In someone with borderline personality disorder, the highs and lows can change over dinner. To confuse things further, people with BPD also usually suffer from additional mental illnesses.
Like the example I gave at the beginning of this article, the lack of awareness surrounding BPD is partly to blame for the myriad myths that have been floating around for decades and its bad rep — people often assume borderlines are violent, manipulative or just generally bad people. One of the possible causes of the misconceptions is the name.
What society needs to understand, though, is that these people are sick. Their symptoms and behaviors are indications of a psychiatric disorder, and they need treatment. In the past few years, celebrities like Demi Lovato and Catherine Zeta-Jones have bravely opened up about their own struggles with bipolar disorder. Not long ago, experts in the field of psychology believed BPD to be an untreatable illness, and therapists even refused to accept patients with the diagnosis.
Then, in the s, Linehan introduced a revolutionary treatment called dialectical behavior therapy, a cognitive-behavioral treatment that emphasizes a strong and equal relationship between patient and therapist. Marsha Linehan developed dialectical behavior therapy, one of the first effective treatments for BPD.
There currently is no FDA-approved medication for BPD, and so patients with the condition are usually treated with medication that targets their co-occurring disorders, such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Medications commonly prescribed to BPD patients include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac and Lexapro; or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, such as Effexor.
Multiple studies have linked decreased serotonin activity with impulsive aggressiveness and depression in people with BPD, according to Kreisman and Straus, so patients who strongly exhibit those symptoms respond most positively to SSRIs. A study by Mary Zanarini and her colleagues followed approximately former inpatients with BPD for 10 years, interviewing them at two-year intervals to assess the severity of their illness and determine whether or not they had improved.
Page last reviewed: 17 July Next review due: 17 July Home Mental health Mental health conditions Borderline personality disorder Back to Borderline personality disorder. Diagnosis - Borderline personality disorder. Community mental health team Community mental health teams help people with complex mental health conditions such as BPD.
Assessment Internationally recognised criteria are used to diagnose BPD. A diagnosis can usually be made if you answer "yes" to 5 or more of the following questions: Do you have an intense fear of being left alone, which causes you to act in ways that, on reflection, seem out of the ordinary or extreme, such as constantly phoning somebody but not including self-harming or suicidal behaviour? Do you have a pattern of intense and unstable relationships with other people that switch between thinking you love that person and they're wonderful to hating that person and thinking they're terrible?
Do you ever feel you do not have a strong sense of your own self and are unclear about your self-image? Do you engage in impulsive activities in 2 areas that are potentially damaging, such as unsafe sex, drug misuse or reckless spending but not including self-harming or suicidal behaviour? Have you made repeated suicide threats or attempts in your past and engaged in self-harming? Do you have severe mood swings, such as feeling intensely depressed, anxious or irritable, which last from a few hours to a few days?
Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like. This service exists in all areas. You can learn to manage your symptoms by looking after yourself. Selfcare is how you take care of your diet, sleep, exercise, daily routine, relationships and how you are feeling.
Routine helps many people with their mental wellbeing. It will help to give a structure to your day and may give you a sense of purpose. This could be a simple routine such as eating at the same time each day, going to bed at the same time each day and buying food once per week. Breathing exercises can help to calm you when you are feeling anxious. You will get the most benefit if you do them regularly, as part of your daily routine. There is more information about breathing exercises in the further reading section at the bottom of this page.
You could join a support group. A support group is where people come together to share information, experiences and give each other support. You might be able to find a local group by searching online. Rethink Mental Illness have support groups in some areas.
You can find out what is available in your area if you follow this link: www. Recovery colleges are part of the NHS. They offer free courses about mental health to help you manage your symptoms.
They can help you to take control of your life and become an expert in your own wellbeing and recovery.
You can usually self-refer to a recovery college. But the college may inform your care team. Unfortunately, recovery colleges are not available in all areas.
To see if there is a recovery college in your area you can use a search engine such as Google. As a carer, friend or family member of someone living with borderline personality disorder BPD , you might find that you need support. How do I get support from my peers? You can get peer support through carer support services or carers groups. You can search for local groups in your area by using a search engine such as Google.
How can learning about BPD help? Learning about BPD can help you to:. Learning about BPD was the most important thing I did to help understand the pain that my partner was going through. I learned how to best help her in moments of extreme emotional pain. I am now able to de-escalate situations quicker, leaving my partner comforted instead of feeling distant. It has improved our relationship a great deal and brought us closer.
What is a care plan? The care plan is a written document that says what care your relative or friend will get and who is responsible for it. A care plan should always include a crisis plan. A crisis plan will have information about who to contact if they become unwell.
You can use this information to support and encourage them to stay well and get help if needed. Can I be involved in care planning? As a carer you can be involved in decisions about care planning. Your relative or friend needs to give permission for the NHS to share information about them and their care. These techniques can help you when you feel anxious. Website : www. They have some useful information sheets and a workbook for people who are experiencing problems with coping with their feelings.
And for people experiencing distress. BPD World Provides information and support to people affected by personality disorders. It has an online support forum. Samaritans Can be contacted by telephone, letter, e-mail and mini-com. There's also a face-to-face service, available at their local branches. They are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Telephone : Email : jo samaritans. Telephone : Website : www. Sane Line Work with anyone affected by mental illness, including families, friends and carers. Their helpline is open between pm and They also provide a free text-based support service called Textcare and an online supportive forum community where anyone can share their experiences of mental health. Telephone : pm — pm every evening Textcare : www. Support Line They offer confidential emotional support to children, young adults and adults by telephone, email and post.
They work with callers to develop healthy, positive coping strategies, an inner feeling of strength and increased self-esteem to encourage healing, recovery and moving forward with life. Their opening hours vary so you need to ring them for details. Telephone : E-mail : info supportline. They offer accredited confidential, anonymous and free support, information and signposting to people anywhere in the UK through their helpline and webchat service.
Their helpline is open between 5pm and midnight every day of the year. Telephone : 58 58 58 Webchat : through the website Website : www.
My Black Dog Provides peer support webchat with volunteers who have experienced mental illness. Available evenings and weekends. Check the website for opening times. Websit e: www. Papyrus UK Work with people under 35 who are having suicidal feelings. And with people who are worried about someone under Their helpline is open 9am — 10pm in the week. And between 2pm and 10pm at weekends and bank holidays. Telephone : 41 41 Email : pat papyrus-uk.
Shout can help with urgent issues such as suicidal thoughts, abuse or assault, self-harm, bullying and relationship challenges. Text : Text Shout to Website : www. Donate Search Menu.
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Borderline personality disorder This section has information on borderline personality disorder BPD , including symptoms, causes and treatments. If you would like more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service by clicking here.
Download Borderline personality disorder factsheet. Share: Contact us:. Overview BPD means that you feel strong emotions that you struggle to cope with.
You may feel upset or angry a lot of the time. Around 1 in people live with BPD. There are different reasons why people get BPD. A lot of people who live with a diagnosis of BPD have had traumatic experiences in their childhood.
If you are someone living with a diagnosis of BPD, it is more likely that you will self-harm. And have challenges with relationships, alcohol or drugs. There is help available. There are different ways to treat BPD.
The NHS should normally offer you therapy. Need more advice? If you need more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service. Contact us Contact us. About What is borderline personality disorder BPD? Symptoms What are the symptoms of BPD? Everyone will experience BPD differently.
If you live with BPD, you may have difficulties with: being impulsive. This could be a feeling of being disconnected from your own body. Or feeling disconnected from the world around you.
You might not have a sense of who you are. Not everyone will experience all these symptoms. Sam's Story. Sam Sam's Story. You can find more information about: Personality disorders by clicking here. Dissociation and dissociative disorders by clicking here. Self-harm by clicking here.
Anxiety disorders by clicking here. Depression by clicking here. PTSD by clicking here. Drugs, alcohol and mental health by clicking here. Bipolar disorder by clicking here. There is no evidence though of a particular gene being responsible for BPD. Brain chemicals — problems with levels of your brain chemicals, particularly serotonin. Brain development — many people who live with BPD have smaller, or more active, parts of their brain.
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