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Borderline Personality Disorder
Well, I have come across different personalities I noticed they have this Borderline personality disorder. Therefore, today I was reading about it and would like to share with my beloved readers. As you all know the sensitivity of my subject. I can not make it by myself. I get information by reading different theories and experiments after that I share with you. Hope you will enjoy.
Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD) is a psychiatric diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV Personality Disorders 301.83 that describes a prolonged disturbance of personality function characterized by depth and variability of moods. The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; "black and white" thinking, or "splitting"; chaotic and unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, identity, and behavior; as well as a disturbance in the individual's sense of self. In extreme cases, this disturbance in the sense of self can lead to periods of dissociation.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity. Originally thought to be at the "borderline" of psychosis, people with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is more common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostly young women. There is a high rate of self-injury without suicide intent, as well as a significant rate of suicide attempts and completed suicide in severe cases. Patients often need extensive mental health services, and account for 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations. Yet, with help, many improve over time and are eventually able to lead productive lives.
Diagnosis is based on a clinical assessment by a qualified mental health professional. The assessment incorporates the patient's self-reported experiences as well as the clinician's observations. The resulting profile may be supported or corroborated by long term patterns of behavior as reported by family members, friends or co-workers. The list of criteria that must be met for diagnosis is outlined in the DSM-IV-TR.
Borderline type (F60.31) is Emotionally unstable personality disorder . This requires the following, in addition to the general criteria for personality disorder: disturbances in and uncertainty about self-image, aims, and internal preferences (including sexual); liability to become involved in intense and unstable relationships, abusing others with using bad language, threats, often leading to emotional crisis; excessive efforts to avoid abandonment; recurrent threats or acts of self-harm; and chronic feelings of emptiness. Borderline personality disorder and mood disorders often appear concurrently. Some features of borderline personality disorder may overlap with those of mood disorders, complicating the differential diagnostic assessment.
While a person with depression or bipolar disorder typically endures the same mood for weeks, a person with BPD may experience intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last only hours, or at most a day.5 These may be associated with episodes of impulsive aggression, self-injury, and drug or alcohol abuse. Distortions in cognition and sense of self can lead to frequent changes in long-term goals, career plans, jobs, friendships, gender identity, and values. Sometimes people with BPD view themselves as fundamentally bad, or unworthy. They may feel unfairly misunderstood or mistreated, bored, empty, and have little idea who they are. Such symptoms are most acute when people with BPD feel isolated and lacking in social support, and may result in frantic efforts to avoid being alone.
Types of counseling commonly used to treat the disorder include:-
* Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing certain thoughts and behavior patterns to control the symptoms of a condition.
* Dialectical behavior therapy, which helps reduce destructive behaviors by teaching healthy ways to adapt to and cope with challenges and feelings of frustration or lack of power.
* Psycho dynamic therapy, which focuses on uncovering or understanding your past to gain insight into your actions and current behavior. This technique assumes that problems with behavior are caused by internal conflicts that you are not consciously aware of.
* Family therapy, which can help educate your family about your condition and provide support to you and to those who care about you and are affected by your condition. For example, it is sometimes difficult for a parent with borderline personality disorder to be nurturing, even to his or her own child.
* Support groups, where you and people you care about are able to meet others who share similar challenges.
Techniques that may help you manage symptoms of borderline personality disorder, such as stress and anxiety, include:
* Getting enough sleep and going to bed around the same time every night.
* Eating a balanced diet.
* Getting regular exercise, such as walking or swimming.
* Avoiding alcohol, illegal drugs, and medicines that have not been prescribed to you. These may make your symptoms of borderline personality disorder worse and also may interfere with your prescribed medicines.
* Avoiding any major life decisions (like changing jobs, moving, or getting married or divorced) when you are feeling irritable, anxious, angry, or depressed.
* Building a strong social support system by developing positive relationships with other people, such as family members, friends, and health professionals.
Techniques that may help you manage features of borderline personality disorder include:
* Getting enough sleep and going to bed around the same time every night.
* Eating a balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and contains lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
* Getting regular exercise, such as walking or swimming.
* Avoiding alcohol, illegal drugs, and medicines that have not been prescribed to you. These may make your symptoms of borderline personality disorder worse and also may interfere with your prescribed medicines.
* Avoiding any major life decisions (like changing jobs, moving, or getting married or divorced) when you are feeling irritable, anxious, angry, or depressed.
* Keeping scheduled counseling appointments and taking your medicines as prescribed.
Treatment if the condition gets worse
If your symptoms associated with borderline personality disorder get worse while you are being treated with professional counseling and medicines, you may need to be hospitalized briefly until serious symptoms (such as intense thoughts of suicide) are reduced.
Your doctor may also prescribe medicines, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), to help reduce symptoms and prevent relapse (a return of your symptoms). It may take several weeks for these medicines to become effective.
You can help manage symptoms by getting enough sleep regularly, eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and medicines not prescribed for you, avoiding big decisions when you are feeling low, keeping scheduled counseling appointments, and taking all medicines as prescribed.
Successful treatment for borderline personality disorder is more difficult but not impossible if you have:
* Been abused as a child.
* Experienced symptoms early in life.
* Had symptoms over a long period of time.
* Continued to be unable to control your emotions.
* Experienced problems with aggression, substance abuse, or other mental health conditions, such as depression.
God bless and keep smiling!
Posted byIrum Khan