"Mai's life on the Borderline" (by Barbara Doux)

The intensity of Mai’s therapy treatment as well as her excessive fear of abandonment often trigger crises. She might stay in bed a couple of hours or days paralysed with anxiety and despair. This side of herself remains unsuspected by all but her closest ones, a particularity of the BPD.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:35:50 +0000

The intensity of Mai’s therapy treatment as well as her excessive fear of abandonment often trigger crises. She might stay in bed a couple of hours or days paralysed with anxiety and despair. This side of herself remains unsuspected by all but her closest ones, a particularity of the BPD.
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Just as suddenly, Mai’s mood might switch to the opposite extreme and reveal the gregarious and out going side of her. Now totally disconnected from her emotions she feels invincible. Her impulsivity can lead her to risky behaviours unless accompanied by friends.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:37:22 +0000

Just as suddenly, Mai’s mood might switch to the opposite extreme and reveal the gregarious and out going side of her. Now totally disconnected from her emotions she feels invincible. Her impulsivity can lead her to risky behaviours unless accompanied by friends.
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Without a clear sense of identity Mai’s lack of inhibition gives her a charming honesty that brings people around her. As joyfully as she eats this apple, she needs her friends to fulfil her hunger to be loved.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:37:44 +0000

Without a clear sense of identity Mai’s lack of inhibition gives her a charming honesty that brings people around her. As joyfully as she eats this apple, she needs her friends to fulfil her hunger to be loved.
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Mai practices Butoh, a dance inspired by Expressionism that originated in Japan in the 60’s. Butoh encourages performers to focus on their inner world and the cyclical nature of life and death. This perfectly suits Mai’s attraction to extremes. Death itself is as present in her mind as her life instinct is. She performs in a cemetery attempting to win over one on her recurrent hallucinations in her previous psychotic episodes: a back hole swallowing her into nothingness.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:38:08 +0000

Mai practices Butoh, a dance inspired by Expressionism that originated in Japan in the 60’s. Butoh encourages performers to focus on their inner world and the cyclical nature of life and death. This perfectly suits Mai’s attraction to extremes. Death itself is as present in her mind as her life instinct is. She performs in a cemetery attempting to win over one on her recurrent hallucinations in her previous psychotic episodes: a back hole swallowing her into nothingness.
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In times of crises Mai takes up to three baths a day to calm herself down. At one point this safe place had become a morbid fantasy. She imagined herself with a long blade and the pleasure of seeing the water run deep red. She felt discouraged. Today she puts her head under the water, and slides her fingers against the bath to create whale songs. When she naively explains this to her ex-boyfriend he kindly responds, “Get a job Mai!” They laugh.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:38:33 +0000

In times of crises Mai takes up to three baths a day to calm herself down. At one point this safe place had become a morbid fantasy. She imagined herself with a long blade and the pleasure of seeing the water run deep red. She felt discouraged. Today she puts her head under the water, and slides her fingers against the bath to create whale songs. When she naively explains this to her ex-boyfriend he kindly responds, “Get a job Mai!” They laugh.
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Prevented from working sufficiently after years of illness and intensive therapy Mai finds the ideal way to get extra cash by modelling in life drawing classes. It answers her need to perform, be seen, and find herself through the eyes of others.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:38:57 +0000

Prevented from working sufficiently after years of illness and intensive therapy Mai finds the ideal way to get extra cash by modelling in life drawing classes. It answers her need to perform, be seen, and find herself through the eyes of others.
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“Love is what you want” Tracey Emin’s statement fits well on Mai’s wall. She certainly receives it from her son with whom she has a very strong and honest relationship. They share a real complicity and support each other.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:39:28 +0000

“Love is what you want” Tracey Emin’s statement fits well on Mai’s wall. She certainly receives it from her son with whom she has a very strong and honest relationship. They share a real complicity and support each other.
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Humour and her readiness to joke and laugh at herself help her overcome despair. An unexpected visitor might suddenly distract her out of her bed straight to the kitchen, ready to cook. Her generosity and welcoming nature makes her home an open house naturally full of love and laughs around the table in a very French way.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:39:56 +0000

Humour and her readiness to joke and laugh at herself help her overcome despair. An unexpected visitor might suddenly distract her out of her bed straight to the kitchen, ready to cook. Her generosity and welcoming nature makes her home an open house naturally full of love and laughs around the table in a very French way.
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Music, dance and movements are omnipresent in Mai. Her natural hedonism compensates her self-destructive tendencies. She knows how to indulge and loves to dance alone at home. In her years of illness she was prone to compulsive spending treating herself with saunas, yoga classes and clothes.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:40:47 +0000

Music, dance and movements are omnipresent in Mai. Her natural hedonism compensates her self-destructive tendencies. She knows how to indulge and loves to dance alone at home. In her years of illness she was prone to compulsive spending treating herself with saunas, yoga classes and clothes.
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Mai rehearses a Butoh dance on her balcony. Physicality and creativity stabilise her overwhelming emotional life. She pours her demons into artistic performances. But her tendency to disconnect sometimes creates a blur between reality and performance.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:41:29 +0000

Mai rehearses a Butoh dance on her balcony. Physicality and creativity stabilise her overwhelming emotional life. She pours her demons into artistic performances. But her tendency to disconnect sometimes creates a blur between reality and performance.
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Her family duties bring her back to reality. Mai looks after her grandson, as her daughter is pregnant. She is determined to be a responsible and supportive mother and grandmother for the baby’s birth. This motivates her all the more to be fully recovered.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:42:01 +0000

Her family duties bring her back to reality. Mai looks after her grandson, as her daughter is pregnant. She is determined to be a responsible and supportive mother and grandmother for the baby’s birth. This motivates her all the more to be fully recovered.
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Boy George

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:46:01 +0000

Boy George
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