What is a FP (bpd term)
A favorite, or otherwise called fixated, person is a bpd term for an extremely strong attachment towards a person.
It can be someone you've just met, a family member, a friend, a teacher, someone you're dating, a celebrity even. It's anyone that a person with bpd forms a very strong attachment to.
The person with borderline's well-being, emotions, even life - depend on that fp. The way the fp treats the person with bpd is how the person with bpd will feel. Them replying to a text can bring extreme euphoria and comfort. And being left of read or taking too long to reply can bring out a depressive episode, rage, confusion. If the fp treats the person well - the person with borderline's self esteem will be through the roof. But if the fp treats the person with bpd horribly, the person with bpd will feel like they are the most horrible piece of shit of a person.
It's important that the fp, is educated on bpd and is willing to try to work through it together. Otherwise the connection between the two can be so toxic, from the fp themselves and from the person with bpd. But its no excuse for someone with bpd to be abusive and toxic, nor is it okay for the fp to treat them very poorly because they know they're attached to them and are vulnerable.
People with bpd can be very jealous of every aspect of their fp. They can mirror the way the person looks, talks, basing their entire personality to the fps. They can drop other friends and family, thinking the fp is the only, most important person in the world and they don't need anyone else but them. They can get jealous of their fp hanging out with friends, family, pets and paying attention to anyone or anything but them.
People with bpd struggle with emotional permanence, just like object permanence, but with emotions. We wake up feeling unloved, like nobody needs us. When someone says they love us or compliments us we feel so full of happiness and appreciation, but after a couple hours we forget what that feels like again and need it more.
But don't be discouraged!! The friendship/connection/relationship between someone with borderline and their FP can be beautiful, loving, amazing even :) What's important is that the person with bpd is reassured by their fp and the fp is willing to understand bpd more in order for it to work. And the person with bpd needs to work through their jealousy, emotional permanence and so on in DBT or therapy in general.
FPs aren't chosen, the attachment happens unplanned and we can't control who it is. Not everyone with bpd have a fp!! It doesn't make you any less valid. There are over 100 different variations of borderline personality disorder so some things one person with bpd has, another may not relate to some of the symptoms.
