when your diagnosis becomes a weapon in the hands of people who claim to love you most

One of the most common questions I receive from my podcast listeners is when, if, and how they should disclose their mental health-related diagnostic labels to their friends, family, and intimate partners. In this episode, I’ll be taking voicemails from Bella, Darrien, and Natalie – all BFTB listeners struggling with the topic of disclosure (and the regret that can often follow.)

Below are some questions answered and concepts covered in this episode:

·      Why do we often regret telling someone about a diagnosis like BPD?

·      How to handle it when it feels like people in your life begin psychoanalyzing you after you open up about a diagnostic label

·      Do you “owe” it to the people in your life to tell them about your diagnosis? (BPD, EUPD, cPTSD, ADHD, ASD, Anorexia, Bulimia, etc.)

·      Understanding oversharing as a trauma response (why you do it and how to stop)

·      How to determine if someone is trustworthy enough to have access to intimate details of your life

·      How to talk about emotion dysregulation to people in your life with low levels of self-awareness and emotional intelligence

·      Challenging the stigma of men expressing emotions due to fear of judgment

·      Why overly identifying with diagnostic labels can lead us to think everything is our fault (and how this can harm our relationships with ourselves and others)

·      How to stop over-apologizing

Timestamps:

4:27 | Voicemail from Bella (struggling with when to tell people about her BPD diagnosis and the deep shame and regret she feels after disclosing)

20:13 | Voicemail from Darrin (struggling with being a young man in the mid-west with a family and community who stigmatizes male displays of emotion – also feels like his family uses his mental health struggles as a scapegoat)

33:40 | Voicemail from Natalie (5 months into her relationship with her current girlfriend, Natalie feels like she is overly self-aware of her BPD traits – she called in because she is beginning to feel like she over-apologizes and tends to think every conflict is her fault)

44:06 | Preview of “My Stupid Walk for My Stupid Mental Health” Episode 12 “Crazymakers”

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Disclaimer: The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional.

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