New BPD Flag Symbol Ideas;;
a. Moonflower
b. Belladonna / Deadly Nightshade
c. Bleeding Heart
d. [Other]
Voting ended onDec 21, 2024
@gum1w0rms suggested moonflowers ! Moonflowers, otherwise known as tropical white morning-glories, or Ipomoea alba, are white flowers that only open up typically about once a year during the nighttime. The symbolism they came up with is that moonflowers are a representation of a person with BPD. That they open up under the moon (which the moon, in this, represents attention from your favourite person, love, help, confirmation, good days, etc!) and they close up when that attention, validation, and love, goes away ! Here is the post they made explaining their idea !
Moonflowers are also toxic flowers to the touch, but they do not cause death.
When the flower is closed, they look a bit like a spiral to me, which reminds me of spiralling out of control when you do not have support.
The colour white represents innocence, cleanliness, emptiness, and peace in western culture, while in eastern culture it can represent death, mourning, and the afterlife.
b. Belladonna / Deadly Nightshade 🟣
A friend of mine suggested deadly nightshade. Deadly nightshade, otherwise known as belladonna, or atropa bella-donna, is a poisonous purple flower with black berries with star like leaves. This flower that can kill you at higher doses and cause nervous system failure.
This flower reminds me of hurting those who hurt you back. It is only deadly if you ingest it. It could represent reacting to abandonment, and the trauma we struggled with to become this way. We were hurt, so we hurt back.
Despite the poison, the belladonna has a lot of medicinal purposes as well. During war time, it was used as a psychedelic and for pain management during surgery. Along with that it was used to create medication for the stomach and cramps.
The star like leaves around the fruit reminds me that people with BPD are still shining despite the struggles and traumas we have faced.
The colour purple represents wealth, prosperity, mental and spiritual awareness in Eastern cultures. In western cultures it represents royalty and creativity. It is considered a mysterious colour as well.
The bleeding heart flower, otherwise known as Dicentra, is a pink flower that’s head looks like a heart with a white tear drop. It represents deep pain, unrequited love, and rebirth.
My idea with this flower is that it is representative of the pain and sorrow we go through and how deeply we feel emotions.
The bleeding heart is toxic when digested, causing seizures and liver damage.
The colour pink is representative of celebration, hospitality, and trust in the east. In the west it symbolises calm and tenderness. It also is representative of marriage, femininity and love in both cultures.
If you have any other ideas please don’t be afraid to add!
I will make another poll if this has enough reach!
Some other flower symbolism:
Tulips: Representative of DPD, besides the Sun Rise/Sun Set symbol.
Orchids: Representative of Intersex People.
Roses: Representative of Hypersexuality / Hyperrose.
Daffodils: Representative of NPD.
It would be nice to make all Personality Disorder flags have specific flowers representative to them, or concepts.
Cluster A, B, and C all having flower symbols
Cluster A being shells, stones, or minerals of some kind, Cluster B being plants and flowers, Cluster C being weather related.
