Sure, borderline personality disorder comes with many different symptoms but for many the most intense is fear. Fear is something that consumes all of us, and for some defines their interactions with people.
My fear of abandonment is something that shows itself in five different ways. It makes having relationships with others very hard and yet all the more important. While I have gotten better at healthy coping dealing with this fear is something I have to work at every single day.
4 Ways My Fear of Abandonment Shapes My Interactions With Others:
1. Avoidance
I often will not get to know someone because I am terrified of being rejected. My brain thinks that rejection is something that is catastrophic and being rejected by just one person is the end of the entire world.
2. Impulsive
I am always in fight-or-flight mode. I become impulsive when I notice a change in someone ‘s tone or their facial expressions. I am somehow good at holding the emotions that come with this back but not for long.
3. Defensive
I become defensive even when there is no major issue. I do not want to be thought of negatively and because of this, I am quick to anger.
4. Dependence
I become dependent on the people I am close to, I need them in my life. I need their attention and their validation. I am forever afraid that they will leave me and let go of the ones who do is horrifying.
Being borderline is complicated and scary. It comes with a very black and white thinking and unstable sense of self. My fear of abandonment, however, is something that makes me a little more normal. We all have a fear of abandonment to some extent. We can all relate to this, no matter what your diagnosis is when people leave there is a hole. For a little information on borderline personality disorder take the time to check out the video below.
There is a lot more to it that I can explain. It is so much more than just being afraid. If someone you know suffers from borderline please let them know that you are there for them and will always be by their side.