BPDFamily.com

Does anyone else have this problem, or is it just me?

Anytime I see anyone who even resembles my ex it makes me about jump out of my skin. It brings back memories of the rages I endured, and all of the other BPD bad stuff that went with it. It gives me the creepy crawlies... .

I have been divorced 2 years maintaining no contact, yet I still react this way when I see someone that looks similar to him.

Does anyone else have such a visual trigger? Does it ever wear off?

Thats a kind of  PTSD symptom.

See a T, they can often help.

After our first breakup I was in a drawing class. We had a new model, and her body shape was almost exactly like my ex. Their silhouettes were nearly identical. (Both were involved with athletics that demanded leg strength, and both had these muscular/curvy legs I associate with dancers) I had originally met my ex as a model for a drawing class as well. And, of course, I had to draw her nude. The combination wrecked me.

The first couple of days I fought back tears. Then I started to concentrate on the moment rather than the past. I'd separated my feelings from the work I was doing by concentrating on smaller details. I just tried to keep my ex away from the present.

I don't know if that's helpful in any way.

I know precisely the feeling and it's rough!

One girl works in my building and I see her every two months.  The first time I saw her, I thought it was my ex and it freaked me out.  She got really close to me in our cafeteria one day and I remember just staring at her and she would not make eye contact.  She also had a wedding ring so she was off limits, but I thought what it would have been like to have a relationship with a person who so similar to my ex-wife - and how blatantly obvious it would look to my friends and family that I wasn't over her.

The facial structure, the posture, the hair, everything you just listed.   I remember getting these weird chills and feelings.  Some of them were oddly comforting.