When I set up this blog, and my associated social media channels, I deliberately chose my name, Living Beyond The Borderline, for a specific reason.

Since being diagnosed with BPD in 2015 I have had multiple people refer to me as ‘Borderline.’

I’ve had comments such as “you’ll know, you’re Borderline” and “You’re the Borderline one”.

Just no.

Let me explain… To me, Borderline Personality Disorder is not my identity. Sure, it’s a part of it, and a big part at that, but it is not me.

I am a person. A person who loves all things mental health but who also loves dogs, coffee & the countryside. A person who fears birds, and who hates going to sleep in silence. I have hundreds of thousands of little quirks that make me me, and by referring to me as ‘Borderline’ you reduce all these teeny factors, all these unique quirks down to one factor, a diagnosis.

If I had cancer, no one would ever say to me “oh hey, you’re cancer” so why should I find it acceptable to be called ‘Borderline’?

I’m fact, many of my characteristics, my little tics, my likes and dislikes are formed in spite of my diagnosis of BPD. They are the things that formed and are maintained despite by emotional state, despite my urges to hate myself, despite my constant anxiety about the world and despite my diagnosis.

So I am, and always will be, Living Beyond The Borderline.

Lorna

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