BPD Awareness: Are Borderlines Capable of Empathy? – Is it possible for a person with borderline personality disorder (BPD) to have empathy? BPD is a mental condition that affects an individual personality, especially the way they manage their emotions. People with this condition experience intense emotion and, in some cases, exhibit impulse behaviour. Those with a loved one with BPD often wonder whether borderlines are capable of empathy. The article will explore the topic of empathy in people with BPD to offer insight into this matter.
Understanding the Disorder
Before finding out whether or not someone with BPD can show empathy, it is prudent to take this borderline personality self test. This is more important for those related to the person with this condition. Testing will lead to early recognition and help those with mental health conditions to start their recovery journey. Note that with therapy, borderlines can live high-functioning lives as long as they seek professional help.
People with borderline personality disorder often experience intense and rapidly shifting emotions. This means even if they feel empathy, staying consistent with the emotion might be challenging. So even when they understand what someone else is feeling, they are often overwhelmed by their emotions, making them not respond to other people’s feelings in the expected way.
Fear of Abandonment
It is not uncommon to find people with BPD forming unhealthy attachments. The reason is that borderline patients struggle to manage their emotions without external support. They always want someone close to them and will go to great lengths, such as making unrealistic sacrifices to maintain a friendship or a relationship. Due to the fear of abandonment, those with BPD could react differently in various situations, and that might affect the expression of empathy. Additionally, their mental state impacts their capacity to engage with others fully and connect with them to show empathy.
Hard to Trust Others
Various reasons can cause people to get BPD: being abandoned as a child, abuse, rejection, or exposure to long-term fear or distress as a child. Due to this emotional distress, BPD patients have a challenge trusting people. Since they fear that they might get abandoned or taken through emotional distress again, they find it difficult to trust people, even those who are close to them. As a result, they never connect profoundly with people, making it difficult to form deep connections. This makes it challenging for them to show empathy.
No Model
What most people assume is that empathy is something that should come automatically. However, that is not the case. For people to express empathy, they need to learn about it. Since many people with BPD have gone through tough times in their lives and have never had someone show them empathy, then chances are they might not be empathetic towards other people. Additionally, since they do not like mingling with others, there is a high possibility that they have never had a chance to practice empathy. This leads to a reduction of empathetic expression. This does not mean they do not have empathy; instead, it is a sign of low emotional intelligence.
People with borderline personality disorder are capable of showing empathy. However, due to their emotional struggles, they have a hard time expressing how they feel constantly. Luckily, getting a BPD diagnosis doesn’t mean that someone will live with symptoms forever. Through therapy and support, individuals with BPD can work on improving their condition and also learn how to show empathy.
Poppy Watt