Happiful – August 2019

I would describe

a BPD episode

as a moment of

emotional agony.

In those moments,

I am deafened by

my thoughts and

drowning in emotions

concerns. Misunderstandings
about the term ‘personality
disorder’ drive a lot of aggression
toward someone living with BPD,
due to the belief that it is the
person’s own identity that is to
blame for their condition.
People with BPD are sometimes
cast as ‘difficult patients’, and
become the target of frustration
from under-resourced and
overstretched clinical teams. This
rejection and hostility can intensify
the punishing effects of BPD by
confirming the worst fears of the
person living with the condition.
Rosie set out to show that people
with BPD are caring, kind and
loving. She wanted to demonstrate

blog, ‘Talking About BPD’. These

outlets were a way for her to talk

about her life when she felt there

was no other way to communicate

honestly.

“Writing is a tool which helps me

bear these strong emotions,” she

says. “It creates a space between

myself and my thoughts. In these

spaces, I can choose how to act,

rather than reacting on impulse

out of fear and anxiety.”

Commanding the language of

one’s own mental health can help

create a sense of autonomy and

personhood, a potent tonic for

any experience that leaves you

feeling invalidated and out of

control. >>>

that a diagnosis doesn’t have to lead

to a life of shame, guilt and silence.

Rosie began to chronicle her

experience through poetry, and

started her now award-winning

August 2019 • happiful.com • 27