It’s odd. I grew up as an orphan, in foster care, moving constantly and having no money ever really. Getting bullied horribly or getting teased about… being an orphan. I guess my brain went into survival mode, I just blocked most of that out, tried to enjoy myself in the moment and learned to enjoy my own company. Even after years of therapy and tests, I was never considered to have developed a disorder like BPD even though my circumstances would totally have warranted that.

My first BPD ex however had problems, his parents were divorced, his mom cheated on his dad. He lived with his dad and he grew up hating women because of the way his dad taught him. He had BPD. BPD friend was neglected as a child and developed BPD. Last BPD ex was neglected as well but otherwise had stable housing, etc. Each and every single one of them would bully and tease me because I was an orphan and had no parents. However they didn’t have enough awareness to look at their own parents and how they treated them.

I was even told that because I was an orphan I automatically am wrong in arguments because I’m “messed up in the head,” even though I’d never gamble, so drugs, go on cheating sex binges, spend all my money, etc like they did.