sanctuary Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Actualize potential Understanding the mechanisms behind the mechanisms to stop their control over you and allowing change to take place -Unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, with marked shifts in attitudes toward others that vary from idealization (clinging dependency) to devaluation (isolation, resistance to intimacy and avoidance) -Impulsiveness -Radical mood shifts marked by affective instability, depression, irritability, or anxiety -Inappropriate, intense anger, or lack of control on anger -Recurrent dramatic self-destructive behaviors (suicidal threats, gestures or behavior, or self-mutilating behaviors) -Lack of a constant, core sense of identity -Chronic feelings of emptiness or boredom -Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment The Actualize Potential Group has created programs and services that approach the Borderline Personality Disorder with innovative methods and understanding, which favors and uses your acquired strengths and potential to facilitate the development of your real personality. Several different points of view exist about disturbances of the Borderline Personality Disorder. Some are very intense and others more “limited”. The Actualize Potential Group offers a broader perspective, which allows infinite possibilities for the future. Can I overcome this? Our actual experience with our customers diagnosed with BPD proves to us that it is possible to attain a level where BPD traits have been minimized to the point where the diagnosis of BPD can no longer be confirmed. Several studies support and confirm these results. We see in BPD a range of psychological and emotional patterns, which can be reviewed and re-programmed “one by one”, just as it can be done for the many other psychopathological diagnostics. The human mind is still and always will be the most powerful tool on earth! It is not because you feel that your mind or your brain is broken, that you live with “irrational” emotions or that your life is like a chaotic mayhem that you cannot overcome theses obstacles. When your computer has a “bug”, does the problem come from the hard drive? Or is it rather a poor sequence of data, which prevents the rest of the machine from functioning properly? You can regulate all types of “bugs” even those of hyper-emotionality, emotional deregulation, fear of abandonment, sadness, feeling of void and self-destructive impulsions. Were you continuously told that you were different? Did you know that behind this difference lie great strengths? -Are you “allocentric” (natural tendency to like and to help others)? -Do you have “self-derision” (capacity to laugh at yourself)? -Are you “kind-hearted”? -Are you “curious” (desire to understand, to know, to learn)? -Are you “empathic” (capacity to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and to feel what they feel)? -Do you have “enthusiasm” (a strong emotion translated by large demonstrations of joy)? -Are you very demanding of yourself? -Do you have “strength of character” (to be able to endure things that many others would not be capable of)? -Are you “generous” (tendency to give without expecting anything in return)? -Are you “modest” (absence of vanity, or pride)? -Do you have a “naïve” side (innocence of a child)? -Are you “open-minded” (willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different to your own)? -Do you have the ability to question yourself? -Do you have a high sense of “probity” (morality, integrity, fairness, moral justice)? -Do you have a natural tendency for “creativity”? -Are you sensitive? A study by the AAPEL (Association to Assist Persons with Emotional Lesions) shows that individuals diagnosed with BPD have an average of 94 % of the above-mentioned traits of character. What are the implications of all this? In our opinion, the implications are endless. That is why our line of work and our research consider and use these innate traits and goodness of heart broadly as we consider them as strengths and potential for self-actualization. We also confirm our observations with the works of French psychologist Jeanne Siaud-Facchin on exceptionally gifted children and adults, of Otto Rank, colleague of Freud, on the artist personality, of Garret Loporto’s on entrepreneur personality as well as the Davinci personality. To be able to truly help a person outgrow Borderline Personality Disorder, it is important not only to understand what it is like to be borderline and to think as a borderline, but most of all, we need to understand that “borderline”, is nothing but a label that was put on an extraordinary human being; a gifted child suffering from his hyper awareness and hyper lucidity; or a denied and misunderstood artist; or else a entrepreneur in soul who became depressed and unstable because he has repressed his creative impulsions and his intuitions; a person with a big heart, able of great joy and enthusiasm. You can free yourselves from the reactive and fearful aspect of BPD, you can learn to let your qualities shine, and develop a mature personality and at last find balance and a standard of living which, according to us, goes even beyond ordinary. Who would I be without BPD? Several people think (wrongly) that it is their BPD that makes them who they are. Because of this belief, individuals can violently reject the diagnosis of BPD. In their mind, they will not be themselves anymore but become their disorder. This distortion can really weaken the sense of self. Their internal dialogue is as follows: “If I am sensitive, it is because I have BPD” as well as “who would I be without BPD?” The truth is that it is not because I have been diagnosed with BPD that I am sensitive, but because I am sensitive and that the experiences I have lived, led me to develop a BPD. Therefore, to “recover” from a BPD is not to get rid of your feelings of sensitivity but only to get rid of wounds and mechanisms of defense and survival linked to BDP. There is no risk of “getting lost” in the process. We invite you rather to grow and to develop your potential and the greatness of your being. Interesting statistics: 2-3% of the general population will possibly be affected by BPD (NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health, APA - America Psychological Association, WHO – World Health Organization) Studies have found a history of suicide attempts (1 or more) in 60-70% of Borderline individuals (Soloff 1994) Death by suicide will touch 8-10% of Borderline individuals (J.Paris 1994, APA) 30-40% of reported suicides are committed by Borderline individuals (Duberstein 1997) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<Sophie> Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 thanx for all this I read it all and am so glad you shared it hun. Soph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctuary Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Yeah its about time I read something positive on BPD.... it's always so negative but this really made me think.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<Sophie> Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 you are such a good example of someone with bpd who is nice hun. Soph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctuary Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 big sigh.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnam Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 thanks for posting, enjoyed readinbg it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillv Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Thanks for posting this Sanctuary. It is very positive isn't it, which makes such a change. I have copied another one from the AAPEl. which maybe some have not read, which goes with your article. Kalico xx Are you emophane ? Borderline personality disorder. Emophania or emophany, a "positive" borderline disorder's view. Introduction: BPD is a mental disorder. It is therefore "logical" in the diagnosis DSM criterion to highlight the "dysfunctions" of those who suffer from it rather than the opposite (please see shortl test) I feel this vision very "unfair" (even if it is essential from a medical point of view). Unfair because it doesn't show the "positive" side of a BPD person. I know that it is not really normal practice to define a person suffering from BPD (himself or herself) in a “positive” way (except for some who are in denial or splitting and who are trying to show an "image"). It is precisely for that very reason that I started to seek a positive vision of the borderline disorder , that I have named "emophane"TM , emophania or emophany. What does the word "emophane"TM mean? If I'm not mistaken, this word doesn't exist and it is directly come from my imaginary. The word emophane thus comes from the prefix "emo" as in "emotion" and from the Greek suffix "phan" meaning "appearance", "to show" (like in the word "theophany which mean a divine manifestation") Emophane then, etymologically speaking, means: "Appearance or manifestation of emotions" What is an emophane? An emophane person is someone who corresponds to the criteria and canons of emophany. What are the traits of an emophane person (or emophania, emophany )? On my own experience, BPD people have almost all (at least inside of them) of the following characters traits: Please note: The question does not concern the possible negative consequences of such traits (it is not always "funny" to be hypersensitive).Nor does it concern the possible inability to put these traits into practice because of the disorder, denial or depression. I can for example be very sensitive inside, but nevertheless give the impression that I'm as cold as marble... nonetheless, the fact remains that sensitivity in one of my character traits. Altruism (natural tendency to love and help one's fellowmen) Self-derision (capacity to laugh at oneself) Kind-hearted Creativity Curiosity (desire to understand, to know, to learn) Empathy (capacity to put oneself in someone's else's position and to feel what he / she is feeling)(e.g. if I see a person who is suffering, I will start to feel her suffering in I don't reject my emotions) Enthusiasm (High emotion with pleasure expression) Very demanding of oneself Strength of character (e.g. To be able to endure things that many others would not be capable of enduring for long) Generosity (tendency to give without calculating) Modesty (absence of vanity or pride) Naivety ("Childish innocence") Open-mindedness ("willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different to your own") Probity ("Uprightness, integrity, honesty", justice in a "moral" meaning) Taking a new look at oneself ("ability to consider that our hypothesis or beliefs are potentially erroneous") Sensitivity (all rigths reserved) . What is the connexion between "being emophane" and "having a borderline disorder"? All this remains to be proven scientifically, but I think that emophane people are "at risk", not only of developing a borderline personality disorder (the disorder generally appears at the beginning of adulthood but is "shaped" in the very first years of life) but probably also at risk of developing an avoidant personality disorder. To resume According to this theory, a person suffering from BPD is an "emophane" even if the person may, in some circumstances, behave like a non-emophane An "emophane" person may not suffer from any disorder, or he/she may have developed psychiatric disorders such as an avoidant personality disorder, a borderline personality disorder, etc. Who am I? One of the big fears of a BPD person is, in particular, "to lose oneself" in a therapy. Many are those who think (wrongly) that it is their borderline disorder which made them what they are now... Thus, some may violently reject the BPD diagnosis because in their head, they would no more be "me" but "my disorder" (a kind of "I'm not any more me because me, it's a disorder"), situation highly destabilizing... Therefore they say, "if I'm sensitive it is because I have a borderline disorder"... or "who would I be without this disorder?" The truth is that "it is not because I suffer from a borderline disorder that I'm sensitive, but because I'm sensitive that I was in a population at risk to develop a BPD". Therefore, "To Recover from the disorder is not to loose my sensitivity but only to get rid of my borderline disorder traits", there is then no risk to loose myself in a therapy And what would a "borderline" person be without BPD? He/she would be, in theory, an emophane ! An emophane person, who has the possibility to use their emophane "qualities" both to serve's him/herself and others and no longer use them for his/her own self-destruction and other splittings. But it can hurt to be emophane! No-one is denying the fact. Yes, it can hurt to be emophane, more especially, as the world in which we live tends to be "non-emophane". But for all that: Wouldn't a "emophane" world be more "beautiful" (with less destruction, conflicts, wars)? I think so. To be emophane, isn't it to have "beautiful" values? I think so. Should you then feel ashamed of being emophane? I don't think so. And if you had the choice between remaining emophane and becoming, with the wave of a magic wand, "non-emophane"... Do you think that the non-emophane that you'd become could love himself? I'm afraid not. Then why consider it a "tragedy" to be "emophane" when if actual fact you can see this as a gift! What they say "You are right that certain traits we see destructively exaggerated in BPD individuals are traits that we see in normal individuals and traits that in moderation or under effective control can be healthy and advantageous. Your characterization helps "un-demonize" BPD" (Daniel C Claiborn Ph.D. - Claiborn and Associates, Inc. - Kansas USA) Mini survey Click on the link to participate at a mini-survey "Are you emophane?" Some results: (of course, other readings are possible) With a sample of approximately 600 people having taken part in this "survey", we retained people having given their name or first name, who say to be BPD diagnosed, who provided their diagnosis year and with a maximum of 2 answers "I do not know". Were counted as "yes", the answers "yes" and "In fact yes even if I have problems to apply it". We thus retained more than 150 answers(exactly 172). Resultts: 81% of women and 19% of men On the 16 points, the questioned people had an average of 14,7 points (either 94% of the emophane's criteria). (mini 10 points, maximum 16 points) The results are between a minimum of 86% and a maximum of 99% according to the 16 criteria's The 2 "lowest" criteria were "Creativity 86%" and "Naivety 86%" The 2 "highest" criteria were "Altruism 98%" and "curiosity 99%" To make a comment: Don't hesitate to contact us AAPEL - Back to BPD summary page , Warning: All the information in this site is aimed at helping people understand a "rather particular" and puzzling kind of disease But more especially, to support everyone affected by it, sick or not. In any case, it is ESSENTIAL to see a therapist who specialises in this field they can confirm or give an alternative diagnosis The name of what you’ve got doesn’t matter so much, getting the right treatment for the right patient does last update August 2007 (creation march 15th 2OO4) www.aapel.org/emophania www.aapel.org/emophany Copyright AAPELTM federation - All rights reserved EmophaneTM is a trademark of Alain Tortosa Author, Alain Tortosa, psychotherapist, founder president of the Aapel (proofreading by maureen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floyd Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 thanx for that, i,m currently going down the bpd road with my therapists not to say thats me but who knows untill i get there.... what ever is the root to my problems i will cut the fucker out once and for all!!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 just wanted to thank you for posting this. I think it really is great to see something so bloomin' positive - and empowering also - about BPD for once! xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted January 22, 2010 Report Share Posted January 22, 2010 Thanks for posting, I agree with what other have said - it is very refreshing to read something positive about bpd so thanks x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benway Posted January 22, 2010 Report Share Posted January 22, 2010 hi sanctuary, i enjoyed reading that. thank you also from me for posting that. i do believe in recovery. take care anne marie xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetie Posted February 2, 2010 Report Share Posted February 2, 2010 Here here, Thanks for posting this. It's great to hear something positive about us. I am extremely sensitive but I am artistic. So there's a positive. Lovely to read all the other positives. I think I'll copy this into a word doc and read it occasionally. Perhaps it can make us all feel a bit better about ourselves. xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufusmoo Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 WOW! It's amazing to read something positive about BPD and not have it shoved down our throats that we are abusive. Most of those things mentioned apply to me and I bet they apply to a lot of you as well. Yay xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.