Cycle 11 - Video 2 - Smarter Than BPD Quiz

Study Notes

The Importance of Mentalizing for Human Behavior and Borderline Personality Disorder

Mentalizing is the understanding of human behavior in oneself and others in terms of mental states such as thoughts, feelings, wishes, beliefs, and desires.
Human beings have the ability to immediately attribute mental states to observed actions, allowing us to collaborate and work in large social groups.
Mentalizing is a core attribute of being human and has enabled us to live in cities of millions and collaborate effectively.
Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with mentalizing, taking negative thoughts as completely real and losing the distinction between mental and physical reality.
Those with BPD may feel shut in and experience feelings of solitary confinement over years compressed into a few seconds.
Recovery from BPD requires a network of mentalizing relationships where the individual feels understood, treated as agents, and decisions are shared with them.
A change in social environment can help move an individual from a situation of mistrust to trust, allowing them to be open to the social world and generate recovery.
Mentalizing relationships are necessary for adequate recovery from BPD.
Primates can tolerate social groups of about 30 or 40, while humans can live in cities of millions due to our ability to mentalize.
Mentalizing is what allows us to judge what other people are thinking and collaborate effectively with them.
Mentalizing is not just about understanding others but also understanding oneself and not taking negative thoughts too seriously.
Mentalizing is a simple concept with a profound impact on human behavior and mental health.