My PTSD comes from an abusive childhood and an alcoholic father. Breaking up with the BPD - mixed with everything else that was going on - pushed me over the edge into the extreme. Professional help was definitely needed. I'm so thankful I got it.
The 5% is actually incorrect. From its epidemiology - the general public in the US - only up to 3% are diagnosed. Of course, with BPD cases, it's extremely hard to diagnose and some shrinks won't even do it depending on the circumstance. So, if we look at the 300mil pop in the US, that means that there are only 90mil diagnosed cases of BPD. 75%, that's 3:1, are women:men. And most male BPD cases are kin to high anxiety disorders such as Antisocial Anxiety or Narcissism. If you divide that 90mil by the 50 states, there are at least 1.8mil diagnosed cases per state.
Now, consider how much people in the US travel. It's a past time. People matriculate from state to state, from state to country, country to state, etc. 2% for the general population, 3% for the US.
We're bound to run into it at some point. It's pretty much just multi-variable math.
And, yes, I completely agree that this site is built for people struggling with anxiety and other hangups. I can completely admit that I have an anxiety problem, and a severe stress disorder. But, I'm handling it.
I've slept with eleven women. Had a lot more non-intercourse hook-ups. I don't define my life by the sex I have, which seems to be the way some people here look at themselves. I define my life by how much progress I make and the people I surround myself with. Also, by the people I help. Which is why I have no problem with having a BPD ex, nor do I have a problem admitting that I would help her (she's in therapy, but I don't know what she's been told or how she's been treated; also, female BPD's in therapy tend to be impervious to treatment based on which stage of the disorder they show at any given time, be it "waif, hermit, witch, or queen" and whether they "act out" or "act in"). But, Cluster B is a real thing, regardless of what people here think.
Once you experience it, and decide whether to leave or stay, you'll know what people go through.