Positive Traits of Borderline Personality Disorder

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-Passionate: As the level of psychological reactions highly differ in those with BPD compared to those without, individuals with the condition experience the ‘extremity’ of emotions/responses. The research on the psychological reactions on those without the condition compared to those with it, for instance, includes: Sadness-depression/grief, embarrassment-humiliation, nervousness-panic, anger-rage, and happiness-euphoria/passion, to name a few. Individuals with BPD have been observed to be especially very passionate and reactive as they often react and express this passion and euphoria.

-Insightful: Studies on BPD indicated that because of their own hypersensitivity and pain, people with BPD may easily connect to what is around them. For instance, they were able to easily read facial expressions, behavior, and emotions of those around them in an expression test. People with BPD may take experiences like these and emotions and turn it into insight and understanding, for one example, and have been shown to have an unusually high level of insight.

-Curious: Observations and studies show unusually high curiosity is common in some people with BPD from this high connection with their senses and surroundings, “sort of like a child. People with BPD are often described as having ‘childlike’ traits and characteristics referring to the interests, energy, innocence, and confusion from the unregulated emotions and reactions.”

-Compassionate/sympathetic: Again, as a result of their own hypersensitivity and pain, many with BPD may portray a high level of sympathy and understanding to others and the things around them.

-Loving/appreciative: Idealization is a main characteristic of BPD. People with BPD may idealize and glorify another individual in their life because of such strong emotions and needs, and they may be very appreciative because of hypersensitivity and painful experiences.

-Dependent: Dependency is often a hallmark symptom of BPD. One main reason for this is the extremity of the hypersensitive emotions often generating a huge fear of being alone and abandonment far more than most can imagine. Identity symptoms, such as a lack of sense of self, may also result in dependency. Dependency can be a good thing with the proper balance, like support, closeness, affection, and interconnectivity.

-Protective: Research indicates this trait is more pronounced in ‘male’ individuals with bpd, or people with (higher testosterone levels), although not restricted. This reaction may be common as a result of the intensity someone with BPD feels towards a situation or person and have been shown it may relate to the high aggression noted in BPD symptoms.

-Loyal/caring: Related to the last few, the strong reactions may often relate and connect to loyalty and care.

-Creative: An unusually high amount of writers have BPD. High levels of creativity were linked to some individuals with BPD in research cases- new ideas, artistic or musical ability, writing, or multiple other areas of creativity. Fantasizing is a common characteristic in BPD as well as daydreaming- a low, normal level of dissociation.

-High nociception (pain tolerance): Studies indicate alterations between pain processing in over half of those with BPD as opposed to individuals without. Individuals with BPD were far more likely to tolerate heat and other types of pain, despite being hypersensitive psychologically. The result of this comes from different systematic responses and antinociception and may be a result of long-term self harm behavior in some cases.

-IQ: Certain individuals with BPD were linked to a high IQ in studies where the condition seemed to play a significant role and connection to it.

-High awareness/connection: Again, as a result of being easily connected to surroundings and outside stimuli, people with BPD have been observed have high awareness. Marsha Linehan also states they may have more levels of spiritual experiences more often. Furthermore, people with BPD have been observed to have a high level of comfort, security, and connection to nature and animals, such as pets, as stated by the DSM.

-Discipline: Obsessive compulsive features are quite common in BPD- intrusive thoughts in the thought pattern/processes, repetitive behavior as a result of self harm, paranoia, distress, etc, and repetitive speech, to name a few. Research observes people with BPD to also display high levels of self-discipline, work orientation, and drive connected to the repetitive processing.

-Alluring/Interesting: Because of the intensity, many people note in observation the interesting and/or alluring behavior or energy of someone with BPD. Furthermore, people with BPD are sometimes referred to as a “siren” in psychology as a result. Other studies have stated foundings of “physical attractiveness” patterns-however, realistically, it’s not “possible” for a neurological disorder to be related to any sort of physical attractiveness unless they were simply just attractive people or if portrayal plays a part.

-Individualistic/engaging: Many in observations and studies claimed to notice the extreme individualism and/or depth and mysterious/engaging behavior/feelings given off from BPD individuals as a result of the connection, hypersensitivity, and reactions.

-Sarcastic/funny: The DSM and multiple other sources /observations state people with BPD may often express sarcasm and humor.

-Bold: One of the main symptoms of BPD is impulsiveness; however, research states this may be tied to a positive trait in some individuals with BPD- boldness, bravery, and ability to speak their mind.

-Strong: On a psychological level, people with BPD are often described as feeling the most intense, agonizing reactions, and one needs to be quite strong to handle them.

-Lively: Intense reactions may result in high euphoria and engaging/active behavior and energy.

-Intense: Many state in observations and research the intensity of the reactions and energy from someone with BPD from all these ^ reactions.