Cycle 8 - Smarter Than BPD

Study Notes

Cognitive Distortions and Self-Blame in Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves difficulties with emotions, behavior, and thought patterns.
BPD thought patterns tend to be biased and oversimplified, neglecting objective facts relevant to reality.
Cognitive distortions are a common feature of BPD thought patterns, and they can induce a "vicious circle of thought, feeling, and behavior."
There are at least ten common cognitive distortions associated with BPD.
Cognitive distortions can occur in both awake and sleep time, triggered by events, thoughts, or memories.
Many of the thoughts experienced by a person with BPD may have some association with parts of their past.
Self-destructive beliefs, such as chronic self-blame, may have developed as a survival mechanism to stay safe from abusive authority figures.
The assumption of blame may be difficult to overcome in adulthood, even when it is not warranted.
Being assertive is essential for problem-solving and getting needs met, but it may be difficult for someone with a self-blame belief pattern.
Chronic self-judgment becomes understandable in maintaining a sense of emotional safety.
Beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and anxiety are intertwined and influential to health issues like BPD.
Understanding cognitive distortions and self-blame is crucial for developing strategies to modify the larger BPD pattern of perceptions, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.