BPD Diaries: Stories and Science

99% of people with BPD who die by suicide sought help in the year before their death. 88% in the last six weeks.They were going to the right places - emergency departments, GPs, crisis services. The system failed them.In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jillian Broadbear, researcher at Spectrum, Australia's leading personality disorder service, to ask the hard questions.She talks about why men are being left behind, what the suicide data actually says, and why self-compassion might be the unexpected key to recovery. Plus, Dr. Broadbear shares an exclusive: Spectrum's new trial using MDMA-assisted therapy for people with BPD and complex trauma - a world-first that could change everything.For anyone who's ever felt invisible, misunderstood, or like giving up. This one's for you."There are a lot of people who care. Don't give up. You are worth it." - Dr. Jillian Broadbear 🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Broadbear, J. H., Bhagwandas, M. G., Crowley, S., Cheney, L., & Rao, S. (2025). Exploring the pathways to diagnosis for men with borderline personality disorder: A qualitative study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34(1), e13413. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13413Digital Object Identifier (DOI)⁠Broadbear, J. H., Dwyer, J., Bugeja, L., & Rao, S. (2020). Coroners’ investigations of suicide in Australia: The hidden toll of borderline personality disorder. Journal of psychiatric research, 129, 241-249.⁠10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.07.007⁠Donald, F., Lawrence, K. A., Broadbear, J. H., & Rao, S. (2019). An exploration of self-compassion and self-criticism in the context of personal recovery from borderline personality disorder. Australasian Psychiatry, 27(1), 56-59.🔗 Links: Spectrum Personality Disorder Service: ⁠⁠spectrumbpd.com.au⁠⁠Spectrum Annual Research Forum - November 6th, free and virtual

It's BPD Awareness Month. So I am doing something different.I keep seeing the same questions. Asked at 2am. Asked through tears. Asked by people who are exhausted, confused, and just want an honest answer.This episode answers 10 of the most common questions people with BPD actually ask, including:• Is it BPD or bipolar?• Why do I react so intensely even when I know better?• Am I a bad person because of what I've done during episodes?• Are people with BPD manipulative?• Why do I lie even about small things?• Why do I feel empty even when things are going okay?• What is a 'favorite person' and why does it hurt so much?• Why do I keep splitting on people I love and how do I stop?• Can I ever have a normal relationship?• Can I recover without DBT?I'm not just answering them. I'm showing you how to ask them better, because the way you ask a question changes what you can find.And at the end: a bonus question that almost no one is asking. The one that might matter more than all the others.This is for anyone with BPD who is tired of feeling like a problem to be solved and is ready to start building something worth living for.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org

What if your emotional pain was invisible , even to the people closest to you?In this episode, we explore Quiet BPD: the presentation of Borderline Personality Disorder where the storm rages entirely on the inside. No outbursts. No visible chaos. Just a carefully maintained exterior while everything underneath is burning.We cover what Quiet BPD actually is (and what the research says), why it's so often misdiagnosed as depression, anxiety, or even autism, and what daily life looks like for people who've learned to turn their pain inward rather than outward.If you've ever felt like you were performing "fine" while privately falling apart, this episode was made for you.Topics covered: internalizing vs. externalizing BPD, shame & self-blame, misdiagnosis, treatment options including DBT & IFS, advice for loved onesYour struggle is valid , whether it's loud or quiet.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes: Book:⁠The Complete Guide to Quiet BPD by Paul Fabunni Meredith⁠Centres for Health and Healing Ontario. (2025). Living with Quiet BPD: Signs, Triggers, and Coping Strategies. Retrieved from: https://cfhh.ca/blog/living-with-quiet-bpd-signs-triggers-coping-strategies/Higgins, H. M. (2025). The Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder: Understanding and Thriving with Internalized EUPD/BPD. Lenzenweger, M. F., Lane, M. C., Loranger, A. W., & Kessler, R. C. (2007). DSM-IV personality disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological psychiatry, 62(6), 553-564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.09.019 Lo, I. (2021). The struggles of quiet BPD. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-emotional-intensity/202107/the-struggles-quiet-bpd Millon, T. (2011). Disorders of personality: Introducing a DSM/ICD spectrum from normal to abnormal. John Wiley & Sons. Stoffers-Winterling, J. M., Storebø, O. J., Kongerslev, M. T., Faltinsen, E., Todorovac, A., Jørgensen, M. S., ... & Simonsen, E. (2022). Psychotherapies for borderline personality disorder: a focused systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 221(3), 538-552. doi:10.1192/bjp.2021.204 Wolf, K., Scharoba, J., Noack, R., Keller, A., & Weidner, K. (2023). Subtypes of borderline personality disorder in a day-clinic setting—Clinical and therapeutic differences. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 14(5), 555.

For many people with Borderline Personality Disorder, night isn’t peaceful.It’s when the abandonment dreams start.When shame replays.When the nervous system refuses to power down.Sleep isn’t just rest, it’s emotional regulation, impulse control, and survival.In this episode, we talk about sleep and BPD, from vivid nightmares and insomnia to the emotional hangover that lingers the next day, and how to be better at sleep.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT, Schema Therapy, and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:George, K. C., Kebejian, L., Ruth, L. J., Miller, C. W., & Himelhoch, S. (2016). Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of prazosin versus placebo for the treatment of nightmares and sleep disturbances in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 17(4), 494-510. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2016.1141150Gieselmann, A., Ait Aoudia, M., Carr, M., Germain, A., Gorzka, R., Holzinger, B., ... & Pietrowsky, R. (2019). Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives. Journal of sleep research, 28(4), e12820. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12820Selby, E. A. (2013). Chronic sleep disturbances and borderline personality disorder symptoms. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 81(5), 941. van Trigt, S., van der Zweerde, T., van Someren, E. J., van Straten, A., & van Marle, H. J. (2025). A theoretical perspective on the role of sleep in borderline personality disorder: From causative factor to treatment target. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 81, 102089. 10.1016/j.smrv.2025.102089 https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033201Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Simon and Schuster.Winsper, C., Lereya, S. T., Marwaha, S., Thompson, A., Eyden, J., & Singh, S. P. (2016). The aetiological and psychopathological validity of borderline personality disorder in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 44, 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.12.001

Have you spent years stabilizing your BPD, only to feel like you're unraveling again in your 40s or 50s? What if it's not your therapy failing, it's your hormones? In a medical blind spot affecting so many, perimenopause and menopause can dramatically amplify BPD symptoms, yet almost no one is talking about it.In this episode, we look into one of the most critical and overlooked intersections in women's mental health: Borderline Personality Disorder through perimenopause and menopause. This isn't about hot flashes, this is about your brain chemistry undergoing its most significant shift since adolescence, colliding with the emotional dysregulation at the heart of BPD.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Barth, C., Villringer, A., & Sacher, J. (2015). Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods. Frontiers in neuroscience, 9, 37. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2015.00037Behrman, S., & Crockett, C. (2024). Severe mental illness and the perimenopause. BJPsych Bulletin, 48(6), 364–370. doi:10.1192/bjb.2023.89Cohen, L. S., Soares, C. N., Vitonis, A. F., Otto, M. W., & Harlow, B. L. (2006). Risk for new onset of depression during the menopausal transition: the Harvard study of moods and cycles. Archives of general psychiatry, 63(4), 385-390. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.63.4.385 Crowell, S. E., Beauchaine, T. P., & Linehan, M. M. (2009). A biosocial developmental model of borderline personality: Elaborating and extending Linehan’s theory. Psychological bulletin, 135(3), 495. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015616Gordon, J. L., Rubinow, D. R., Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A., Xia, K., Schmidt, P. J., & Girdler, S. S. (2018). Efficacy of transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone in the prevention of depressive symptoms in the menopause transition: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 75(2), 149-157. Gunter, J. (2021). The menopause manifesto: own your health with facts and feminism. Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford press. Maki, P. M., Kornstein, S. G., Joffe, H., Bromberger, J. T., Freeman, E. W., Athappilly, G., ... & Soares, C. N. (2018). Guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of perimenopausal depression: summary and recommendations. Menopause, 25(10), 1069-1085.DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001174 Toffoletto, S., Lanzenberger, R., Gingnell, M., Sundström-Poromaa, I., & Comasco, E. (2014). Emotional and cognitive functional imaging of estrogen and progesterone effects in the female human brain: a systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 50, 28-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.025Resources: The North American Menopause Society (NAMS): www.menopause.org The International Menopause Society: www.imsociety.orgMenopause Mastery: https://mlrb.net/menopause-bpd/

Feeling empty, disconnected, or raw? You open Instagram, post something carefully crafted, and for a moment, the likes make you feel seen. Then, the algorithm shifts. An ex appears. A friend's post feels like a dig. Or worse: silence. Your post gets three likes. That piece of yourself vanishes into the digital void.What happens next? The chest tightness. The spiral. The urge to delete everything or post something even more raw to force a connection.If this cycle is your reality, you're not being "too sensitive." You're navigating a world not built for the BPD brain.In this episode, we break down why social media often feels like psychological warfare. We explore:The Digital Dopamine Trap: Why our brains are uniquely wired for this struggle and how platforms become our "interpersonal regulation machines."Research Deep Dives: How a single ignored message can trigger self-harm urges, and why we post/delete/edit in a cycle of emotional survival.The Specific Minefields: The agony of asynchronous texts, the catastrophic impact of ghosting, and the "block/unblock" spiral.Actionable Strategies: How to conduct a "digital symptom audit," engineer your environment, build "analog anchors," and create a crisis plan for online triggers.This isn't about deleting your apps. It’s about understanding the hooks and learning to build a digital life that serves you, not your symptoms. 🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Howard, K. P., & Cheavens, J. S. (2023). Interpersonal emotion regulation in the context of social networks: A focus on borderline personality disorder. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 14(2), 182.Ooi, J., Michael, J., Lemola, S., Butterfill, S., Siew, C. S., & Walasek, L. (2020). Interpersonal functioning in borderline personality disorder traits: a social media perspective. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1068. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58001-xGoreis, A., Chang, D., Klinger, D., Zesch, H. E., Pfeffer, B., Oehlke, S. M., ... & Kothgassner, O. D. (2025). Impact of social media on triggering nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescents: a comparative ambulatory assessment study. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 12(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00280-9Hu, A., Yuan, R., Chen, R., & Liu, M. J. (2024). A glamorous but highly stressful job: The role of social media-afforded status in micro-celebrity stress coping. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 209, 123791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123791The Center for Humane Technology (humanetech.com) for understanding app design.

Are people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) "antisocial"? In this episode, we dive deep into the complex, often misunderstood relationship between BPD and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).We go beyond the online stereotypes and fear-mongering to explore the science, the diagnostic lines, and the sobering overlaps. We break down the crucial differences and the emotional experience. We also tackle why these disorders are so frequently confused, the dangerous dynamics of BPD/ASPD relationships, and the painful reality of trauma bonding.This isn't about creating villains or victims. It's about compassion, critical thinking, and understanding the spectrum of human struggle. Whether you're challenging stigma, grappling with a difficult diagnosis, or simply seeking clarity, this episode provides the nuanced conversation this topic desperately needs.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787Buchheim, A., Roth, G., Schiepek, G., Pogarell, O., & Karch, S. (2013). Neurobiology of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD). Swiss Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 164(4), 115-122.Chow, R. T. S., Yu, R., Geddes, J. R., & Fazel, S. (2025). Personality disorders, violence and antisocial behaviour: updated systematic review and meta-regression analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 227(1), 481–491. doi:10.1192/bjp.2024.226Chun, S., Harris, A., Carrion, M., Rojas, E., Stark, S., Lejuez, C., Lechner, W. V., & Bornovalova, M. A. (2017). A psychometric investigation of gender differences and common processes across borderline and antisocial personality disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126(1), 76–88.Lieb, K., Zanarini, M. C., Schmahl, C., Linehan, M. M., & Bohus, M. (2004). Borderline personality disorder. The lancet, 364(9432), 453-461.Özel, B., Karakaya, E., Köksal, F. et al. Gender bias of antisocial and borderline personality disorders among psychiatrists. Arch Womens Ment Health 28, 563–571 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01519-0Raine, A. (2018). Antisocial personality as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Annual review of clinical psychology, 14(1), 259-289. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050817-084819Stoffers-Winterling, J. M., Storebø, O. J., Kongerslev, M. T., Faltinsen, E., Todorovac, A., Jørgensen, M. S., ... & Simonsen, E. (2022). Psychotherapies for borderline personality disorder: a focused systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 221(3), 538-552. doi:10.1192/bjp.2021.204https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/10/work-offndrs-persnlty-disorder-oct15.pdfhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/619e6dbb8fa8f5037e8ccb2c/6.5151_HMPPS_Working_with_Offenders_with_Personality_Disorder_accessible_version_.pdfhttps://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/borderline-personality-disorder-and-crime#research-starter-title

Have you ever been called “too dramatic,” “too emotional,” or “attention-seeking”? These labels are hurtful, oversimplified, and often point to a deeper, misunderstood struggle. In this episode, we explore the complex and often confused relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD).We go beyond the stereotypes to unpack the science and the stories. What’s the real difference between a core fear of abandonment and a desperate need to be seen? Is "histrionic" just a gendered, modern version of "hysteria"? How can two disorders look so similar on the outside yet feel so different on the inside?🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:DELİGÖZ, A., & KARAAZİZ, M. (2025). A Review of Common Therapeutic Approaches in the Clinical Intervention of Histrionic Personality Disorder. ISPEC International Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 9(2), 140–156. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15773941Hujing, C.L., Yalch, M.M. (2024). Histrionic Personality Disorder. In: Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_2502-1 Liu, Y., Chen, C., Zhou, Y., Zhang, N., & Liu, S. (2024). Twenty years of research on borderline personality disorder: a scientometric analysis of hotspots, bursts, and research trends. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1361535Novais, F., Araújo, A., & Godinho, P. (2015). Historical roots of histrionic personality disorder. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 1463.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01463

Have you ever wondered, "Do I have BPD or Bipolar Disorder?" You're not alone. This is one of the most common and consequential mix-ups in mental health, leading to years of wrong treatments and unnecessary suffering. In this episode, we're cutting through the confusion.We break down the science and the stories behind Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder, explaining why they look so similar but are fundamentally different.Quick note: we had some technical difficulties while recording, so a few parts of the audio aren’t as clear as usual. Thanks for your patience and understanding 🙏🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Baratta, L.G., Maibach, H. (eds) The Misdiagnosis Casebook in Clinical Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28296-6_62 https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/12476/ Paris, J., & Black, D. W. (2015). Borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder: what is the difference and why does it matter?. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 203(1), 3-7. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000225Parker, G., Bayes, A., McClure, G., del Moral, Y. R. R., & Stevenson, J. (2016). Clinical status of comorbid bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 209(3), 209–215. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.115.177998Phillips, M. L., & Kupfer, D. J. (2013). Bipolar disorder diagnosis: challenges and future directions. The Lancet, 381(9878), 1663-1671.Ruggero, C. J., Zimmerman, M., Chelminski, I., & Young, D. (2010). Borderline personality disorder and the misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder. Journal of psychiatric research, 44(6), 405-408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2009.09.011Skodol, A. E., Gunderson, J. G., Shea, M. T., McGlashan, T. H., Morey, L. C., Sanislow, C. A., ... & Stout, R. L. (2005). The collaborative longitudinal personality disorders study (CLPS): Overview and implications. Journal of personality disorders, 19(5), 487-504. https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi.2005.19.5.487Tickle, E.V. (2022) Borderline personality disorder among individuals with bipolar disorder: Prevalence, correlates, and experiences of the comorbid diagnosis. PhD thesis, University of Worcester. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/borderpolar-patients-borderline-personality-disorder-and-bipolar-disorderZimmerman, M., & Morgan, T. A. (2013). The relationship between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 15(2), 155-169. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2013.15.2/mzimmerman Zimmerman, M.D. (2019). Borderpolar: Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. Psychiatric Times, [online] 36(12). Available at: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/borderpolar-patients-borderline-personality-disorder-and-bipolar-disorder.https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/clinical-status-of-comorbid-bipolar-disorder-and-borderline-personality-disorder/B338C67D84E514C87949AEA6885E546E

When we talk about Borderline Personality Disorder, we talk about a checklist. But what happens when that checklist was written with a very specific person in mind? What happens when your culture teaches you to express pain in a way that medicine doesn't recognize?In this episode, we pull back the curtain on how BPD is shaped and perceived across different cultures.Whether you’re a clinician, someone living with BPD, or someone who loves them, this episode will challenge how you think about diagnosis, identity, and emotional suffering.Trigger Warning: This episode mentions sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Munson, K. A., Janney, C. A., Goodwin, K., & Nagalla, M. (2022). Cultural representations of borderline personality disorder. Frontiers in Sociology, 7, 832497. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.832497Venta, A., et al. (2024). Racial and ethnic differences in borderline personality disorder features in a high-risk sample of justice-involved young adults. Law and Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000557https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-people-who-can-ruin-your-life/202102/borderline-and-narcissistic-personalityhttps://www.verywellmind.com/narcissistic-personality-disorder-425426https://paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/cross-cultural-manifestations-of-borderline-personality-disorder

Your Addiction is a Solution (And That's the Problem)It’s not about partying, it’s about survival. For someone with BPD, substance use isn't the primary problem, it's a maladaptive solution to the problem of unbearable emotional pain. In this episode, we get real about the powerful link between BPD and addiction/substance use. If you've ever felt shame about your substance use, this episode offers a path to radical self-forgiveness and explains the integrated treatments (like DBT-SUD) that can help you build a life worth living, sober.Trigger Warning: This episode contains a frank discussion of addiction, substance abuse, and other sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Bornovalova, M. A., Lejuez, C. W., Daughters, S. B., Rosenthal, M. Z., & Lynch, T. R. (2005). Impulsivity as a common process across borderline personality and substance use disorders. Clinical psychology review, 25(6), 790-812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2005.05.005Kienast, T., Stoffers, J., Bermpohl, F., & Lieb, K. (2014). Borderline personality disorder and comorbid addiction: epidemiology and treatment. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 111(16), 280. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2014.0280Linehan, M. M., Schmidt, H., Dimeff, L. A., Craft, J. C., Kanter, J., & Comtois, K. A. (1999). Dialectical behavior therapy for patients with borderline personality disorder and drug-dependence. American Journal on Addictions, 8(4), 279-292. https://doi.org/10.1080/105504999305686Mattingley, S., Youssef, G. J., Graeme, L., Sloan, E., Manning, V., & Hall, K. (2024). Negative urgency, distress tolerance, and symptoms of substance use, eating, and borderline personality disorders in treatment‐seeking young people. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 80(2), 261-278. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23579Nabel, J., Bertele, S., Stapel, B., Scharn, N., & Kahl, K. G. (2025). Unseen dualities: underdiagnosis of substance use disorders in borderline personality disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1539611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1539611Trull, T. J., Freeman, L. K., Vebares, T. J., Choate, A. M., Helle, A. C., & Wycoff, A. M. (2018). Borderline personality disorder and substance use disorders: an updated review. Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation, 5(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-018-0093-9Zanarini, M. C., Frankenbur, F. R., Weingeroff, J. L., Reich, D. B., Fitzmaurice, G. M., & Weiss, R. D. (2011). The course of substance use disorders in patients with borderline personality disorder and Axis II comparison subjects: A 10‐year follow‐up study. Addiction, 106(2), 342-348. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-

Medication and BPD: it’s one of the most debated, confusing, and personal topics out there. In this episode, we unpack what the research actually says about meds for BPD and what they can and can’t do.From antidepressants to mood stabilizers to the “medication merry-go-round,” we explore the science, the side effects, and our own lived experiences. Whether meds changed your life, didn’t help at all, or left you somewhere in between, this one’s for you.Trigger Warning: This episode contains frank discussion of medication, mental health treatment, and sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes Meditations on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org📚 Referenced Research Includes:Bohus, M., Haaf, B., Simms, T., Limberger, M. F., Schmahl, C., Unckel, C., ... & Linehan, M. M. (2004). Effectiveness of inpatient dialectical behavioral therapy for borderline personality disorder: a controlled trial. Behaviour research and therapy, 42(5), 487-499. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(03)00174-8Crawford, M. J., Sanatinia, R., Barrett, B., Cunningham, G., Dale, O., Ganguli, P., ... & Reilly, J. G. (2018). Lamotrigine for people with borderline personality disorder: a RCT. Health Technology Assessment (Winchester, England), 22(17), 1.doi: 10.3310/hta22170Ingenhoven, T., Lafay, P., Rinne, T., Passchier, J., & Duivenvoorden, H. (2010). Effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for severe personality disorders: meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Psychiatry, 71(1), 14-25. 10.4088/JCP.08r04526greLieb, K., Völlm, B., Rücker, G., Timmer, A., & Stoffers, J. M. (2010). Pharmacotherapy for borderline personality disorder: Cochrane systematic review of randomised trials. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 196(1), 4-12. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.108.062984National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2009). Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management. Clinical guideline [CG78]. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg78Ripoll, L. H. (2012). Clinical psychopharmacology of borderline personality disorder: an update on the available evidence in light of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–5. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 25(1), 52-58. DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e32834c3f19Stoffers-Winterling, J. M., Ribeiro, J. P., Kongerslev, M. T., Völlm, B. A., Mattivi, J. T., Faltinsen, E., ... & Lieb, K. (2022). Pharmacological interventions for people with borderline personality disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012956.pub2

Why does a quiet partner at dinner instantly mean they're going to leave? Why does a friend's joke feel like a personal attack? If you have BPD, you know this spiral all too well. In this episode, we explore how Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) is a therapy designed to address the core of this exact problem, and we break down the life-changing concept of "mentalizing".🌱 Have questions, stories, or something you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bpddiariespodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let’s keep the conversation going.🎧 Looking for meditations made for emotional regulation, BPD, and more? Check out Empowered Heroes for meditations created with love & care: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Empoweredheroes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify at Empowered Heroes Meditations⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’d like more support in your journey toward BPD recovery, Steff offers 1:1 sessions using evidence-based tools from DBT and Mindfulness to help you heal. Email for a free 30-Minute Consultation: 📩 steff@bpdsupport.org or check out the website: www.bpdsupport.org 📚 Referenced Research Includes:Bateman, Anthony, and Peter Fonagy. "Effectiveness of partial hospitalization in the treatment of borderline personality disorder: a randomized controlled trial." American journal of Psychiatry 156.10 (1999): 1563-1569. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.156.10.1563Bateman, A., & Fonagy, P. (2008). 8-year follow-up of patients treated for borderline personality disorder: mentalization-based treatment versus treatment as usual. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(5), 631-638. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07040636Fonagy, P., & Bateman, A. W. (2006). Mechanisms of change in mentalization‐based treatment of BPD. Journal of clinical psychology, 62(4), 411-430. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20241Oud, M., Arntz, A., Hermens, M. L., Verhoef, R., & Kendall, T. (2018). Specialized psychotherapies for adults with borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 52(10), 949-961. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867418791257Storebø, O. J., Stoffers-Winterling, J. M., Völlm, B. A., Kongerslev, M. T., Mattivi, J. T., Jørgensen, M. S., ... & Simonsen, E. (2020). Psychological therapies for people with borderline personality disorder. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2020(5), CD012955. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012955.pub2