Given the recent discourse around mental health, it felt important to remind readers of the enduring need to break the stigma surrounding BPD. The article we are highlighting today comes from a student newspaper, the Observer, from Central Washington University, and does a fantastic job at addressing stigma. Senior Reporter Catherine Camarata has an in-depth discussion with a student named Charlotte Casler about how she has been impacted by her diagnosis of BPD and her own struggles combating BPD stigma:
“Group therapy has a huge stigma,” Casler said. “I was right there with everyone else thinking that it was going to be stupid, and it wasn’t.”
The passage below was particularly insightful:
“Casler warned those diagnosed with BPD that when they finally take accountability for their mental health, it can be uncomfortable and difficult to maintain.
“The unfortunate truth is that it’s easier to stay the same than it is to change,” Casler said. “Before you had the skills before you knew better … you could blame anything. Your mom, your dad, a bully at school, a romantic partner, an unfortunate financial situation. All of a sudden you realize, you’re the captain of this ship, and that’s hard because everybody wants all of that control until they realize how much responsibility it comes with.”
You can read the full article from Catherine Camarata here
