I Stopped Acting Crazy When I Realised I Was Crazy

How I Manage The Symptoms of BPD

A major symptom of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is called ‘splitting’ aka black and white thinking.

This involves alternating between idolization and demonization of a person (place, event, activity, or thing).

When someone is in your good books, they are perfection incarnate. They can do nothing wrong (in your eyes), and any transgressions that they have are forgivable, because you know that they are just such a great person. It feels self-evident.

But, when you split, when this person falls from grace, they fall hard. You notice every flaw, and judge them because of it. Nothing is forgivable, and even objectively ‘good’ acts will be seen as having an ulterior motive. This too feels self-evident.

Clearly splitting is not conducive to stability in relationships.

When I finally got correctly diagnosed and treated for BPD, I was introduced to the concept of splitting (as well as all the other symptoms and characteristics of BPD).