
Show Notes
Have you ever been told, or told yourself, that this is just who you are? That the most you can do is mask it, manage it, survive it?In this episode, Xannie sits down with clinical psychologist and treatment researcher Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala to explore one of the most contested questions in BPD recovery: can your personality actually change, or are you just learning to perform differently?Dr. Sauer-Zavala breaks down the science behind personality trait change, explains how her treatment BPD COMPASS targets the underlying drivers of BPD symptoms rather than the symptoms themselves, and challenges the pervasive belief that personality is fixed. Xannie shares her own experience of discovering, unexpectedly, that she had already changed. The conversation is equal parts clinical clarity and lived honesty.In this episode:* BPD and personality change* Can traits like negative affectivity and impulsivity actually change?* BPD COMPASS treatment explained* The alternative model of personality disorders (AMPD) Criterion B* Treating BPD without years-long specialist waitlists* Why suppressing emotions makes them stronger* Impulsivity, trust issues, and emotional rage in BPD* What recovery actually looks like from the insideIf you’ve ever been told your personality is the problem, and that the best you can hope for is to hide it better, this episode is for you.This season, we’re discussing BPD through the lens of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD). To meet criteria for BPD in this model, a person must have difficulties in at least two areas of personality functioning (Criterion A): identity, self direction, empathy, or intimacy, along with four or more pathological personality traits (Criterion B): negative affectivity (emotional lability, anxiousness, separation insecurity, and depressivity), disinhibition (impulsivity and risk taking), and antagonism (hostility)In the first two episodes of the season, Dr. Carla Sharp, Dr. Frank Yeomans, and Dr. Alex Stein explain what the AMPD is, how it changes from the current categorical model, and how the BPD diagnosis is changing. In case you missed it, here are the links:Watch part 1 hereWatch part 2 here⸻ Find more from Dr. Sauer-Zavala:Website: https://www.shannonsauerzavala.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/self.made.personality/___🌟 Love what we do? Your support fuels these important conversations on BPD and mental health. Consider joining our Patreon community to help us continue this valuable work and unlock exclusive content. Every contribution makes a difference! 🌈✨ 🔗 Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebpdbunch ________About Us: The BPD bunch is a YouTube talk show, featuring a panel of people who are in functional recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. Each week we discuss BPD-related topics to help give you insights into the different ways BPD can be expressed in someone’s life. We also cover the different paths we followed on our recovery journeys to give you hope and direction for your own ❤️ Thank you for being on this journey of healing with us!________Disclaimer:This video is for education only and is not meant to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
More from The BPD Bunch
Have you ever gotten so angry that you knew you were making things worse, and still couldn’t seem to stop?In this episode of The BPD Bunch, Xannie, Mo, Raf, Georgette, Katja, and Justin get honest about what it took to change their relationship with BPD rage and hostility. From explosive arguments and pushing loved ones away to learning how to walk away before things escalate, the cast shares what actually helped them respond differently.They also discuss the emotions hiding underneath their anger, why calming down can feel impossible in the moment, and how even small changes in behavior can make a huge difference.In this episode:* BPD rage and explosive anger* How to stop lashing out at loved ones* BPD anger and relationship problems* Emotional dysregulation and anger urges* DBT skills for anger and distress tolerance* Taking space during arguments* Sadness, rejection, and fear underneath anger* Learning to manage hostility in BPD recoveryIf you’ve ever looked back at something you said in anger and wished you could take it back, this conversation is for you._____This season, we’re discussing BPD through the lens of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD). To meet criteria for BPD in this model, a person must have difficulties in at least two areas of personality functioning (Criterion A): identity, self direction, empathy, or intimacy, along with four or more pathological personality traits (Criterion B): emotional lability, anxiousness, separation insecurity, and depressivity (which are sub-traits of negative affectivity), impulsivity and risk taking (sub-traits of disinhibition), and hostility (a sub-trait of antagonism).In the first two episodes of the season, Dr. Carla Sharp, Dr. Frank Yeomans, and Dr. Alex Stein explain what the AMPD is, how it changes from the current categorical model, and how the BPD diagnosis is changing. In case you missed it, here are the links:Watch part 1 here: https://youtu.be/MD3kL0yQAYUWatch part 2 here: https://youtu.be/KtVhStCqH1A___Love what we do? Your support fuels these important conversations on BPD and mental health. Consider joining our Patreon community to help us continue this valuable work and unlock exclusive content. Every contribution makes a difference!🔗 Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebpdbunch ________About Us: The BPD bunch is a YouTube talk show, featuring a panel of people who are in functional recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. Each week we discuss BPD-related topics to help give you insights into the different ways BPD can be expressed in someone’s life. We also cover the different paths we followed on our recovery journeys to give you hope and direction for your own ❤️ Thank you for being on this journey of healing with us!________Disclaimer:This video is for education only and is not meant to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Have you ever been so angry at someone that hurting them felt completely justified? In this episode of The BPD Bunch, Xannie, Mo, Raf, Georgette, Katja, and Justin get brutally honest about their experiences with BPD and hostility. From holding grudges for years to deliberately targeting someone’s insecurities, they share the behaviors they once defended and the damage those behaviors caused. They also explore what was happening underneath the anger, including shame, fear, perceived rejection, and the belief that they were protecting themselves or someone else. Sometimes the hardest part of looking back is realizing that being hurt didn’t make every reaction justified. In this episode, we discuss: BPD and hostility BPD rage and intense anger Holding grudges and long-lasting resentment Shame turning into anger Verbal aggression and hurting loved ones Splitting and perceived hostility Passive-aggressive behavior in relationships Justifying harmful behavior when emotionally dysregulated
Understanding why you behave a certain way doesn’t always mean you know how to change it.
What does it actually take to stop taking risks when they’ve become your way of coping? In this episode of The BPD Bunch, Xannie, André, Georgette, Melanie, Justin, and Dan talk about what has actually helped them manage risk-taking and impulsive behavior with BPD. From delaying purchases and putting roadblocks around spending to writing the angry email without actually sending it, they share the practical ways they’ve learned to create space between an urge and an action. They also get into the harder part: tolerating uncomfortable emotions, recognizing when “fun” is actually a pattern that keeps ending badly, relying on other people, and learning that struggling with an urge doesn’t mean the work isn’t working. Topics include: * BPD and risk-taking * BPD and impulsivity * Impulsive spending * Acting on intense emotions * Substance use and risky behavior * Sitting with uncomfortable emotions * DBT skills and wise mind * BPD recovery and behavior change If you know the consequences and still struggle to stop yourself in the moment, this conversation gets into what can happen between “I want to do this” and actually doing it._____This season, we’re discussing BPD through the lens of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD). To meet criteria for BPD in this model, a person must have difficulties in at least two areas of personality functioning (Criterion A): identity, self direction, empathy, or intimacy, along with four or more pathological personality traits (Criterion B): emotional lability, anxiousness, separation insecurity, and depressivity (which are sub-traits of negative affectivity), impulsivity and risk taking (sub-traits of disinhibition), and hostility (a sub-trait of antagonism).In the first two episodes of the season, Dr. Carla Sharp, Dr. Frank Yeomans, and Dr. Alex Stein explain what the AMPD is, how it changes from the current categorical model, and how the BPD diagnosis is changing. In case you missed it, here are the links:Watch part 1 here: https://youtu.be/MD3kL0yQAYUWatch part 2 here: https://youtu.be/KtVhStCqH1A___Love what we do? Your support fuels these important conversations on BPD and mental health. Consider joining our Patreon community to help us continue this valuable work and unlock exclusive content. Every contribution makes a difference!🔗 Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebpdbunch ________About Us: The BPD bunch is a YouTube talk show, featuring a panel of people who are in functional recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. Each week we discuss BPD-related topics to help give you insights into the different ways BPD can be expressed in someone’s life. We also cover the different paths we followed on our recovery journeys to give you hope and direction for your own ❤️ Thank you for being on this journey of healing with us!________Disclaimer:This video is for education only and is not meant to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Have you ever known something could end badly and still felt like the risk barely mattered in the moment? In this episode of The BPD Bunch, Xannie, André, Georgette, Melanie, Justin, and Dan get brutally honest about how risk-taking showed up in their lives with BPD. They share experiences with drugs, sex, unsafe situations, reckless driving, impulsive spending, validation seeking, and choices that made perfect sense in the moment and looked completely different afterward. They also dig into what was happening underneath those choices: chasing immediate relief, escaping painful emotions, wanting acceptance, feeling invincible, and sometimes simply not caring enough about themselves to think about what could happen next. Topics include: * BPD and risk-taking * BPD and impulsivity * Drugs and substance use * Sexual risk-taking * Reckless driving * Impulsive spending * Instant gratification and dopamine * Self-destructive behavior and BPD If you’ve ever looked back at something you did and thought, “How did that not feel dangerous to me at the time?” this conversation is for you._____This season, we’re discussing BPD through the lens of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD). To meet criteria for BPD in this model, a person must have difficulties in at least two areas of personality functioning (Criterion A): identity, self direction, empathy, or intimacy, along with four or more pathological personality traits (Criterion B): emotional lability, anxiousness, separation insecurity, and depressivity (which are sub-traits of negative affectivity), impulsivity and risk taking (sub-traits of disinhibition), and hostility (a sub-trait of antagonism).In the first two episodes of the season, Dr. Carla Sharp, Dr. Frank Yeomans, and Dr. Alex Stein explain what the AMPD is, how it changes from the current categorical model, and how the BPD diagnosis is changing. In case you missed it, here are the links:Watch part 1 here: https://youtu.be/MD3kL0yQAYUWatch part 2 here: https://youtu.be/KtVhStCqH1A___Love what we do? Your support fuels these important conversations on BPD and mental health. Consider joining our Patreon community to help us continue this valuable work and unlock exclusive content. Every contribution makes a difference!🔗 Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebpdbunch ________About Us: The BPD bunch is a YouTube talk show, featuring a panel of people who are in functional recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. Each week we discuss BPD-related topics to help give you insights into the different ways BPD can be expressed in someone’s life. We also cover the different paths we followed on our recovery journeys to give you hope and direction for your own ❤️ Thank you for being on this journey of healing with us!________Disclaimer:This video is for education only and is not meant to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.