What Does Recovery Look Like?

Trying to determine if someone in your life suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and what can be done about it? You will soon find out that this is a complex question.

When in the midst of a relationship with the person who may be suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, it can feel like there are more questions then there are answers.

This documentary video takes an in-depth look at the disorder. It not only includes three individual sufferers perspective, including Kiera Van Gelder author of The Buddha and the Borderline, but also from their family members as well. They discuss an array of issues including the confusion within the symptoms, angry outbursts, isolation, cutting, suicidal ideation, self destructiveness, and the misconceptions surrounding the behaviors in response to the intense emotions. 

The documentary also features leading experts in the field of Borderline Personality Disorder, Dr. John Gunderson, Dr. Marsha Linehan, and Dr. Perry Hoffman, discussing behaviors, clinical diagnosis, and treatments. Their commentary bringing a greater understanding of the disorder but also a message of hope. There is treatment. There are tools out there for family members. There are answers and solutions. The first step is knowing that what is going on in a Borderline Personality Disorder sufferer's mind and how they are acting can be two entirely different things.  There are no simple behavioral checklists; no definitive tests. Identifying Borderline Personality Disorder requires having a working knowledge of the disorder and some insight into the past life of the person in question.

Borderline Personality Disorder is a disorder of the emotions. Imagine a person who is extremely sensitive to rejection (fearful of even perceived or anticipated rejection) and has a limited ability to regulate their emotional impulses (love, fear, anger, grief, etc.). To protect themselves from their own feelings, they are prone to adopt a multitude of dysfunctional rationalizations and cover-ups.

For example, a person suffering from BPD may so fear rejection in a new relationship that they recreate themselves in the image of a person they believe would be lovable. When the negative emotions for making such a sacrifice surface - and not having the ability to modulate them, they lash out at the target of their affections for "making them do it" - rather than face their own feelings of inadequacy / fear of rejection, ultimately damaging the relationship they so fear losing, and reinforcing their feelings of inadequacy / fear of rejection.

For more information or to register, please click here. www.bpdfamily.com

Author: DreamGirl

Adolescence and Borderline Personality

What is the difference between otherwise normal adolescence behavior and adolescence behavior associated with Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline Personality Disorder is not often diagnosed in adolescence, however adult patients with this diagnosis often explain that symptoms began in early childhood. 

The behavior can include extreme sexual activity, utilizing drugs, engaging in impulsive and risky activities (i.e. driving too fast, stealing) – according to Dr. Blaise Aguirre the difference lies in the functionality of the behavior, being that the function of one is typical and the other’s function is mostly to help regulate the emotion(s) of the child in the moment [suffering from BPD].

Blaisse Aguirre, M.D.,  discusses in this video how to recognize the difference and how to better understand the purpose behind it.  He addresses in depth the criteria needed to diagnose BPD according to the current DSM and uses specific examples for younger children that gives a better understanding to the behavior that leads to diagnosis. It is a must see for any parent or family member who  is raising a child who may (or may not be) suffering from BPD.

 Dr. Aguirre is an expert in child, adolescent and adult psychotherapy, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and psychopharmacology. He is the founding medical director of 3East at Harvard - affiliated McLean Hospital, a unique, residential DBT program for young women exhibiting self-endangering behaviors and borderline personality traits (BPD). Dr. Aguirre has been a staff psychiatrist at McLean since 2000 and is nationally and internationally recognized for his extensive work in the treatment of mood and personality disorders in adolescents. He lectures regularly in Europe, Africa and The Middle East on BPD and DBT.

Author: DreamGirl

Avoid Creating an Invalidating Home

In his talk on October 18, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN, Alan Fruzzetti, Ph.D. explores what it means to give someone a validating response rather than an invalidating response and how validating responses can be used to help a person with high levels of emotional arousal more constructively process their feelings, emotional dysregulation or personal chaos.

In this video, Dr. Fruzzetti explains the fine art of "validating" and shows us how easy it is to be invalidating.  He explains that invalidation is not necessarily abusive, mean, neglectful, uncaring or dyfunctional - it can be caring and well intended - but painful nonetheless. 

Dr. Fruzzetti recommends that families of a person with BPD also be in therapy as (1) it’s very stressful to have a loved one in emotional chaos and (2) it benefits the person with BPD when the family is part of the solution.

Alan E. Fruzzetti, Ph.D. is associate professor of psychology and director of the DBT Therapy and Research Program at the University of Nevada and Research Advisor Member of the Board of Directors of the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD). 

Author: Vivekananda