Gaslighting. Direct projection. The compulsion to parade as victims in order to gain attention and social media likes. Censorship, bullying, and de-platforming of anyone who dares to question the party line. Has the U.S. been afflicted with a mass case of borderline personality disorder?
In Episode 13 of the Cosmic Fire Podcast Kairos and Phoenix honor Scorpio season with a fearless dive into the seedy underbelly of our nation's collective consciousness.
We talk about shame-based personality disorders and the telltale signs of people who suffer from them. We discuss the tactics that borderlines use to steal energy from others. And we share why it's so important for creatives, empaths, sensitives and healers to recognize these traits and tactics in a time where gaslighting and direct projection are being weaponized to silence the truth.
Episode Notes:
Traits of People with a Shame-Based Personality Disorder
1. Feel empty and worthless. Although they may be very popular, attractive and outwardly successful, these people feel unloveable, ugly and worthless inside.
2. Totally self-obsessed. Specifically with validating the “false self” they constructed to hide their shameful lack of worth.
3. Black-and-white thinking. They tend to be obsessed with who is “right” and who is “wrong.” They cannot tolerate complexity or uncertainty. You are either good or bad with no middle ground. This is the pattern of thought that entitles people to say that if you care about ending child sex trafficking you are a white supremacist. (If you were “right” you would only care about race matters.)
4. Their identity as victims, justifies their abusive behavior. Shame-based personalities ARE abuse survivors who believe their victimization entitles them to do or say anything to get validation/attention needs met.
5. Lack capacity for empathy. In fact, many of their words and actions are unconsciously designed to pull attention away from real victims and put the spotlight on themselves.
6. Avoid intimacy. They live with the constant fear of being exposed as the worthless, ugly things they believe themselves to be. Also fear they will be engulfed by others’ emotions.
7. Cognitive distortion and emotional overwhelm. Their emotions feel out of control. They manipulate constantly in relationships (gaslighting and projection) in order to feel safe. “My feelings are facts.”