Maheema Misra and Milana Prakash were diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder BPD last year while studying mass media at Sophia College. Defined by the National Institute of Mental Health NIMH as an illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image and behaviour, Misra likens it to an uncontrollable switch that compels you to be ecstatic for a period of time and then, suddenly, have suicidal tendencies. Prakash, who was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder explains, "It-s like a faster version of bipolar disorder. With bipolar disorder [characterised by extreme mood shifts ranging from mania to depression], you can be manic for weeks before a depressive episode. With BPD, the flip is sooner."

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, they posted Instagram stories encouraging others to ask them about BPD. Nobody really did, and so they ended up talking to each other, eventually launching BPD Humans last month, an Instagram page-cum-support group along with a blog, as a channel to understand themselves better as well as explain it to those unacquainted with the term and build a community. The support group facilitated via Instagram for those living with BPD is split into two audiences — international and Indian. The former has about 60 members and the latter, 30. There-s also a Zoom-based session they helm once a month, which is supervised by a mental health professional. It is free, and attendees aren-t required to show their face if they wish to.