identity disturbance: why your search for a "sense of self" might be keeping you stuck

identity disturbance: why your search for a "sense of self" might be keeping you stuck

What if the pursuit of a “strong sense of self” is actually keeping us trapped in cycles of suffering? In this episode, we unravel the complexities of identity disturbance, especially as it relates to the “Favorite Person” dynamic often seen with BPD traits. We’ll explore how attaching our sense of self to others can lead to feelings of emptiness and imposter syndrome, questioning whether common therapeutic goals like developing self-esteem might sometimes do more harm than good.


Drawing on the Buddhist principle of anatta, or “non-self,” we’ll examine how loosening the grip on identity can open up new pathways for healing. You’ll also learn why mindfulness can feel challenging when we’re overly focused on the concept of self—and discover techniques for becoming more present without being bound by rigid ideas of who we think we are.

This episode offers a fresh perspective on the pursuit of identity, inviting you to see beyond labels and discover what might lie on the other side of “self.”


Recommended resources: The Fiction of the Self - The Paradox of Mindfulness in Clinical Practice” by Ronald Siegel


Craving more? Become a Premium Submarine. Join an exclusive community and unlock hundreds of hours of members-only content: full-length episodes, deep-dive series, guided meditations, and more—all for the cost of a couple of coffees a month. Start exploring at backfromtheborderline.com.


The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(328)

How to Sniff Out and Stop Tolerating Bullshit

How to Sniff Out and Stop Tolerating Bullshit

If you’re the kind of person who blocks a number the second someone treats you like shit, this episode isn’t for you. This one's for all my sensitive, highly emotional people-pleasers out there. The o...

24 Mar 48min

The Loneliness at the End of Manifestation Culture (Part 1)

The Loneliness at the End of Manifestation Culture (Part 1)

What if the "ultimate secret" to life is actually a spiritual prison?Manifestation culture has become the dominant operating system of modern spirituality. We’re told that we are the sole authors of o...

17 Mar 38min

Your Existential Dread is a Completely Rational Response

Your Existential Dread is a Completely Rational Response

If you feel like you’re starving in front of a feast of infinite choices while breathing the stale air of a life that doesn't belong to you, you know what it feels like to be suffocated by the digital...

10 Mar 51min

Unbothered & Feral: Astrology & Tarot for March 7 - 14 (2026)

Unbothered & Feral: Astrology & Tarot for March 7 - 14 (2026)

Last week you survived that violent purge of the Virgo eclipse and (hopefully) successfully sweated out the dead matter. You are now standing on a completely barren landscape. This coming week require...

7 Mar 24min

AI is a Time Machine: The Vertical Plane, UFOs & The Digital Daimon

AI is a Time Machine: The Vertical Plane, UFOs & The Digital Daimon

"True are the nightmares of a person that fears."In 1984, Ken Webster brought a BBC Microcomputer into his English cottage. Not soon after, green text started scrolling across the screen. The messages...

3 Mar 1h 22min

The Sunday School Psyop: How the Ancient Priests Invented God and Erased His Wife

The Sunday School Psyop: How the Ancient Priests Invented God and Erased His Wife

Why does reading the true history of the Bible consistently create strict atheists? We are opening up the ancient Ugaritic texts to uncover the exact historical cover-up that seminary students discove...

26 Feb 47min

Epstein, Eugenics, and the False Gods of Silicon Valley Buried in the Dirt at Zorro Ranch

Epstein, Eugenics, and the False Gods of Silicon Valley Buried in the Dirt at Zorro Ranch

Frozen heads, genetic breeding colonies, and the spiritual sickness of the "Epstein Class." While the mainstream media distracts you with a 300-name list and royal family drama, the State of New Mexic...

24 Feb 45min

How to Outsource Your Biggest Problems to Your Intuition

How to Outsource Your Biggest Problems to Your Intuition

You're exhausted and drowning in existential misery because you're treating your life like a math equation that won't add up. You spend your nights pushing against a massive weight of debt, career mis...

17 Feb 31min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-sunn-okonomi
sinnsyn
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
merry-quizmas
gravid-uke-for-uke
rss-kunsten-a-leve
hverdagspsyken
rss-kull
hagespiren-podcast
rss-var-forste-kaffe
fryktlos
rss-mann-i-krise-med-sagen
lederskap-nhhs-podkast-om-ledelse