything I could about WHY my physical body was different than other people. Why was I “allergic” to alcohol but others were not? I focused on the physiological part of my disease for awhile rather than the psychological. After all, the physiological bit caused the psychological bit.
I’ve done the same with BPD, with some help from my therapist and lots of reading. I’ve learned what the early abuse did to change my brain, because it does, it actually changes the way our brain grows and develops. It interrupts the normal development, and our body strengthens in the proper ways to deal with the circumstances. So, early trauma causes our brain to put more energy into where it thinks it needs it, the amygdala. Fight/flight..... then we end up as adults, still walking around with a hyper sensitive brain, engulfed in the fight/flight state, ready to deal with any threats that may pop up in our path.... I know for me, BPD makes me afraid all of the time. Afraid of what? Abandonment, low self esteem, and honestly, some days I couldn’t tell you what I’m afraid of, just plain afraid.
Knowing how and therefore why, my brain is different gives me an understanding that I sometimes need to get through tough moments. Understanding #Neuroplasticity is also really helpful, I no longer take any meds. We really have to work hard at things other people never even think about, but, that’s my reality. I just try to be a little better every day. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful partner, and with him, I’ve been really honest right from the start that I’m different in some ways, and through lots of heartfelt conversations, he has learned and accepted me 100%...... again, it takes a lot of work, a lot of communication, and a lot of faith. (Yes, I pray a lot too) don’t give up, be brave, don’t back down, don’t let it win, and don’t give up hope.❤️

I was robbed from my life
It wasn’t supposed to go this way
Diabete doesn’t make your stomach go to hell in such a short term
Every other dt1 have few or no complication even with less controlled sugar
My sugar weren’t poorly controlled
I’ve not been Dt1 for 30-40 yrs
Gastroparesis is never the first complication to arise
My doctor don’t understand what happened with my body
I still can’t understand that I got that
The most debilitating GI complication of dt 1
I worked so hard for my life and now it’s gone
I had a boyfriend for 5 yrs , he dumped me
I had a stable job, I don’t know how long I will be able to handle it
I had a house, now living with my mother
I was happy, proud now I’m on the verge of suicidal ideation. I’m severly depressed
I don’t accept my diagnosis. Why me ? I did take care of my dt1.
I don’t accept my break up
I just want my life back where it was