Thanks ILM, for highlighting this response to Poppy from Sappho, as I missed it and think it has good insight and applies in my case as well.
Yes, exactly. My therapist said that constructing this narrative is a coping mechanism – unfortunately, the more skilled you are at handling Life in general, the better you are at doing this ("positive" thinking no matter what), which is why it's often the solid, stable, life-experienced people who get blindsided by these relationships
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My life was chugging along pretty good, as my relationship wound down with my BiPDx I thought pursuing my BPDx right away was the answer. Upward and onward, meet someone new and forget the pain of the past. My BPDx fit the narrative and was a willing participant. I thought she was normal, I had no experience with someone with BPD (as a romantic partner). I was completely blind-sided. Knocked completely out-of-sorts. I mean, I still have residual issues here over a year later.