Picking up personality from TV dramas

[Parents! Get help here!]

I'm just wondering if anyone ever noticed their child act dramatic like someone on TV (perhaps their favorite soap opera or movie) I've noticed a new behavior since a new show started based on one character. It's the same tone, facial movements, hand gestures, wording, everything.  Very emotional and dramatic. Almost creepy. Years ago I noticed this in my BPD sister in law. She was into the show Dallas and still acts like one of the actresses on that show.

Do you confront them? Bring it up or ignore it?

It's sad when people just can't be themselves isn't it?

[bpdfamfan]

I'm just wondering if anyone ever noticed their child act dramatic like someone on TV (perhaps their favorite soap opera or movie) I've noticed a new behavior since a new show started based on one character. It's the same tone, facial movements, hand gestures, wording, everything.  Very emotional and dramatic. Almost creepy. Years ago I noticed this in my BPD sister in law. She was into the show Dallas and still acts like one of the actresses on that show.

Do you confront them? Bring it up or ignore it?

It's sad when people just can't be themselves isn't it?

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[tristesse]

I haven't noticed it so much from television or movies, but my BPDD will pick up the characteristics of people she currently is in a friendship with. She even affected an accent to sound line a friend who had relocated here from another part of the country... . it is very sad that one is,so insecure. I have not confronted it, but that was just a personal choice.

[jellibeans]

My dd tends to pick up and mimick traits of the friends she is hanging around with. She lacks an identity. I have not noticed that she talks or behaves like them but that could be happening I just haven't given it any thought.

I would not draw attention to this... . I would not want to be judgemental and critical and I think that is how the pwBPD might take these kind of comments. She might be trying on personalities... . looking for herself somewhere in this world... . that is the sad part... . that they have no real sense of self.

[Stella1425]

I felt long ago that my d30 took on the personality of the horrible reality show participants. And yes she also acts so much like her best friend. They even sound alike. Pretty sure that friend also has BPD. I wonder if they seek out others that have BPD tendencies.

[HealingSpirit]

Dear BPDfamfan,

I have never noticed my BPDd taking on a specific character from any TV show.  But I have noticed she would adopt the attitudes of the teenagers on some of the shows, but she never really copied them.  As a teen, she adopted a Goth persona, even though none of her friends did.  But, when she was a child, I did notice her behavior and mood tended to follow whatever Disney video she had just watched.  I just didn't know she had BPD back then, and she is an only child, so I (perhaps wrongly?) thought all children did that.

Stella,

My husband and I have recently begun to realize our BPDd does attract others with BPD (or other disorders & dysfunctions).  We're sure she doesn't do this consciously, but I can safely say ALL of her friends are overly dramatic and highly sensitive, and most of them have lots of current "issues" with their families. So, when we're not dealing with our BPDd's drama, she is intensely focused on her friends' problems and often brings them home to our house.  I suppose the good news is when she's not raging against us, she views us and our home as a safe haven for her friends in trouble.

[lever.]

I think many teenagers do this as they try on different identities. People with BPD tend to do it for longer,I think as their sense of identity can be fragile