All or Nothing: Dichotomous Thinking

Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) tend to perceive and evaluate every thought or situation as

• black or white
• good or bad
• all or nothing

This dysfunctional extreme thinking can be one source of extreme actions like leaving a partnership, quitting a job or other impulsive actions. This can be the main source of extreme reactions, mood swings and interpersonal problems.

To change this dichotomous thinking a psychotherapist will point out examples of daily life to the patient and try to discuss different point of views in terms of a continuum. So the client learns a more realistic perception of his environment and personal relationships.