My name's Rosie Cappuccino and I'm a blogger and the author of Talking About BPD: A Stigma-Free Guide to a Calmer, Happier Life with Borderline Personality Disorder.

 

I was first diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in 2014 after many years of struggling with intense emotions and feeling very distressed, including suicidal ideation and self-harm. 

 

Getting a BPD diagnosis brought relief— finally I had some understanding of my confusing experiences. At the same time though, I encountered the horrific stigma and discrimination associated with the diagnosis. I struggled to find the professional help to manage my BPD and I didn't know anyone going through anything similar. I felt ashamed of my experiences, frightened and alone.

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I turned to blogging as my only means of expression. Scared of negative judgments and their possible repurcussions, I blogged anonymously (initially under the name BPD Orchid, for those of you who remember!). Blogging enabled me to put my experiences into words, connect with others who felt the same and learn some ways of coping. 

 

My blog and associated social media quickly became my way of pushing back against the misrepresentations of people with BPD and the myths about the condition. As you will know if you relate to BPD, it's a struggle to find sensitive, empathetic and accurate content, both online and in print. Too often people with this diagnosis are painfully branded as 'manipulative', 'dramatic' and 'attention seeking' and treated as unworthy of care by mental health services. Through sharing my life, I wanted to show that the stereotypes surrounding this condition are unfounded and unjust. 

 

In 2017 I was shortlisted for a Mind Media Award for my work counteracting stigma and, two years later—to my delight—I won the 'Digital Champion' award. 

 

It's been eight years since I started blogging. I continue because it feels good to express myself and I'm happy to see Talking About BPD resonating so deeply with so many people. I feel passionately that people with BPD should be respected, treated with compassion and seen for who they they truly are. 

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I live in the UK with my husband, our little girl and our dog. I have degrees in English Literature, Medical Humanities and work as a special education teacher. Alongside the writing a book, I also do podcasts, radio, talks, write for magazines and more. 

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