My sister and I were having one of our many discussions about how our mother treated us growing up.
Our significant age difference (she’s nine years my junior) made it seem as if we grew up in completely contrasting environments. But one thing remained constant — our parents’ abusive and toxic behaviours.
It has taken me most of my adult life to come to terms with my childhood, because I chose avoidance over examination. After all, I had a roof over my head and food to eat, and I could have had it much worse.
It wasn’t until I started researching my mother’s diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) that the missing puzzle pieces started falling into place.
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Not all children of Mothers diagnosed with BPD suffer as much as the writer did. And not all Mothers carrying this diagnosis are "witches". Society as a whole let these children down. People turned a blind eye. These children suffered immensely because Nobody would take responsibility. Nobody asked the questions. No early intervention because the clinical diagnosis was (and still is!!!) so misunderstood, rejected by those handing out the labels), discriminated against (by both society and those handing out labels) and so not talked about. Sadly these childrens were victims off cycles of violence - which actually did not start with the Mother. I hope everybody is and have been given the help the need. The mental health system and society as a whole need to take responsibility somewhere.
Thanks for the article, but I must say I'm still very confused as to what BPD is, I still wasn't really clear at the end of this article. I have a friend who thinks her mother has BPD and well my friend has some issues of her own. She too has explained a bit of of BPD too me but it's hard for me to understand never having knowingly met some one who has it.