Each of these difficulties we see in the criteria or presentation of someone with BPD. These difficulties most likely include depression, relationship issues, an inability to trust, low-self-esteem, alcohol and drug problems, and eating disorders. Steven Farmer, author of Adult Children of Abused Parents (1989), children that come from an emotionally abusive childhood will have difficulties in adulthood. Moreover, these children enter into abusive relationships as adults continuing the belief that abuse is normal behavior and thus never recognizing or acknowledging they have been abused in childhood. It is possible that the other 10% of those with BPD also had a form of childhood abuse, however, they do not recognize their childhood as abusive due to certain types of abuse being covert as well as children believing the abuse is normal. Ninety percentof those diagnoses with borderline report childhood abuse ranging from emotional neglect to physical and sexual ritual abuse. According to a large number of studies childhood abuse is the most common psychological, physiological, or social risk for those with BPD. The causes of BPD are still being studied, however, genetics and childhood environmental factors such as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse are known to be involved. Borderline personality disorder is a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, dissociation, and marked impulsivity that is potentially damaging such as substance use. Research has reported that 90% of those diagnosed with BPD have a history of childhood abuse (that is self-reported). Let’s call it Emotional Dysregulation Abandonment Trauma Disorder! So, 80% of these individuals are not true borderlines, they are something else. If 80% of those diagnosed with BPD are getting better they literally do not meet criteria for a personality disorder. Approximately 80% of individuals with bpd that are in therapy no longer have symptoms after 6-10 years, only 11% of those in “remission” have a recurrent episode after those 6-10 years. However, they still look like and meet criteria BPD. They are highly emotionally intelligent, have empathy, high sensitivity and emotional attunement. The borderline experience in these individuals is not pervasive, inflexible, and stable over time. They are fundamentally different than all the other personality disorders because these individuals are able to grow and change through therapy. Type 2therefore, is not a true personality disorder by definition.

These individuals do not get better in therapy, remain abusive, and are unable to mentalize and grow. Research has shown that treatment for personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and antisocial personality disorder, has little to know affect in changing symptomology. According to the DSM-5, personality disorders are pervasive, inflexible, and they are stable over time. They are not the abusers they are the survivors of covert or overt narcissist abuse. Type 2 :These individuals show change through therapy, have insight, growth, and may not even meet criteria for BPD in the future as research has shown.

This is the stigmatized version of BPD that we mostly hear about. They have true personality disorders and are unable to change or get better. They are unreachable in an emotional context. Type 1 :A small percent (lets say 20%) of those with BPD are those who are unable to benefit from therapy, are abusive, and also have a comorbid diagnosis of narcissist personality disorder. Therefore, I believe there are two types of borderlines. Although they still meet criteria for BPD (mostly due to fears of abandonment from the abuse) they are not the stigmatized version of BPD that most are familiar with. I believe about 80% of those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are actually are suffering from CPTSD from Narcissistic Abuse with abandonment issues. I am currently writing a thesis on this topic and will share with you what I have discovered and what I believe during my research and experience.

This question is beyond important and extremely insightful.

Signs of complex narcissistic trauma