36 Questions
What is the reason for people with BPD engaging in emotional avoidance behaviors?
To maintain a false sense of internal security
What can trigger emotional avoidance behaviors in people with BPD?
Even trivial things
How might partners and family members enable the BPD pattern?
By behaving in ways that maintain the BPD person's emotional avoidance behaviors
Do emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD always involve cutting or threatening suicide?
No, they can be subtle and not necessarily involve cutting or threatening suicide
Can emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD become an unconscious way of life?
Yes, emotional avoidance behaviors can become an unconscious way of life
What can be the result of emotional avoidance behaviors not solving problems or meeting essential needs in BPD?
Life dysfunction and lost connections
Are emotional avoidance behaviors always bad in BPD?
No, emotional avoidance behaviors are not always bad, but if an emotion makes sense for a situation, one should take responsibility to 'feel through' it
What can overwhelming life stresses result in for people with BPD?
Judgments of self-worthlessness and more emotional avoidance behaviors
How can the need to avoid painful emotions affect problem-solving processes in BPD?
It can 'high-jack' problem-solving processes, leading to ineffective or unsolved life problems
When can the urge to give up on life become potent for people with BPD?
When they do not understand themselves and their emotional struggles
What can feelings of shame lead to in people with BPD?
The persistence of shame feelings and the urge to give up on life
What can help people with BPD effectively solve life problems and manage emotional struggles?
Emotional awareness and mastery
What is the reason for people with BPD engaging in emotional avoidance behaviors?
To maintain a false sense of internal security
What can trigger emotional avoidance behaviors in people with BPD?
Even trivial things
How might partners and family members enable the BPD pattern?
By behaving in ways that maintain the BPD person's emotional avoidance behaviors
Do emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD always involve cutting or threatening suicide?
No, they can be subtle and not necessarily involve cutting or threatening suicide
Can emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD become an unconscious way of life?
Yes, emotional avoidance behaviors can become an unconscious way of life
What can be the result of emotional avoidance behaviors not solving problems or meeting essential needs in BPD?
Life dysfunction and lost connections
Are emotional avoidance behaviors always bad in BPD?
No, emotional avoidance behaviors are not always bad, but if an emotion makes sense for a situation, one should take responsibility to 'feel through' it
What can overwhelming life stresses result in for people with BPD?
Judgments of self-worthlessness and more emotional avoidance behaviors
How can the need to avoid painful emotions affect problem-solving processes in BPD?
It can 'high-jack' problem-solving processes, leading to ineffective or unsolved life problems
When can the urge to give up on life become potent for people with BPD?
When they do not understand themselves and their emotional struggles
What can feelings of shame lead to in people with BPD?
The persistence of shame feelings and the urge to give up on life
What can help people with BPD effectively solve life problems and manage emotional struggles?
Emotional awareness and mastery
What is the reason behind people with BPD engaging in emotional avoidance behaviors?
To maintain a false sense of internal security
What triggers emotional avoidance behaviors in people with BPD?
Even trivial things
What role do partners and family members play in maintaining emotional avoidance behaviors in people with BPD?
They may enable the BPD pattern
Do emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD always involve cutting or threatening suicide?
No, they can be subtle and not necessarily involve cutting or threatening suicide
Can emotional avoidance behaviors become an unconscious way of life for people with BPD?
Yes, emotional avoidance behaviors can become an unconscious way of life
Do emotional avoidance behaviors always solve problems or meet essential needs?
No, emotional avoidance behaviors may not solve problems or meet essential needs
Are emotional avoidance behaviors always bad for people with BPD?
No, emotional avoidance behaviors are not always bad
What can overwhelming life stresses result in for people with BPD?
Judgments of self-worthlessness and more emotional avoidance behaviors
Can the need to avoid painful emotions high-jack problem-solving processes for people with BPD?
Yes, the need to avoid painful emotions can high-jack problem-solving processes
What can happen when a person with BPD does not understand themselves and their emotional struggles?
The urge to give up on life can become potent
What feelings can be some of the most difficult to endure for people with BPD?
Feelings of shame
What can help people with BPD effectively solve life problems and manage emotional struggles?
Emotional awareness and mastery
Study Notes
Understanding Emotional Avoidance Behaviors in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
- People with BPD often engage in emotional avoidance behaviors to maintain a false sense of internal security by avoiding unwanted emotions.
- Emotional avoidance behaviors can be triggered by even trivial things, leading to knee-jerk reactions like aggression or passive-aggression.
- Partners and family members may enable the BPD pattern by behaving in ways that maintain the BPD person's emotional avoidance behaviors.
- Emotional avoidance behaviors in BPD can be subtle and not necessarily involve cutting or threatening suicide.
- Emotional avoidance behaviors can be mildly or severely destructive and can become an unconscious way of life.
- Emotional avoidance behaviors may not solve problems or meet essential needs, leading to life dysfunction and lost connections.
- Emotional avoidance behaviors are not always bad, but if an emotion makes sense for a situation, one should take responsibility to "feel through" it.
- Overwhelming life stresses can result in judgments of self-worthlessness and more emotional avoidance behaviors.
- Problem-solving processes can be "high-jacked" by the need to avoid painful emotions, leading to ineffective or unsolved life problems.
- The urge to give up on life can become potent when a person with BPD does not understand themselves and their emotional struggles.
- Feelings of shame can be some of the most difficult to endure, leading to the persistence of shame feelings and the urge to give up on life.
- Emotional awareness and mastery can help people with BPD effectively solve life problems and manage emotional struggles.
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