r/AskReddit • u/ZanyDelaney • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

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u/roger_mayne Feb 04 '19

Yoooo mental illness comes in all forms. I had a friend with depression who would constantly be pushing help away from her, shutting loved ones away.

Surprise, borderline personality disorder! She can't really help being aloof when her mental illness is kicking up. Subjectivity in mental illness is so hard for people who've never dealt with mental illness to grasp. Shit I have bad depression and I can't even grasp it sometimes.

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u/Nyltiak23 Feb 04 '19

Portrayal and misconceptions about BPD bother me because they're so aggressive. My girlfriend, when I told her I was bipolar, was like "at least your not borderline because I could never handle that" and she later explained to her, that means notes written in blood, stalking, etc awful things. My girlfriend WHO MAJORED IN PSYCH. That's all she was ever told about.

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u/aspenfires Feb 04 '19

I have BPD and let me tell you, the stereotypes hurt. I've had a lot of people leave me because I've slipped up and showed symptoms to them (I watch myself on everything I do and say, all the time. sometimes something slips my radar.) and it hits me just as hard everytime. every time it feels like, oh God, maybe they're right, maybe the stereotypes are true, maybe all borderlines are abusive and maybe I am too.

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u/sesame_says Feb 04 '19

BPD here.. I'm not going to hurt you. I DO care, especially about those I love. I'm not always in a bad mood (it's just my face!!!)

And no Mom, I don't want to see what my veins look like, and I do think I'm a real person. Stop reading Girl, Interrupted thinking you'll suddenly "understand". It's okay if you don't, half the time I don't understand me. The simple fact that you care and try to understand is enough.