Emotional Suppression and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by intense emotions, impulsivity, and unstable relationships. Individuals with BPD often engage in emotional suppression, which is the attempt to push away or ignore unwanted emotions. While emotional suppression may provide temporary relief, it can actually worsen symptoms of BPD in the long run.

What is Emotional Suppression?

Emotional suppression is a coping mechanism that involves trying to control or hide unwanted emotions, often through avoidance or distraction. This can include pushing away thoughts, feelings, or memories that are associated with distress. While emotional suppression can be helpful in the short term, it can have negative consequences over time, especially for individuals with BPD.

Why Doesn't Emotional Suppression Work with BPD?

There are several reasons why emotional suppression is ineffective and counterproductive for individuals with BPD:

1. Increased Emotional Intensity: Emotional suppression can lead to an increase in the intensity of emotions, rather than decreasing them. When emotions are suppressed, they tend to build up and become more overwhelming, making it more difficult to manage them effectively.

2. Impaired Emotion Regulation: Emotional suppression interferes with the ability to regulate emotions in a healthy way. By pushing away emotions, individuals with BPD may not learn how to identify, understand, and express their feelings appropriately, which can lead to further emotional dysregulation.

3. Increased Distress and Suffering: Emotional suppression can contribute to increased distress and suffering. When emotions are not allowed to be felt and processed, they can become more intrusive and persistent, leading to feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame.

4. Negative Impact on Relationships: Emotional suppression can negatively impact relationships. When individuals with BPD suppress their emotions, they may appear emotionally distant or unresponsive, which can strain their relationships with loved ones and make it difficult to build intimacy.

5. Increased Risk of Self-Harm and Suicidal Behavior: Emotional suppression has been linked to an increased risk of self-harm and suicidal behavior in individuals with BPD. When emotions are bottled up and not allowed to be expressed, they can become overwhelming and lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair, increasing the risk of self-destructive behaviors.

Effective Strategies for Emotion Regulation

Instead of emotional suppression, individuals with BPD can benefit from learning and practicing healthier emotion regulation strategies, such as:

1. Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It can help individuals with BPD become more aware of their emotions without getting overwhelmed by them.

2. Emotional Awareness: Emotional awareness involves identifying, understanding, and accepting emotions as they arise. This can be done through practices such as journaling, self-reflection, and talking to a therapist.

3. Emotion Expression: Emotion expression involves finding healthy ways to express emotions, both positive and negative. This can include talking to a trusted friend or family member, writing in a journal, or engaging in creative activities.

4. Problem-Solving: When faced with difficult situations, individuals with BPD can benefit from learning how to solve problems in a healthy and effective way, rather than relying on emotional suppression.

5. Seeking Professional Help: If emotional suppression is significantly impacting an individual's life, seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor can be beneficial. Therapy can provide a safe space to explore and address underlying issues that contribute to emotional suppression and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

Conclusion

Emotional suppression is a common coping mechanism among individuals with BPD, but it is ineffective and can worsen symptoms in the long run. By learning and practicing healthier emotion regulation strategies, individuals with BPD can manage their emotions in a more constructive and adaptive way, leading to improved well-being and relationships.