Introspection??

I keep reading from Nons that BPDers are completely incapable of any introspection. I don't agree with this. I know that I certainly have times of introspection, and I am actually a fairly introspective person. Constantly analyzing myself and my behavior...
I do also deny a lot of aspects of myself, but at least I am aware that there are things I am in denial about, right?
I dunno, I suspected BPD long before being diagnosed. Maybe all the reading I have done about BPD has given me better introspection? But I feel like I have always been fairly introspective. The problem for me isn't recognizing the behavior (when I'm fine), its being able to change it once I am in those emotions... I;m aware, I just feel completely out of control of my actions... It's like I can still hear the rational voice, but that rational voice has ZERO control of me.
Does anyone else feel this way?
How introspective are you? Do you think real introspection is possible for BPD?

Yes I think people with BPD can be very introspective but I still don't think they see themselves the way others see them, but that's something different.

Absolutely, BPD's can be introspective; we can also be self aware; but I agree with the last poster; we generally don't see ourselves the way the world sees us. I am really grateful for DBT and how those skills can help me manage the intense emotions I have.

Why do we see ourselves differently to how the world sees us? I think it is because we have developed our own "normal" based on trauma and invalidating experiences. We project that status quo onto other experiences in our lives. We think we are seeing things as they are and other other people find our perceptions, thoughts and feelings bizarre. It takes a lot of work to start incorporating a different reality than the one we have known. And acting differently to our thoughts and feelings so we start getting better outcomes.

I've always been introspective; trying to work out what is wrong with me. Diagnosis validated my struggle and gave me access to the resources to help manage my disorder.

I'm very introspective. One of my close friends says he thinks I have better self-understanding than anybody he knows.

I think if you've got BPD and half a brain, you eventually realize that it can't always just be other people who keep screwing your life up in the same way over and over again.

I guess I can see where a Non with limited experience (with just one BPDer?) could see a lack of introspection, because when we're going off on them we're not being introspective at all. Nor are we when we're completely fixated on another person.

I can see where a weak sense of self could make introspection difficult, but in my case it partially inspired it because I couldn't/can't figure out who I am.

Passenger wrote:I can see where a weak sense of self could make introspection difficult, but in my case it partially inspired it because I couldn't/can't figure out who I am.

I agree. I think this is where a lot of my introspection comes from too. Trying to figure out who I am.

From a NON's point of view, it would seem like we aren't introspective because the very things we do go against what's best for us.

Every single counsellor, therapist, or group I've been in always tells me how insightful I am. Group members tell me they wish they'd been so insightful when they were my age.

Being insightful has nothing to do with controlling impulses with BPD, though. The very nature of BPD means being blind to the insight when emotions run high.

That's a very good point. When my emotions get going, I'm not usually thinking rationally or able to have insight. In general I am introspective, I know what my problems are and I know my strengths but I don't have a firm grasp on regular emotions or self control most of the time, it's like being temporarily blind.

But it DOES improve over time if you keep working at it. You are merely unlearning behaviours and learning new more effective ones. BPD's do start to be able to have insight even with the most intense emotions. So don't despair and don't give up - you will get there.

I think that's actually one of the most irritating things about BPD: you can realize in the middle of acting out what's going on and not be able to stop.

I think one of the key new behaviors to learn is identifying right when one's emotional mind starts going off the rails and stopping it before it gains too much momentum.

In a way, it's a blessing, because most Nons never develop that kind of self-awareness at all. Most Nons never question whether their behavior is justified, even after the fact.

Passenger wrote:
In a way, it's a blessing, because most Nons never develop that kind of self-awareness at all. Most Nons never question whether their behavior is justified, even after the fact.

So true!