the face of BPD (Brandon Marshall)

[pieceofme]

the NFL Network has a new episode of "a football life" featuring brandon marshall. don't let the football focus deter you, the episode focuses mainly on his BPD diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

it was heartfelt and inspiring and worth the hour watch.

has anyone else seen it?

[blissful_camper]

Sounds interesting.  I'd like to see it.  I found a short clip, but not the full episode.  Is the full episode available online? 

[pieceofme]

try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERuZXzbeXA8

[blissful_camper]

try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERuZXzbeXA8

Got it!  Thank you for posting the link.  I look forward to watching this episode. 

[.cup.car]

Based, I cant wait to watch this.

[crookedeuphoria]

I just watched it. I thought it was very good but I didn't feel that it fully got across "the face of BPD", not the face we have all seen anyway. I think it also portrayed the fairy tale happy ending we have all longed for.  I think it was a bit dangerous for me to have watched as I am only a month out (again) and struggling on a daily basis.

I do like the idea that it will possibly bring BPD to the forefront of awareness which may encourage people to seek treatment.

[pieceofme]

I just watched it. I thought it was very good but I didn't feel that it fully got across "the face of BPD", not the face we have all seen anyway. I think it also portrayed the fairy tale happy ending we have all longed for.  I think it was a bit dangerous for me to have watched as I am only a month out (again) and struggling on a daily basis.

I do like the idea that it will possibly bring BPD to the forefront of awareness which may encourage people to seek treatment.

i agree that it didn't fully explain the destruction to those around the pwBPD, although there were some comments made by his agent and mother that were telling.

the fairy tale ending was hard for me, as well... .it actually brought me to tears.

what struck me most was his willingness to get help and improve not only his life, but the lives of those close to him. like you said, i think that is something we've all wished for.

[.cup.car]

I just watched it. I thought it was very good but I didn't feel that it fully got across "the face of BPD", not the face we have all seen anyway. I think it also portrayed the fairy tale happy ending we have all longed for.  I think it was a bit dangerous for me to have watched as I am only a month out (again) and struggling on a daily basis.

It's not in the public's best interest to describe every little detail of his personal life - you don't want to start any witch hunts and reinforce the stigma of BPD, especially with an audience that large. But as someone else said, Cutler's comments, his wife's/mother's comments... .They dropped multiple hints that it got pretty ugly at times. That's the most you can do on NFL Network.

The success story is a dangerous fantasy to play into, but many circumstances factored into the treatement of Brandon actually being successful. A lot of pwBPD's described on this site are everyday folk, and if they fail to turn things around, it's not like they're going to lose out on an NFL career worth upwards of $40,000,000. I mean, as much as pwBPD will try to twist things around after a failed relationship/friendship to make it seem as if they were in the right and everyone's out to get them, when the entire country knows you as a fairly gifted professional athlete, it's much easier to attempt to get help, rather than deal with the infinite questions about "why did you walk away?"

Playing for the Dolphins probably helped a bunch too. The teammate who advised him to go back to counseling, Ricky Williams, has his own "life story" available on YouTube, and it's basically "Ricky deals with his problems by quitting football and smoking weed in a shack." This probably played a major part. Brandon knew what happened to Ricky and didn't want to be like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuqtIlpaO1M

[Waifed]

They didn't really address fear of abandonment much. I worry that he will have a difficult time once he retires. Hopefully being a spokesperson will help keep him occupied.

[Panda39]

I thought this program was good I'm a Bronco's fan so it was a trip down memory lane in some respects with Brandon and Jay 

Even though this show didn't go into the uglier nitty gritty of BPD there was enough there for the "general public" watching the show to get the idea... .the lack of impulse control, out of control emotions, self harm, family/relationship problems and problems at work.

It is really refreshing to see Brandon acknowledge his issues (which we don't see many pwBPD do), that he continues to work on them (it can't be cured but with help, understanding, and new skills can be better controlled), that he is helping friends, he's helping strangers and creating an awareness of mental illness (BPD specifically) and breaking stereotypes of what mental illness looks like.

Enjoyed it 

[Eduardo15]

I just posted a pretty long post on my feelings after watching the show, sorry I did not look here before