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Author Topic: Growing Up With a BPD Sibling  (Read 533 times)
CamiellaFlower

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« on: May 09, 2014, 02:15:42 AM »

Hello I posted something similar on the New Members forum but I didn't get a response, so I'm hoping someone here can help me:

My sister has BPD, she is 24 and I turn 23 in August.  Growing up we were best friends and did everything together and I love her dearly.  Some of my best memories are times we had together as well as my worst memories:  She first tried to take her own life when she was 12 and I was 11.  As we got older things got taken more and more to an extreme (ambulance needed to be called, she needed stitches frequently, overdoses, suicide threats, ... ). I am very happy to say that my sister no longer self-harms and she just bought a house with her boyfriend who loves her immensely.  While each day is a struggle for her, her progress is incredible and it makes me so happy to see how far she has come.  I know that everything that happened, happened to her and I was simply an observer, but I still find myself extremely traumatized by everything that happened while we were growing up.  The blood, gore and helplessness associated with these situations haunt me to the point where seeing anything related to self-harm, razor blades, suicide, or even stitches triggers an intense reaction of anxiety for me and I (sometimes obsessively) worry about the people I love (are bad things are going to happen to them? is that something in their lives is making them unhappy? etc). I have tried to research similar instances of people growing up with similar experiences, but I could not find anything so I was hoping someone on here has had similar experiences and has some advice on getting past this? I have tried therapy twice, including EMDR and have been unsuccessful at getting treatment.  Thanks for taking the time to read my story.   

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Eureka1
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Who in your life has "personality" issues: Parent
Posts: 534


« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2014, 09:32:23 PM »

I remember my uBPD sister threatening to kill herself, threatening to jump out of a moving car, threatening to kill our dog (long story).  It caused a lot of anxiety and back in the 1960's the medical community where we lived did not know about BPD.  My Mom took her to a psychiatrist who after the session said to my mom "She was fine once you left the room."  I remember never knowing when my sister would "go off" on some tantrum.  I was lucky in that I went to a T who after listening to my remembrances, said that she thought my sister had uBPD.  I Read the book Stop Walking on Eggshells and that book told me that I was not imagining things- that what happened in my childhood was not normal. 

Talking to a T helped me.  I also went to NAMI Support Group.  Look online for the NAMI site and find a support group in your area. 

My sister and I were not close so my situation is different from yours.  But I understand how the behaviors of a BPD can invade your thoughts, even decades later.  Good luck!

Eureka
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BabeRuthless
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Who in your life has "personality" issues: Sibling
Relationship status: married
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« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2014, 06:37:06 PM »

Camiella: Glad you are here and can so relate to what you're saying. While our situations are a bit different, much of the trauma and worry you describe I have lived with all my life. Know that you are not alone.

I have an identical twin who is a recovering alcoholic; has depression, anxiety, mild OCD, a problem with eating/food, and is diagnosed with borderline traits. She takes three or four psychotropic medications. She and I are middle-aged now and have been through a lot together since we were children.

My sister has never tried to self-harm, but she has been hospitalized multiple times for suicidal depression, had electroshock therapy which damaged her, and is on Social Security Disability. She goes through times that are pretty good, and then she has times that are scary and worry me out of my mind.

Like you, I have high anxiety about her. And I have deep survivor guilt that I have not suffered like she has. As an identical twin, I am never free of these. And I still have deep anger at our parents (including uBPD mom) for leaving us with a uBPD caregiver when they divorced when we were young, which without doubt created a "perfect storm" that hit my sister right where she was most vulnerable.   

I am new here, too, and so relieved to have found people who understand, and such great insight and information.  Maybe we can help each other.  Smiling (click to insert in post)
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