Symptoms of Depression Series: Fatigue
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Monday, May 31, 2010
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There are many symptoms of depression and we have talked about a couple of them in depth including hopelessness and feeling numb. Today we are going to talk about the symptom of fatigue. I am sure many of us have felt that weariness which leaves us lifeless and depleted. We are going to talk about what fatigue feels like, possible causes and what we can do when fatigue interferes with our day to day functioning.
What does it feel like to suffer from depression fatigue?
The thing that some people might not get about depression is that it takes such a physical toll on our body. If you read the many definitions of the word “depressed” even the meanings which are unrelated to mood use adjectives like “flattened,” “pressed down” or “lowered to sink.” These can also accurately describe the feelings of fatigue one can get from depression. When I am depressed sometimes I feel that I am being pulled low to the ground. My posture slumps. My chest feels heavy and weighted. My movements are slow and purposeless. I don’t feel like doing anything. I don’t want to go anywhere. I just want to sit and do nothing or sleep. But sleep doesn’t re-energize. It is merely a way to escape conscious thought and emotion. One wakes up tired and sometimes more depressed in the morning. The fatigue of depression makes every action, every daily chore or responsibility feel as though it takes a tremendous amount of energy that you don’t have.
Whether you are at home or at work, you wonder, “Am I going to make it through this day?” This is what the depression related fatigue feels like for me. What does it feel like for you?
What causes the depression symptom of fatigue?
Here is the tricky thing about fatigue with depression-which came first? It is well known that feeling fatigued can also make you feel depressed. And if you are depressed you may feel fatigued as a result. It is like that chicken or the egg conundrum. There are biological explanations given for the fatigue associated with depression and one relates to an enzyme called monoamine oxidase A, or MAO-A. According to the scientific literature, this enzyme destroys neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine which are all necessary to regulate both mood and energy levels. MAO-A levels are reportedly too high in persons suffering from depression and this causes the other neurotransmitters to be low. Thus, people with depression may feel abnormally tired as a result.
There is other research which shows an association between depression and fatigue. In a study published in a 2004 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine researchers found that depression sufferers were more than four times as likely to develop unexplained fatigue. And they also found that the reverse is also true that those who suffer from fatigue are nearly three times as likely to become depressed. So it is clear that one of the risk factors for having depression is that you may also suffer from fatigue.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Get-In-Shape Help For the Stressed
Get-In-Shape Help For the Stressed
Feeling stress about wearing less in the coming months because you find yourself eating more when stressed? Here are some tips for dealing with emotional eating, stress cravings and more. (Plus: how does stress affect the eating patterns of my other readers? Find out and weigh in here--so to speak.)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYO
Feeling stress about wearing less in the coming months because you find yourself eating more when stressed? Here are some tips for dealing with emotional eating, stress cravings and more. (Plus: how does stress affect the eating patterns of my other readers? Find out and weigh in here--so to speak.)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYO
Get Active--Here's Motivation
Get Active--Here's Motivation
National Running Day was this week, which provides some nice motivation to get moving (if the thought of wearing shorts again wasn't motivation enough). Read more on the stress relief benefits of running, share alternatives, and see what others have to say about exercise (hint: there's a poll involved!)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYN
National Running Day was this week, which provides some nice motivation to get moving (if the thought of wearing shorts again wasn't motivation enough). Read more on the stress relief benefits of running, share alternatives, and see what others have to say about exercise (hint: there's a poll involved!)
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9lYN
I am anxious when driving on the freeway. What do I do?
I am anxious when driving on the freeway. What do I do? 4 Posted in Anxiety by Julie Cohen on Jun 05, 2010
"As soon as the speedometer hits 45 I begin to experience anxiety and cannot make it up to 65mph while driving on the freeway. Please let me know what I have and ways to get help?"
Road anxiety or anxiety while driving is very common. Many people feel that something about the driving experience whether it’s someone else driving or hitting a particular speed or certain curvy parts of a highway makes them feel out of control.
I would ask yourself a couple things off the bat. Are you anxious about other things besides driving? And, what are you beliefs about driving over 45 mph? Anxiety typically does not reside in a vacuum. In other words, most people worry about more than one thing. So you could worry about driving over 45 and also worry about potential medical problems. Those are two totally different fears but the same anxiety. Anxiety is like a fungus; unless it’s treated it tends to spread to other areas!
Anxiety is fueled by avoidance. Unfortunately, most anxiety and panic drives us to hide from the fear. The key to dealing with your anxiety is to face it head on. I know everyone who can relate to this article just had the hairs on the back of their necks stand up! But, to extinguish the anxiety you must walk into it rather than away from it.
I highly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for dealing with anxiety. “Cog-B” helps to identify irrational and extinguish irrational thoughts. It also focuses of creating new rational thoughts which are the tools that will help bring a new perspective and reduce your anxiety so you can conquer your fears.
- Julie
Related Discussions on DailyStrength:
I only feel safe when my Dad drives me- other people make me very nervous. Sometimes, I can't even ride on the freeway with him driving. Posted on 09/11/07, 01:03 pm
Driving along a motorway/freeway seems to be the worse thing for me, i can normally quite happily travel around my town and even a bit further and im ok but get me on the motorway/freeway and i start freaking out. Posted on 12/28/07, 10:46 pm
How do I stop being afraid of FREEWAYS? I am so afraid of getting on the freeway. I will take the longest way I can find just to keep from getting on. Posted on 04/24/09, 01:43 pm
http://www.dailystrength.org/experts/julie-cohen/article/i-am-anxious-when-driving-on-the-freeway
"As soon as the speedometer hits 45 I begin to experience anxiety and cannot make it up to 65mph while driving on the freeway. Please let me know what I have and ways to get help?"
Road anxiety or anxiety while driving is very common. Many people feel that something about the driving experience whether it’s someone else driving or hitting a particular speed or certain curvy parts of a highway makes them feel out of control.
I would ask yourself a couple things off the bat. Are you anxious about other things besides driving? And, what are you beliefs about driving over 45 mph? Anxiety typically does not reside in a vacuum. In other words, most people worry about more than one thing. So you could worry about driving over 45 and also worry about potential medical problems. Those are two totally different fears but the same anxiety. Anxiety is like a fungus; unless it’s treated it tends to spread to other areas!
Anxiety is fueled by avoidance. Unfortunately, most anxiety and panic drives us to hide from the fear. The key to dealing with your anxiety is to face it head on. I know everyone who can relate to this article just had the hairs on the back of their necks stand up! But, to extinguish the anxiety you must walk into it rather than away from it.
I highly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for dealing with anxiety. “Cog-B” helps to identify irrational and extinguish irrational thoughts. It also focuses of creating new rational thoughts which are the tools that will help bring a new perspective and reduce your anxiety so you can conquer your fears.
- Julie
Related Discussions on DailyStrength:
I only feel safe when my Dad drives me- other people make me very nervous. Sometimes, I can't even ride on the freeway with him driving. Posted on 09/11/07, 01:03 pm
Driving along a motorway/freeway seems to be the worse thing for me, i can normally quite happily travel around my town and even a bit further and im ok but get me on the motorway/freeway and i start freaking out. Posted on 12/28/07, 10:46 pm
How do I stop being afraid of FREEWAYS? I am so afraid of getting on the freeway. I will take the longest way I can find just to keep from getting on. Posted on 04/24/09, 01:43 pm
http://www.dailystrength.org/experts/julie-cohen/article/i-am-anxious-when-driving-on-the-freeway
Monday, June 7, 2010
What are the Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder?
What are the Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder?
What causes borderline personality disorder? Learn more about the factors that may contribute to the development of BPD, including environmental and biological factors. The contribution of childhood experiences, trauma, genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry are covered.
http://bpd.about.com/od/causesofbpd/Causes_of_Borderline_Personality_Disorder_BPD.htm
What causes borderline personality disorder? Learn more about the factors that may contribute to the development of BPD, including environmental and biological factors. The contribution of childhood experiences, trauma, genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry are covered.
http://bpd.about.com/od/causesofbpd/Causes_of_Borderline_Personality_Disorder_BPD.htm
Recommended Reading: Books About BPD
Recommended Reading: Books About BPD
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated October 11, 2009
A number of books on BPD have been published, some by experts in the field and some by people with the disorder. When you set out to learn more about the disorder, you may be overwhelmed by the choices. Here are a few helpful books to start with.
"Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD" by Robert O. Friedel. Marlowe and Company, 2001.
"Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" by Marsha M. Linehan. Guilford Press, 1993.
"The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide" by Alex Chapman and Kim Gratz. New Harbinger Publications, 2007.
"Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies" by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, For Dummies, 2009.
"Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Coping When Your Adolescent Has BPD" by Blaise Aguirre, MD, Fair Winds Press, 2007.
"Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder" by Richard Moskovitz. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2nd edition, 2001.
"Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder" by Rachel Reiland. Hazelden, 2004.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated October 11, 2009
A number of books on BPD have been published, some by experts in the field and some by people with the disorder. When you set out to learn more about the disorder, you may be overwhelmed by the choices. Here are a few helpful books to start with.
"Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD" by Robert O. Friedel. Marlowe and Company, 2001.
"Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" by Marsha M. Linehan. Guilford Press, 1993.
"The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide" by Alex Chapman and Kim Gratz. New Harbinger Publications, 2007.
"Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies" by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, For Dummies, 2009.
"Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Coping When Your Adolescent Has BPD" by Blaise Aguirre, MD, Fair Winds Press, 2007.
"Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder" by Richard Moskovitz. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2nd edition, 2001.
"Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder" by Rachel Reiland. Hazelden, 2004.
How to Choose Self Help Books
How to Choose Self Help Books
Learn How to Find a Quality Self Help Books
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 02, 2009
There are hundreds of self help books available on bookstore shelves. These books promise to help you lose weight, beat depression, reduce anxiety, even recover from borderline personality disorder (BPD). Pick any problem and you will probably find at least five self help books that are designed to tackle it. And, research has shown that these books can work; for example, self help programs for depression and anxiety are associated with reduced symptoms in people who use them.
Unfortunately, these books can vary dramatically in terms of their quality. With so many books available, how do you know which to choose? Of course, reading reviews of the books can help, but it can also help to have a keen eye for the factors that make a self help book more likely to be a reliable source of information, and the factors that alert you to sources that are less trustworthy.
Choose Self Help Books: What to Look For
Below are some general guidelines to help you choose self help books. It is important to note that these are generalizations; there are some very good self help books that do not meet all of the guidelines below, and other poor quality books that on the surface appear to meet the criteria. However, these guidelines may help you narrow down your choices.
Who is the Author? First, take a look at who wrote the book. In general, quality self help books are written by people who are considered experts in the topic. Usually, these individuals are mental health professionals who hold doctoral or medical degrees, conduct research in the topic area, have experience as practitioners, and are affiliated with academic institutions. Self help books that are of less quality tend to be written by people who are not professionals.
How Broad is the Topic Area Covered? Another characteristic of lower quality self help books is that they tend to cover very broad topic areas. For example, these books may promise methods to change every area of your lifestyle for the better. If a book promises this, be cautious. Often an approach that specifically targets the problem you are having is more realistic.
Where Does the Author Get Their Information? Next, evaluate where the information in the book is coming from. Flip to the back of the book (or the end of each chapter). Are there references cited? Most good self help books cite references from the peer-reviewed scientific and professional literature. For example, a citation from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology or the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that the author has done his or her homework; they have consulted the research literature and are delivering solid advice based on scientific studies.
What Claims Does the Author Make? Finally, it is very important to consider the claims that the author makes about their advice. As a general rule, there are no magical cures. If the author claims that in only 15 minutes a day you can be worry-free for the rest of your life, be skeptical. If a claim about the effectiveness of a program seems too good to be true, it probably is. In fact, good self help books acknowledge the limitations of self help, and provide guidance on seeking professional help.
Consult the Experts. If you are having trouble determining whether a book is of dubious quality, there are resources available to help you determine which self help book is right for you. In addition to consulting online reviews, a group of expert mental health clinicians and researchers have compiled reviews of over 1,000 self help resources by thousands of mental health clinicians:
The Authoritative Guide to Self Help Resources in Mental Health, Revised Edition, by Drs. John Norcross, John Santrock, Linda Campbell, Thomas Smith, Robert Sommer, and Edward Zuckerman. New York: Guilford Press, 2003.
Most libraries carry this guide; it is a great resource for finding good self help books for most mental health problems.
Sources:
Den Boer PCAM, Wiersma D, Van Den Bosch RJ. “Why is Self Help Neglected in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders?” A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Medicine, 34: 959-971, 2004.
Redding RE, Herbert JD, Forman EM, Gaudiano BA. “Popular Self Help Books for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma: How Scientifically Grounded and Useful are They?” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39: 537-545, 2008.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
Learn How to Find a Quality Self Help Books
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 02, 2009
There are hundreds of self help books available on bookstore shelves. These books promise to help you lose weight, beat depression, reduce anxiety, even recover from borderline personality disorder (BPD). Pick any problem and you will probably find at least five self help books that are designed to tackle it. And, research has shown that these books can work; for example, self help programs for depression and anxiety are associated with reduced symptoms in people who use them.
Unfortunately, these books can vary dramatically in terms of their quality. With so many books available, how do you know which to choose? Of course, reading reviews of the books can help, but it can also help to have a keen eye for the factors that make a self help book more likely to be a reliable source of information, and the factors that alert you to sources that are less trustworthy.
Choose Self Help Books: What to Look For
Below are some general guidelines to help you choose self help books. It is important to note that these are generalizations; there are some very good self help books that do not meet all of the guidelines below, and other poor quality books that on the surface appear to meet the criteria. However, these guidelines may help you narrow down your choices.
Who is the Author? First, take a look at who wrote the book. In general, quality self help books are written by people who are considered experts in the topic. Usually, these individuals are mental health professionals who hold doctoral or medical degrees, conduct research in the topic area, have experience as practitioners, and are affiliated with academic institutions. Self help books that are of less quality tend to be written by people who are not professionals.
How Broad is the Topic Area Covered? Another characteristic of lower quality self help books is that they tend to cover very broad topic areas. For example, these books may promise methods to change every area of your lifestyle for the better. If a book promises this, be cautious. Often an approach that specifically targets the problem you are having is more realistic.
Where Does the Author Get Their Information? Next, evaluate where the information in the book is coming from. Flip to the back of the book (or the end of each chapter). Are there references cited? Most good self help books cite references from the peer-reviewed scientific and professional literature. For example, a citation from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology or the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that the author has done his or her homework; they have consulted the research literature and are delivering solid advice based on scientific studies.
What Claims Does the Author Make? Finally, it is very important to consider the claims that the author makes about their advice. As a general rule, there are no magical cures. If the author claims that in only 15 minutes a day you can be worry-free for the rest of your life, be skeptical. If a claim about the effectiveness of a program seems too good to be true, it probably is. In fact, good self help books acknowledge the limitations of self help, and provide guidance on seeking professional help.
Consult the Experts. If you are having trouble determining whether a book is of dubious quality, there are resources available to help you determine which self help book is right for you. In addition to consulting online reviews, a group of expert mental health clinicians and researchers have compiled reviews of over 1,000 self help resources by thousands of mental health clinicians:
The Authoritative Guide to Self Help Resources in Mental Health, Revised Edition, by Drs. John Norcross, John Santrock, Linda Campbell, Thomas Smith, Robert Sommer, and Edward Zuckerman. New York: Guilford Press, 2003.
Most libraries carry this guide; it is a great resource for finding good self help books for most mental health problems.
Sources:
Den Boer PCAM, Wiersma D, Van Den Bosch RJ. “Why is Self Help Neglected in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders?” A Meta-Analysis.” Psychological Medicine, 34: 959-971, 2004.
Redding RE, Herbert JD, Forman EM, Gaudiano BA. “Popular Self Help Books for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma: How Scientifically Grounded and Useful are They?” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39: 537-545, 2008.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
Relapsed Went into the Hospital
So early May I had a set back and end up w/ self injury that was pretty severe so I voluntarily stayed at McLean Hospital for a few days. I saw the handwriting on the wall and new I was starting to come apart.
Good news is I am doing much better I have new outside providers and am on new meds that seem to be working pretty well knock on wood hopefully everything continues to go this way.
Good news is I am doing much better I have new outside providers and am on new meds that seem to be working pretty well knock on wood hopefully everything continues to go this way.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Mediation as a coping skill
Welcome to the Meditative Movements e-Newsletter. This edition's affirmation is "I release worry". We can worry about virtually any and every part of our lives. Whether it's losing a job, being in a poor relationship, or having health problems, worry is a common response for most people. If you are a worrier, I don't need to tell you everything that you could worry about. You already know.
When I find myself in situations like those noted above, I have found that repeating the "I release worry" affirmation has benefited me and others. It's important for me to live in the present moment. Worrying and thinking about all the potential "what ifs" doesn't help me or you. Since this moment is all that we have, we need to embrace this moment confidently and not waste any precious moments by worrying. When I train my body, mind and being together, I feel the energy and power to live as my best self. You can enjoy this feeling too by releasing those worrying thoughts as you exercise.
My program offers you a way to feel centered and energized so that releasing worry is easier. The Meditative Movements book offers cardio, strengthening, yoga flexibility and balance movements and Power of Positive Aerobics DVD is a 30-minute video that has three different workout levels making it suitable for all fitness abilities. Both use positive core value affirmations so that you can affirm yourself, move your body so you can change your life. Visit Ellie's Meditative Movements for past newsletter and product information.
May you release worry and find confidence. One affirmation and one movement at a time.
http://www.meditativemovements.com/productcatalog.html
When I find myself in situations like those noted above, I have found that repeating the "I release worry" affirmation has benefited me and others. It's important for me to live in the present moment. Worrying and thinking about all the potential "what ifs" doesn't help me or you. Since this moment is all that we have, we need to embrace this moment confidently and not waste any precious moments by worrying. When I train my body, mind and being together, I feel the energy and power to live as my best self. You can enjoy this feeling too by releasing those worrying thoughts as you exercise.
My program offers you a way to feel centered and energized so that releasing worry is easier. The Meditative Movements book offers cardio, strengthening, yoga flexibility and balance movements and Power of Positive Aerobics DVD is a 30-minute video that has three different workout levels making it suitable for all fitness abilities. Both use positive core value affirmations so that you can affirm yourself, move your body so you can change your life. Visit Ellie's Meditative Movements for past newsletter and product information.
May you release worry and find confidence. One affirmation and one movement at a time.
http://www.meditativemovements.com/productcatalog.html
Sad today
My sister and I are on the outs as usual which is no surprise if people knew my chaotic dystunctional upbringing. My sister and I don't work because she is a narcisst and I can't back down when she hurdles insults my way. Well recently pretty much all of her friends didn't want to deal with her drama they way I have for years and decided to back way off from her. Oh yeah did I mention she has nothing to do with my son her only nephew. Anyway, she just called my best friend who is also her friend and wants to make amends so thats what their off doing making amends with each other. And I am wondering why my blood has more motivation and desire to work on her relationship with a friend than with her only sister and it triggers this idea in my head that "why I am not good enough" and "nobody wants me" and I am sitting here crying and I know my sister doesn't have an ounce of sympathy or love and yet I will always sadly have a piece of me that actually gives a shit and feels pain when she slights me over and over again. This lastest thing with my sister has thrust me into some major depression have very horrific thoughts but I have hope always.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Complex PTSD vs. PTSD: What is the Difference?
Complex PTSD vs. PTSD: What is the Difference?
Wednesday April 7, 2010
The symptoms of PTSD apply well to people who have experienced a discrete or short-lived traumatic event, such as a motor vehicle accident, natural disaster, or rape. However, the symptoms of PTSD do not always completely map onto the experiences of people who have experienced chronic, repeated, or long-lasting traumatic events, such as childhood sexual and/or physical abuse, domestic violence, or captivity.
When it comes to these events, the symptoms of PTSD do not really seem to completely describe the psychological harm, emotional problems, and changes in how people view themselves and the world following chronic traumatic exposure. Therefore, some mental health professionals believe that we should distinguish between the type of PTSD that develops from chronic, long-lasting traumatic events as compared PTSD from short-lived events. The diagnosis of "Complex PTSD" refers to the set of symptoms that commonly follow exposure to a chronic traumatic event.
You can learn more about complex PTSD and its symptoms in this article.
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9V%5Bm
FYI-It has been suggested that I have Complex PTSD
Wednesday April 7, 2010
The symptoms of PTSD apply well to people who have experienced a discrete or short-lived traumatic event, such as a motor vehicle accident, natural disaster, or rape. However, the symptoms of PTSD do not always completely map onto the experiences of people who have experienced chronic, repeated, or long-lasting traumatic events, such as childhood sexual and/or physical abuse, domestic violence, or captivity.
When it comes to these events, the symptoms of PTSD do not really seem to completely describe the psychological harm, emotional problems, and changes in how people view themselves and the world following chronic traumatic exposure. Therefore, some mental health professionals believe that we should distinguish between the type of PTSD that develops from chronic, long-lasting traumatic events as compared PTSD from short-lived events. The diagnosis of "Complex PTSD" refers to the set of symptoms that commonly follow exposure to a chronic traumatic event.
You can learn more about complex PTSD and its symptoms in this article.
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9V%5Bm
FYI-It has been suggested that I have Complex PTSD
Making Positive Changes in Your Life
Making Positive Changes in Your Life
Sunday April 18, 2010
When it comes to addressing PTSD symptoms (whether it is through therapy, self-help, medications, etc.), we are understandably often focused intently on reducing or eliminating symptoms. However, once we have accomplished that, many people may be left asking themselves, "Now what?" That is, we often focus our attention on reducing symptoms without focusing much attention on building a positive and meaningful life. Therefore, as you are addressing your PTSD symptoms, it is also important to bring attention to increasing positive and important activities in your life. The American Psychological Association has a number of helpful tips on how to make lasting positive changes in your life that can ultimately increase the extent with which you are living a life that feels important, meaningful, and healthy.
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9V%5Bl
Sunday April 18, 2010
When it comes to addressing PTSD symptoms (whether it is through therapy, self-help, medications, etc.), we are understandably often focused intently on reducing or eliminating symptoms. However, once we have accomplished that, many people may be left asking themselves, "Now what?" That is, we often focus our attention on reducing symptoms without focusing much attention on building a positive and meaningful life. Therefore, as you are addressing your PTSD symptoms, it is also important to bring attention to increasing positive and important activities in your life. The American Psychological Association has a number of helpful tips on how to make lasting positive changes in your life that can ultimately increase the extent with which you are living a life that feels important, meaningful, and healthy.
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/9V%5Bl
A bit of yet another setback.......
I have been patiently waiting to get into a place in Quincy, MA near where I live for treatment of my BPD and after waiting two weeks I get a call with them telling me there was some kind of miscommunication between my old doctor and them so I would have to 3-6 weeks more for treatment and I tried to hold my anger inside but failed and ended up swearing and yelling at the therapist out of frustration and end up telling her to blank herself and I would find another place then I called my PCP bawling, nice switch from red hot anger to despair and sobbing gotta love BPD, and they were very nice and said they would do what they could to help me with a referral and today I called a place I am familiar with in my area but as luck would have the intake person was not there today............errrrrrrrr!!! I am binge drinking right now probably not a good thing. I know it will get better I always have hope and faith.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Finding Meaning
Finding Meaning
An Exercise to Help You Find More Meaning in Your Life
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: May 27, 2009
Exercise and Fitness
Do you need help finding meaning in your life? Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with feelings of emptiness, identity problems, and depressed mood. Together, the symptoms of BPD can leave you searching for meaning in your life.
This is one exercise that is designed to help you identify what is meaningful to you. Of course, finding meaning is not an easy process, and no one exercise will get you there; finding meaning takes work and is best accomplished with the help of a good therapist. In fact, this may be an exercise that you want to work on with your therapist.
Finding Meaning – What Is Meaningful to Me?
The first step toward finding meaning in your life is to determine what aspects of your life are meaningful to you. This exercise, which is adapted from an exercise from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is related to Dialectical Behavior Therapy for BPD, can help you assess what is meaningful to you.
To begin this exercise, take out a notebook or a sheet of paper. Down the left side of the page, write the following list:
Now that you have the list, next to each item write a number between 1 and 5 that corresponds with how important you personally find each area to be in your life, with 5 = extremely important and 1= not at all important.
If you are not sure, just write a question mark. Remember that there are no right answers, and no one will ever have to see this list. Just write down what you feel is important to you (not what anyone else says should be important to you).
Finding Meaning – Define What Would Bring You Meaning
Now that you have rated each domain on the list in terms of importance to you, pick the two domains that you rated as most important. If you rated every domain as exactly as important as any other, go back and think about whether there is actually one or two domains that stand out as more important than the others (even if only by a little bit).
For the one or two domains that you picked out as most important, write one or two sentences about how you would like to behave in each domain. This is important- this is not about how you would like to feel or think (e.g., I would like to be confident and self-assured). Instead, focus on behavior, or how you would like to act in that domain. Here is an example from the “intimate relationships” domain:
”I would like to be a kind and caring partner. I would like to say supportive things to my partner when they are feeling down, and I would like to do things for them that will help make their life a little easier. I would also like to act as if I am worthwhile in relationships by asking for the things I need.”
Finding Meaning – Putting It Together
Now look at what you have written how you would like to behave in the one or two domains that you chose as most important to you. Hopefully you have written one or two sentences that describe behaviors or actions that you would like to take in those domains. These are the types of actions that can help you find meaning in your life—these are the ways that you would like to be in the areas of your life that are most important to you.
Don’t be surprised if reading the statements you have written makes you sad—perhaps you are not acting the way you would like in these areas of your life, or perhaps you feel no where near where you would like to be in these areas (e.g., maybe you are not in an intimate relationship despite the fact that it is very important to you).
If you are struggling with this exercise and are having a hard time finishing it, put it down and come back to it another time. This can be a very difficult exercise, and sometimes it requires some time to “digest,” so let it sit for a while and try again when you are ready. You can also try talking it over with a friend, or a therapist, to get more input.
If you have completed this exercise you have taken a very important step toward living a more meaningful life—you have determined what areas of your life are most important to you, and you have specified a few actions you could take that would move you toward having more meaning in your life.
Source:
Hayes SC. Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 1st ed. New Harbinger Publications; 2005.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
An Exercise to Help You Find More Meaning in Your Life
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: May 27, 2009
Exercise and Fitness
Do you need help finding meaning in your life? Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with feelings of emptiness, identity problems, and depressed mood. Together, the symptoms of BPD can leave you searching for meaning in your life.
This is one exercise that is designed to help you identify what is meaningful to you. Of course, finding meaning is not an easy process, and no one exercise will get you there; finding meaning takes work and is best accomplished with the help of a good therapist. In fact, this may be an exercise that you want to work on with your therapist.
Finding Meaning – What Is Meaningful to Me?
The first step toward finding meaning in your life is to determine what aspects of your life are meaningful to you. This exercise, which is adapted from an exercise from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is related to Dialectical Behavior Therapy for BPD, can help you assess what is meaningful to you.
To begin this exercise, take out a notebook or a sheet of paper. Down the left side of the page, write the following list:
Now that you have the list, next to each item write a number between 1 and 5 that corresponds with how important you personally find each area to be in your life, with 5 = extremely important and 1= not at all important.
If you are not sure, just write a question mark. Remember that there are no right answers, and no one will ever have to see this list. Just write down what you feel is important to you (not what anyone else says should be important to you).
Finding Meaning – Define What Would Bring You Meaning
Now that you have rated each domain on the list in terms of importance to you, pick the two domains that you rated as most important. If you rated every domain as exactly as important as any other, go back and think about whether there is actually one or two domains that stand out as more important than the others (even if only by a little bit).
For the one or two domains that you picked out as most important, write one or two sentences about how you would like to behave in each domain. This is important- this is not about how you would like to feel or think (e.g., I would like to be confident and self-assured). Instead, focus on behavior, or how you would like to act in that domain. Here is an example from the “intimate relationships” domain:
”I would like to be a kind and caring partner. I would like to say supportive things to my partner when they are feeling down, and I would like to do things for them that will help make their life a little easier. I would also like to act as if I am worthwhile in relationships by asking for the things I need.”
Finding Meaning – Putting It Together
Now look at what you have written how you would like to behave in the one or two domains that you chose as most important to you. Hopefully you have written one or two sentences that describe behaviors or actions that you would like to take in those domains. These are the types of actions that can help you find meaning in your life—these are the ways that you would like to be in the areas of your life that are most important to you.
Don’t be surprised if reading the statements you have written makes you sad—perhaps you are not acting the way you would like in these areas of your life, or perhaps you feel no where near where you would like to be in these areas (e.g., maybe you are not in an intimate relationship despite the fact that it is very important to you).
If you are struggling with this exercise and are having a hard time finishing it, put it down and come back to it another time. This can be a very difficult exercise, and sometimes it requires some time to “digest,” so let it sit for a while and try again when you are ready. You can also try talking it over with a friend, or a therapist, to get more input.
If you have completed this exercise you have taken a very important step toward living a more meaningful life—you have determined what areas of your life are most important to you, and you have specified a few actions you could take that would move you toward having more meaning in your life.
Source:
Hayes SC. Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 1st ed. New Harbinger Publications; 2005.
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD
Borderline Personality Disorder Guide
The Relationship Between Child Abuse and BPD
The Relationship Between Child Abuse and BPD
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated April 05, 2008
Child Abuse
Does child abuse cause BPD? There is no simple answer; we don't yet know exactly what causes BPD. There is evidence that people with BPD are more likely to report a history of child abuse or other distressing childhood experiences. But, many people who have experienced child abuse do not have BPD, and many people with BPD were not abused or maltreated as children.
What is Child Abuse?
There are several different definitions of child abuse, and these definitions change over time. However, there are a set of experiences that experts generally consider to fit in this category, including physical abuse (being physically hurt or injured), sexual abuse (being subjected to sexual behaviors by someone older), or emotional abuse (being subjected to distressing emotional attacks; i.e., being verbally abused).
Experts also recognize that active abuse is not the only type of maltreatment that can have negative consequences for a child. Examples of other negative childhood events include physical neglect (being denied basic physical needs, such as food), and emotional neglect (having one's emotional needs denied or ignored).
Both child abuse and neglect can be related to the development of psychological disorders. Sometime the term "child maltreatment" is used to describe both abuse and neglect of children.
Research on Child Abuse and BPD
Research does indicate that there is a relationship between child abuse and BPD. People with BPD report high rates of childhood sexual abuse and/or physical abuse. Forty to 76 percent of people with BPD report that they were sexually abused as children, and 25 to 73 percent report that they were physically abused. So, while there is a good deal of research that links childhood abuse to BPD, there is also evidence that about a third of people with BPD report no abuse.
There is also evidence to link BPD to other forms of child maltreatment, such as emotional and physical neglect. In fact, some research suggests that emotional and physical neglect may be even more closely related to the development of BPD than physical or sexual abuse (however, this is difficult to determine, since children who experience abuse also often experience some form of neglect).
The Bottom Line
Research has fairly conclusively demonstrated a relationship between BPD and child maltreatment. However, there have been no studies that have been able to demonstrate conclusively that child maltreatment causes BPD. Rather, the research shows that BPD and child maltreatment tend to be associated with one another. More research is needed to determine whether child maltreatment is a cause of BPD, and, if so, what types of child maltreatment are most closely associated with the development of BPD. For now, we know that while child abuse is related to BPD, it is neither a necessary or sufficient cause. There are other factors, such as genetics, biology, and other environmental factors, that are also involved in the development of BPD.
Sources:
Bornovalova MA, Gratz KL, Delany-Brumsey A, Paulson A, and Lejuez CW. "Temperamental and Environmental Risk Factors for Borderline Personality Disorder Among Inner-City Substance Users in Residential Treatment." Journal of Personality Disorders, 20:218-231, 2006.
Soloff PH, Lynch KG, Kelly TM. "Child Abuse as a Risk Factor for Suicidal Behavior in Borderline Personality Disorder." Journal of Personality Disorders, 16:201-214, 2002.
Zanarini MC. "Childhood Experiences Associated with the Development of Borderline Personality Disorder." Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23:89-101.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated April 05, 2008
Child Abuse
Does child abuse cause BPD? There is no simple answer; we don't yet know exactly what causes BPD. There is evidence that people with BPD are more likely to report a history of child abuse or other distressing childhood experiences. But, many people who have experienced child abuse do not have BPD, and many people with BPD were not abused or maltreated as children.
What is Child Abuse?
There are several different definitions of child abuse, and these definitions change over time. However, there are a set of experiences that experts generally consider to fit in this category, including physical abuse (being physically hurt or injured), sexual abuse (being subjected to sexual behaviors by someone older), or emotional abuse (being subjected to distressing emotional attacks; i.e., being verbally abused).
Experts also recognize that active abuse is not the only type of maltreatment that can have negative consequences for a child. Examples of other negative childhood events include physical neglect (being denied basic physical needs, such as food), and emotional neglect (having one's emotional needs denied or ignored).
Both child abuse and neglect can be related to the development of psychological disorders. Sometime the term "child maltreatment" is used to describe both abuse and neglect of children.
Research on Child Abuse and BPD
Research does indicate that there is a relationship between child abuse and BPD. People with BPD report high rates of childhood sexual abuse and/or physical abuse. Forty to 76 percent of people with BPD report that they were sexually abused as children, and 25 to 73 percent report that they were physically abused. So, while there is a good deal of research that links childhood abuse to BPD, there is also evidence that about a third of people with BPD report no abuse.
There is also evidence to link BPD to other forms of child maltreatment, such as emotional and physical neglect. In fact, some research suggests that emotional and physical neglect may be even more closely related to the development of BPD than physical or sexual abuse (however, this is difficult to determine, since children who experience abuse also often experience some form of neglect).
The Bottom Line
Research has fairly conclusively demonstrated a relationship between BPD and child maltreatment. However, there have been no studies that have been able to demonstrate conclusively that child maltreatment causes BPD. Rather, the research shows that BPD and child maltreatment tend to be associated with one another. More research is needed to determine whether child maltreatment is a cause of BPD, and, if so, what types of child maltreatment are most closely associated with the development of BPD. For now, we know that while child abuse is related to BPD, it is neither a necessary or sufficient cause. There are other factors, such as genetics, biology, and other environmental factors, that are also involved in the development of BPD.
Sources:
Bornovalova MA, Gratz KL, Delany-Brumsey A, Paulson A, and Lejuez CW. "Temperamental and Environmental Risk Factors for Borderline Personality Disorder Among Inner-City Substance Users in Residential Treatment." Journal of Personality Disorders, 20:218-231, 2006.
Soloff PH, Lynch KG, Kelly TM. "Child Abuse as a Risk Factor for Suicidal Behavior in Borderline Personality Disorder." Journal of Personality Disorders, 16:201-214, 2002.
Zanarini MC. "Childhood Experiences Associated with the Development of Borderline Personality Disorder." Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23:89-101.
Borderline personality disorder medicines
Borderline personality disorder medicines
You shouldn't wait until you are in the
middle of an episode to take them.
They are also meant to be a preventative
medicine.
This means that it may be able to keep
relapses from happening in the first place.
So they should be taken even when you
are stable.
I know that many people don't like the
idea of having to take a medication for
the rest of their lives.
But it's better than the idea of having to
deal with all the pieces of a borderline
episode for the rest of your life.
It's better than dealing with the instability
that comes with untreated borderline
personality disorder.
And it's better than losing everything you
have and want because your borderline
episode allowed you to burn bridges.
Just think of it this way:
Someone who has insulin-dependant
diabetes will have to take insulin for the
rest of their lives in order to stay healthy.
Someone who has high blood pressure
may have to take blood pressure medicine
for the rest of their lives.
Someone who has chronic seizures may
have to take anti-seizure medication for
the rest of their lives.
It's the same sort of thing.
Borderline personality disorder is a
medical problem that happens to
affect the mind more than the body.
And, since it is a medical problem, it
needs to be treated in a medical way.
There are no surgeries that can be
performed to cure borderline personality
disorder.
There isn't a cream you can rub on your
forehead that will take it all away.
There isn't even a miracle-cure pill that
you can take one time and it will cure you.
But there is such a thing as preventative
medicine.
Unfortunately, at this point in time we
cannot cure borderline personality
disorder.
But we can prevent it from taking over
a person's life.
Isn't that great news?
But it can only be great news if you take
your medicine that was prescribed to
you and follow the rest of your treatment
plan.
Now, if your medicine is wrong or if you
are having problems with it, then you
need to talk to your psychiatrist.
If there is a serious problem then they
can usually see you on an emergency
basis, especially if it is during business
hours.
Find out ahead of time what your
psychiatrist's policy is on emergency
visits.
It is always better to know ahead of time
so you can be prepared.
Also, keep in mind that some minor
side effects are normal and usually go
away within a short time after starting
the medication.
If you have any major side effects, then
you should talk to your psychiatrist
immediately.
They will know whether your medications
need to be changed or altered.
Also, if your medications need to be
changed, then they will know whether
you need to be weaned off of your current
medication gradually, or if you can stop
it all at once.
Make sure you follow all of their
instructions when it comes to this.
When you and your psychiatrist have
worked together and found the mediation
that is right for you, then it is important
that you take it exactly as prescribed,
without missing a dose.
Also, know ahead of time what to do if
you should miss a dose.
Usually you either need to wait until the
next dose is due or take it in between
doses.
Your pharmacist or psychiatrist will be
able to help you determine that.
It should also be on the pamphlet that
came with your medications.
Taking the right medications regularly
as prescribed can help prevent relapses
and keep you stable.
It is well worth the effort it takes to take
them, even if it is for the rest of your
life.
Stability makes it worth it.
You shouldn't wait until you are in the
middle of an episode to take them.
They are also meant to be a preventative
medicine.
This means that it may be able to keep
relapses from happening in the first place.
So they should be taken even when you
are stable.
I know that many people don't like the
idea of having to take a medication for
the rest of their lives.
But it's better than the idea of having to
deal with all the pieces of a borderline
episode for the rest of your life.
It's better than dealing with the instability
that comes with untreated borderline
personality disorder.
And it's better than losing everything you
have and want because your borderline
episode allowed you to burn bridges.
Just think of it this way:
Someone who has insulin-dependant
diabetes will have to take insulin for the
rest of their lives in order to stay healthy.
Someone who has high blood pressure
may have to take blood pressure medicine
for the rest of their lives.
Someone who has chronic seizures may
have to take anti-seizure medication for
the rest of their lives.
It's the same sort of thing.
Borderline personality disorder is a
medical problem that happens to
affect the mind more than the body.
And, since it is a medical problem, it
needs to be treated in a medical way.
There are no surgeries that can be
performed to cure borderline personality
disorder.
There isn't a cream you can rub on your
forehead that will take it all away.
There isn't even a miracle-cure pill that
you can take one time and it will cure you.
But there is such a thing as preventative
medicine.
Unfortunately, at this point in time we
cannot cure borderline personality
disorder.
But we can prevent it from taking over
a person's life.
Isn't that great news?
But it can only be great news if you take
your medicine that was prescribed to
you and follow the rest of your treatment
plan.
Now, if your medicine is wrong or if you
are having problems with it, then you
need to talk to your psychiatrist.
If there is a serious problem then they
can usually see you on an emergency
basis, especially if it is during business
hours.
Find out ahead of time what your
psychiatrist's policy is on emergency
visits.
It is always better to know ahead of time
so you can be prepared.
Also, keep in mind that some minor
side effects are normal and usually go
away within a short time after starting
the medication.
If you have any major side effects, then
you should talk to your psychiatrist
immediately.
They will know whether your medications
need to be changed or altered.
Also, if your medications need to be
changed, then they will know whether
you need to be weaned off of your current
medication gradually, or if you can stop
it all at once.
Make sure you follow all of their
instructions when it comes to this.
When you and your psychiatrist have
worked together and found the mediation
that is right for you, then it is important
that you take it exactly as prescribed,
without missing a dose.
Also, know ahead of time what to do if
you should miss a dose.
Usually you either need to wait until the
next dose is due or take it in between
doses.
Your pharmacist or psychiatrist will be
able to help you determine that.
It should also be on the pamphlet that
came with your medications.
Taking the right medications regularly
as prescribed can help prevent relapses
and keep you stable.
It is well worth the effort it takes to take
them, even if it is for the rest of your
life.
Stability makes it worth it.
Had a bad day again.......
Its been awhile since I have posted in this blog but just to update: For the most part I have been doing well I was going to Mclean Hospital in Boston for BPD treatment and finished that treatment and am now moving on to another mental health facility for outpatient treatment which I am looking forward to completing. However, I have had a bit of set back I had a rough weekend between forgetting to take my meds and family stress I had more or less a psychotic episode where I was lashing out at my hubby and breaking various items and then I felt guilty so I turned to what I know all too well for coping which is cutting and took a knife and with one strong slash I managed to end up in the ER getting 8 stitches. I am back on my meds regularly and feeling better and reached out to my docs to explain this set back. I always knew this journey would be a tough one requiring alot of strength on my part but it does take its toll on you and sometimes you fall but no matter what you have to dust yourself off and get back up and thats what I am doing.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
What to Expect from the Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment Process
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated July 27, 2008
Immigration Assessment
If you think you (or a loved one) may have borderline personality disorder (BPD), the first step toward recovery is getting an accurate diagnosis. But what happens during the assessment process?
Starting a Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
The first step to getting an accurate diagnosis is finding a mental health professional who is trained to work with people with BPD and making an appointment. This alone can be a challenge. It can be very anxiety provoking to think of taking this first step; many people avoid it for months or even years. But, once you make the decision to move forward, finding a clinician is not always easy.
There are resources that can help guide your search. If you have health insurance, you may want to talk to the insurance company about clinicians who take your insurance and who have expertise in BPD (you should also ask how many sessions would be covered and how much the co-pay would be). If you do not have insurance, you may qualify for public assistance programs or services through your state or region's department of mental health or social services.
As you search, keep in mind that you are looking to contact a professional who will conduct an assessment, give you a diagnosis, and either provide treatment or refer you to people who are an appropriate match. There are a number of different kinds of clinicians who can do this, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and psychiatric nurses. Generally, psychologists have the most training in psychological assessment (although this is not always the case), so you may want to start there (most psychologists will have a Ph.D. or Psy.D. after their name, but you may need to ask them if they are a licensed psychologist).
Scheduling a Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
When you have found a list of professionals who might work, it is time to call and schedule an appointment. Call the first person on your list, and let them know that you are interested in an assessment and treatment. Describe some of your symptoms. You can even mention that you think you may have BPD.
Talk to the potential provider a bit about their educational background and training, and what types of services they can provide. Also ask if they have experience with BPD, what and how they charge (and confirm that they will accept your insurance if you have it). Ask what to expect in terms of the assessment process. This process will usually take more than a few minutes; the provider should be devoting at least a session, if not more, to assessing your difficulties (unless you have had assessments previously and the diagnosis is already established).
Keep in mind that you should feel comfortable with the clinician. Try to get a sense of that over the phone. Does this sound like someone you could talk to? Unfortunately, depending on where you live, you may not have too many options to choose from. But, try to choose someone who has the right expertise and who you feel comfortable with.
The Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment Process
When you arrive for your first session, you may feel nervous and uncomfortable, particularly if you have never done this before. This is completely normal. It is not easy to meet a new person and share private details about your life. However, keep in mind that the more candid and honest you can be, the more you will get out of the assessment.
Different providers use different tools to conduct an assessment. Generally, you should expect that your clinician will interview you and ask questions about your current and past symptoms, your family and work history, and your current life situation. Some clinicians will also give you some short questionnaires to fill out. Some may also use psychological tests that are longer and cover many different questions.
The assessment may take one session, or, if it is a very complete assessment, may take several sessions. Your clinician will let you know what to expect in terms of how long the assessment will take, and what types of tests or interviews you will be completing (if any).
Getting a Diagnosis
In some cases, at the end of the assessment, you may need to be referred to other additional types of assessment before a diagnosis can be given. For example, if you have a history of one or more significant head injuries, your provider may want you to see a specialist to evaluate whether some of your symptoms could be related to that. Or, if you have not seen a primary care physician (PCP) in some time, your provider may ask you to visit your PCP to make sure that any symptoms are not related to underlying medical conditions.
However, in most cases, you will receive a diagnosis at the end of the assessment. Your provider will also talk to you more about why you may be experiencing these kinds of difficulties and will recommend treatment options that may work for you. It may be that the clinician you have chosen can provide some of the treatment, or they may need to refer you to someone with different expertise. The good news is that you will now be able to move forward with the treatment that will be best suited for you.
Source:
Groth-Marnat, G. Handbook of Psychological Assessment. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2003.
What to Expect from the Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment Process
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated July 27, 2008
Immigration Assessment
If you think you (or a loved one) may have borderline personality disorder (BPD), the first step toward recovery is getting an accurate diagnosis. But what happens during the assessment process?
Starting a Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
The first step to getting an accurate diagnosis is finding a mental health professional who is trained to work with people with BPD and making an appointment. This alone can be a challenge. It can be very anxiety provoking to think of taking this first step; many people avoid it for months or even years. But, once you make the decision to move forward, finding a clinician is not always easy.
There are resources that can help guide your search. If you have health insurance, you may want to talk to the insurance company about clinicians who take your insurance and who have expertise in BPD (you should also ask how many sessions would be covered and how much the co-pay would be). If you do not have insurance, you may qualify for public assistance programs or services through your state or region's department of mental health or social services.
As you search, keep in mind that you are looking to contact a professional who will conduct an assessment, give you a diagnosis, and either provide treatment or refer you to people who are an appropriate match. There are a number of different kinds of clinicians who can do this, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and psychiatric nurses. Generally, psychologists have the most training in psychological assessment (although this is not always the case), so you may want to start there (most psychologists will have a Ph.D. or Psy.D. after their name, but you may need to ask them if they are a licensed psychologist).
Scheduling a Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment
When you have found a list of professionals who might work, it is time to call and schedule an appointment. Call the first person on your list, and let them know that you are interested in an assessment and treatment. Describe some of your symptoms. You can even mention that you think you may have BPD.
Talk to the potential provider a bit about their educational background and training, and what types of services they can provide. Also ask if they have experience with BPD, what and how they charge (and confirm that they will accept your insurance if you have it). Ask what to expect in terms of the assessment process. This process will usually take more than a few minutes; the provider should be devoting at least a session, if not more, to assessing your difficulties (unless you have had assessments previously and the diagnosis is already established).
Keep in mind that you should feel comfortable with the clinician. Try to get a sense of that over the phone. Does this sound like someone you could talk to? Unfortunately, depending on where you live, you may not have too many options to choose from. But, try to choose someone who has the right expertise and who you feel comfortable with.
The Borderline Personality Disorder Assessment Process
When you arrive for your first session, you may feel nervous and uncomfortable, particularly if you have never done this before. This is completely normal. It is not easy to meet a new person and share private details about your life. However, keep in mind that the more candid and honest you can be, the more you will get out of the assessment.
Different providers use different tools to conduct an assessment. Generally, you should expect that your clinician will interview you and ask questions about your current and past symptoms, your family and work history, and your current life situation. Some clinicians will also give you some short questionnaires to fill out. Some may also use psychological tests that are longer and cover many different questions.
The assessment may take one session, or, if it is a very complete assessment, may take several sessions. Your clinician will let you know what to expect in terms of how long the assessment will take, and what types of tests or interviews you will be completing (if any).
Getting a Diagnosis
In some cases, at the end of the assessment, you may need to be referred to other additional types of assessment before a diagnosis can be given. For example, if you have a history of one or more significant head injuries, your provider may want you to see a specialist to evaluate whether some of your symptoms could be related to that. Or, if you have not seen a primary care physician (PCP) in some time, your provider may ask you to visit your PCP to make sure that any symptoms are not related to underlying medical conditions.
However, in most cases, you will receive a diagnosis at the end of the assessment. Your provider will also talk to you more about why you may be experiencing these kinds of difficulties and will recommend treatment options that may work for you. It may be that the clinician you have chosen can provide some of the treatment, or they may need to refer you to someone with different expertise. The good news is that you will now be able to move forward with the treatment that will be best suited for you.
Source:
Groth-Marnat, G. Handbook of Psychological Assessment. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2003.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Anxiety Sufferers Process Emotions Differently: Study
Anxiety Sufferers Process Emotions Differently: Study
(HealthScout) UPDATED 2010-02-18
According to new research, the brains of people who have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) process emotions in an abnormal way. For their study, scientists looked at MRI scans of the brains of GAD patients. They found that when exposed to different situations, the prefrontal cortex responded in an unusual way in these patients. The researchers say this finding could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Read full story >
http://broadcaster.healthcentral.com/t?r=4&c=17659&l=427&ctl=17FAE7:323464311A7754CE7D504547630EFE78&
(HealthScout) UPDATED 2010-02-18
According to new research, the brains of people who have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) process emotions in an abnormal way. For their study, scientists looked at MRI scans of the brains of GAD patients. They found that when exposed to different situations, the prefrontal cortex responded in an unusual way in these patients. The researchers say this finding could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Read full story >
http://broadcaster.healthcentral.com/t?r=4&c=17659&l=427&ctl=17FAE7:323464311A7754CE7D504547630EFE78&
Book Review: Freedom from Self-Harm
Book Review: Freedom from Self-Harm
About.com Rating Article Feedback:
User Rating Be the first to write a review
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: April 13, 2009
Adolescent DBT Treatment
Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
www.mclean.harvard.edu
Loved One w/ Borderline?
Discover the Secrets to Helping and Supporting Your Loved One with BPD
BorderlinePersonalityDisorder.us
PTSD Treatment
Treatment Center for Women's Psych. Issues. Operated By Women. Call Now
www.HollywoodPavilion.com
PTSD Ads
PTSD
PTSD and Veterans
DBT Therapy
Combat Stress
Posttraumatic Stress
Publisher's Site
Post-traumatic stress disorder and deliberate self-harm (also called non-suicidal self-injury) are often linked.
"Deliberate self-harm" means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-harm behaviors include cutting, burning, scratching, punching, or carving words or pictures on oneself.
Self-harm behavior can be difficult to stop and many people are reluctant to seek out treatment for self-harm due to the shame they feel about the behavior. Fortunately, there is a new self-help book available for people who deliberately self-harm.
A New Resource for Coping with Deliberate Self-Harm Behavior
Freedom from Self-Harm: Overcoming Self-Injury with Skills from DBT and Other Treatments (published by New Harbinger Publications) by Doctors Kim L. Gratz and Alexander L. Chapman may help those struggling with self-harm behavior.
Freedom from Self-Harm is an easy-to-read and accessible book that provides a wealth of information on:
•Why people often engage in self-harm
•Myths about self-harm
•Causes of self-harm behavior
•Mental health disorders that often co-occur with self-harm, such as PTSD and borderline personality disorder
•The consequences of self-harm
•Psychological treatments and medication that may be helpful for self-harm
•Coping skills for self-harm
The information provided in the book is up-to-date and presented in a validating and respectful manner. The authors also provide case examples throughout the book to help illustrate more complicated points.
Probably one of the greatest advantages of the book is its presentation of coping skills that someone struggling with self-harm could implement right away. For example, the book provides information on healthy ways of managing emotions (given that self-harm is often thought of as a way, albeit unhealthy, of regulating emotions), as well as worksheets to help people use these skills.
If you struggle from deliberate self-harm and are looking for a way to stop this behavior, you may benefit from checking out this great resource.
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By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: April 13, 2009
Adolescent DBT Treatment
Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
www.mclean.harvard.edu
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Combat Stress
Posttraumatic Stress
Publisher's Site
Post-traumatic stress disorder and deliberate self-harm (also called non-suicidal self-injury) are often linked.
"Deliberate self-harm" means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-harm behaviors include cutting, burning, scratching, punching, or carving words or pictures on oneself.
Self-harm behavior can be difficult to stop and many people are reluctant to seek out treatment for self-harm due to the shame they feel about the behavior. Fortunately, there is a new self-help book available for people who deliberately self-harm.
A New Resource for Coping with Deliberate Self-Harm Behavior
Freedom from Self-Harm: Overcoming Self-Injury with Skills from DBT and Other Treatments (published by New Harbinger Publications) by Doctors Kim L. Gratz and Alexander L. Chapman may help those struggling with self-harm behavior.
Freedom from Self-Harm is an easy-to-read and accessible book that provides a wealth of information on:
•Why people often engage in self-harm
•Myths about self-harm
•Causes of self-harm behavior
•Mental health disorders that often co-occur with self-harm, such as PTSD and borderline personality disorder
•The consequences of self-harm
•Psychological treatments and medication that may be helpful for self-harm
•Coping skills for self-harm
The information provided in the book is up-to-date and presented in a validating and respectful manner. The authors also provide case examples throughout the book to help illustrate more complicated points.
Probably one of the greatest advantages of the book is its presentation of coping skills that someone struggling with self-harm could implement right away. For example, the book provides information on healthy ways of managing emotions (given that self-harm is often thought of as a way, albeit unhealthy, of regulating emotions), as well as worksheets to help people use these skills.
If you struggle from deliberate self-harm and are looking for a way to stop this behavior, you may benefit from checking out this great resource.
Childhood Abuse, PTSD, and Deliberate Self-Injury in Adolescents
Childhood Abuse, PTSD, and Deliberate Self-Injury in Adolescents
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: April 10, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Adolescent DBT Treatment
Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
www.mclean.harvard.edu
PTSD and Veterans
Deliberate self-injury (also referred to as deliberate self-harm) basically means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-injurious behaviors may include:
•Cutting
•Burning
•Needle-sticking
•Banging your head
•Carving on your skin
•Severe scratching
•Punching yourself
•Biting yourself
Cutting is often considered to be the most common method of self-injury.
How Common is Self-Injury
Self-injury is more common than you may think. Although high rates of self-injury have been found in some groups of people with certain psychiatric disorders (for example, borderline personality disorder and PTSD), high rates of self-injury have also been found in young adults. Specifically, it has been shown that anywhere between 17% to 37% of college students have engaged in self-injury.
There is also some evidence that adolescents may be at high risk for engaging in self-injurious behaviors. Specifically, approximately 14% to 21% of adolescents indicate that they have engaged in some form of self-injury at some point in their lifetime.
What May Place Adolescents at Risk for Self-Injury?
The experience of childhood physical or sexual abuse, as well as the development of PTSD symptoms, have been found to be connected to self-injury.
For example, one study by researchers at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine, and Harvard University looked at the role of childhood sexual abuse, PTSD symptoms, and self-injury among a group of adolescents around the ages of 12 to 19.
They found that having re-experiencing, avoidance, and emotional numbing symptoms of PTSD as a result of childhood sexual abuse may lead to self-injury.
How Might PTSD Symptoms Lead to Self-Injury?
People may use self-injury as a way of attempting to express and manage uncomfortable and upsetting emotional experiences, such as anxiety, sadness, shame, and/or anger. Self-injury may also provide a temporary escape from or be a way of avoiding emotional pain. These emotional experiences commonly stem from experiencing PTSD symptoms, such as intrusive thoughts or memories about a past traumatic event.
Self-injury may also be a way of expressing pain. People struggling with the emotional numbing symptoms of PTSD (where there are difficulties in having certain emotions, especially positive emotions), may use self-injury as a way to feel something or create feelings.
What Can Be Done About Self-Injury?
Self-injury is a serious behavior. Although some people report that it causes relief from painful emotions, this relief is temporary. Afterward, people may feel more painful emotions, such as shame, guilt, sadness, and/or anger. The behavior may also leave scars which people may feel shame about and attempt to hide, and the behavior may become more severe over time.
If you engage in self-injury or you know someone who does, it is important that you seek out help. The S.A.F.E. Alternatives website provides information on their nationally recognized treatment program for self-injury, as well as resources on and referrals for people struggling with self-injurious behaviors. The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide also provides excellent tips on how to address and cope with self-injurious behaviors.
Sources:
Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 371-394.
Gratz, K. L. (2003). Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 192-205.
Gratz, K. L. (2001). Measurement of deliberate self-harm: Preliminary data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 253-263.
Greenspan, G.S., & Samuel, S.E. (1989). Self-cutting after rape. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 789-790.
Harned, M.S., Najavits, L.M., & Weiss, R.D. (2006). Self-harm and suicidal behavior in women with comorbid PTSD and substance dependence. The American Journal on Addictions, 15, 392-295.
Lyons, J.A. (1991). Self-mutilation by a man with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 505-507.
Nock, M.K., & Prinstein, M.J. (2004). A functional approach to the assessment of self-mutilative behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 885-890.
Pattison, E.M., & Kahan, J. (1983). The deliberate self-harm syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 867-872.
Pitman, R.K. (1990). Self-mutilation in combat-related PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 123-124.
Ross, S., & Heath, N.(2002). A study of the frequency of self-mutilation in a community sample of adolescents.American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 1336-1342.
Weierich, M.R., & Nock, M.K. (2008). Posttraumatic stress symptoms mediate the relation between childhood sexual abuse and nonsuicidal self-injury. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 39-44.
Whitlock, J., & Knox, K.L. (2007). The relationship betwen self-injurious behavior and suicide in a young adult population. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161, 634-640.
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: April 10, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Adolescent DBT Treatment
Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
www.mclean.harvard.edu
PTSD and Veterans
Deliberate self-injury (also referred to as deliberate self-harm) basically means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-injurious behaviors may include:
•Cutting
•Burning
•Needle-sticking
•Banging your head
•Carving on your skin
•Severe scratching
•Punching yourself
•Biting yourself
Cutting is often considered to be the most common method of self-injury.
How Common is Self-Injury
Self-injury is more common than you may think. Although high rates of self-injury have been found in some groups of people with certain psychiatric disorders (for example, borderline personality disorder and PTSD), high rates of self-injury have also been found in young adults. Specifically, it has been shown that anywhere between 17% to 37% of college students have engaged in self-injury.
There is also some evidence that adolescents may be at high risk for engaging in self-injurious behaviors. Specifically, approximately 14% to 21% of adolescents indicate that they have engaged in some form of self-injury at some point in their lifetime.
What May Place Adolescents at Risk for Self-Injury?
The experience of childhood physical or sexual abuse, as well as the development of PTSD symptoms, have been found to be connected to self-injury.
For example, one study by researchers at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine, and Harvard University looked at the role of childhood sexual abuse, PTSD symptoms, and self-injury among a group of adolescents around the ages of 12 to 19.
They found that having re-experiencing, avoidance, and emotional numbing symptoms of PTSD as a result of childhood sexual abuse may lead to self-injury.
How Might PTSD Symptoms Lead to Self-Injury?
People may use self-injury as a way of attempting to express and manage uncomfortable and upsetting emotional experiences, such as anxiety, sadness, shame, and/or anger. Self-injury may also provide a temporary escape from or be a way of avoiding emotional pain. These emotional experiences commonly stem from experiencing PTSD symptoms, such as intrusive thoughts or memories about a past traumatic event.
Self-injury may also be a way of expressing pain. People struggling with the emotional numbing symptoms of PTSD (where there are difficulties in having certain emotions, especially positive emotions), may use self-injury as a way to feel something or create feelings.
What Can Be Done About Self-Injury?
Self-injury is a serious behavior. Although some people report that it causes relief from painful emotions, this relief is temporary. Afterward, people may feel more painful emotions, such as shame, guilt, sadness, and/or anger. The behavior may also leave scars which people may feel shame about and attempt to hide, and the behavior may become more severe over time.
If you engage in self-injury or you know someone who does, it is important that you seek out help. The S.A.F.E. Alternatives website provides information on their nationally recognized treatment program for self-injury, as well as resources on and referrals for people struggling with self-injurious behaviors. The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide also provides excellent tips on how to address and cope with self-injurious behaviors.
Sources:
Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 371-394.
Gratz, K. L. (2003). Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 192-205.
Gratz, K. L. (2001). Measurement of deliberate self-harm: Preliminary data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 253-263.
Greenspan, G.S., & Samuel, S.E. (1989). Self-cutting after rape. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 789-790.
Harned, M.S., Najavits, L.M., & Weiss, R.D. (2006). Self-harm and suicidal behavior in women with comorbid PTSD and substance dependence. The American Journal on Addictions, 15, 392-295.
Lyons, J.A. (1991). Self-mutilation by a man with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 505-507.
Nock, M.K., & Prinstein, M.J. (2004). A functional approach to the assessment of self-mutilative behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 885-890.
Pattison, E.M., & Kahan, J. (1983). The deliberate self-harm syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 867-872.
Pitman, R.K. (1990). Self-mutilation in combat-related PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 123-124.
Ross, S., & Heath, N.(2002). A study of the frequency of self-mutilation in a community sample of adolescents.American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 1336-1342.
Weierich, M.R., & Nock, M.K. (2008). Posttraumatic stress symptoms mediate the relation between childhood sexual abuse and nonsuicidal self-injury. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 39-44.
Whitlock, J., & Knox, K.L. (2007). The relationship betwen self-injurious behavior and suicide in a young adult population. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161, 634-640.
"Where are the best intensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy programs for people with Borderline Personality Disorder?"
Adolescent DBT Treatment
www.mclean.harvard.edu Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
"McLean Hospital"
by littlebear on Jul 25 2008 (20 months ago)
McLean Hospital in Belmont Mass. right outside boston has a well known borderline program (I think residential and outpaitnet, PHP.. They also have an adolescent DBT residential treatment program where the stay is at least 1 month
BPD Treatment for Women
www.GundersonResidence.org Superb Residential BPD treatment. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
http://askville.amazon.com/intensive-Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-programs-people-Borderline-Personality-Disorder/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=1472008
www.mclean.harvard.edu Residential Treatment for females. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
"McLean Hospital"
by littlebear on Jul 25 2008 (20 months ago)
McLean Hospital in Belmont Mass. right outside boston has a well known borderline program (I think residential and outpaitnet, PHP.. They also have an adolescent DBT residential treatment program where the stay is at least 1 month
BPD Treatment for Women
www.GundersonResidence.org Superb Residential BPD treatment. Harvard affiliated McLean Hospital.
http://askville.amazon.com/intensive-Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-programs-people-Borderline-Personality-Disorder/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=1472008
Where I am getting my treatment for my BPD
Dialectical Behavior Therapy program to open
at McLean
(June 2007 Issue)
By Jennifer Chase Esposito
This month, McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., will open what's believed to be one of the first residential treatment facilities in the country for treating adolescent girls in need of intense psychiatric care using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Originally developed to treat adult suicidality resulting from Borderline Personality Disorder, researchers have found positive effects using DBT treatments with adolescents. The patient population will be females aged 13-19 suffering from consistent emotional dysregulation who have not responded to previous treatments.
"Dialectical Behavior Therapy first looks at emerging Borderline Personality Disorder as a diagnosis [that] is restricted to adults, so no such therapy is [typically] done on children," says Philip Levendusky, Ph.D., vice president of network development at McLean.
Levendusky says there is "clear evidence that kids have the same profile as adults," but because the symptoms are seen so early in their lives and can often be confused with the normal maladies of adolescence, the symptoms may seem less apparent.
"What we've had here [at McLean] are generic programs. But with the evolution of the field, there is incredible interest in applying [DBT] to adolescents," says Levendusky, adding that the new facility will "creatively try to put together a state-of-the-art treatment program."
"Parents have called us and say there is nothing of its kind," says Blaise Aguirre, M.D., medical director of the new Adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center, as it will be named. Aguirre has been a child and adolescent staff psychiatrist for seven years at McLean and is a psychiatry instructor at the Harvard Medical School where he provides child adolescent training for residents. He says he "doesn't know of any other short-term residential unit in the country that's using a strict DBT model of treatment, where all of the clinicians are trained in DBT treatment." Aguirre does say, however, there are clinicians practicing DBT on young people in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York.
Although the program will be primarily for New Englanders, Aguirre doesn't rule out fielding inquiries from other parts of the United States. Current McLean patients come from all over this country and as far as Mongolia and Spain.
The average inpatient stay will be about four to six weeks. "Anecdotally, 70-80 percent [of patients] have really good outcomes when the DBT treatment is very intensive," says Aguirre. "It's the idea of really 'packing it in,' and immersing" patients in the program.
The other upshot of an intense stay at the center is that it will decrease the opportunity for relapse once the patient gets back into his/her normal routine. "The downside of DBT treatment [in adolescents] is that it's very difficult to have continuum of care when we discharge kids who can't get DBT in their home environment."
Aguirre says that almost all studies show that up to two percent of the general population suffers from BPD. "In adults, I've never seen - and I've asked very senior colleagues about this - a BPD person who didn't suffer in adolescence.
"If two percent of the population is suffering, that means a lot of adults are suffering," he says.
By developing programs that can quickly halt early symptoms of BPD from becoming full-blown BPD, Aguirre believes that McLean's new center will help.
This self-pay program will cost approximately $1,400 per day. For more information about the program call 877-967-7233.
It truly is one of the best hospitals in the entire country for this issue and I will always continue to work to get better.
at McLean
(June 2007 Issue)
By Jennifer Chase Esposito
This month, McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., will open what's believed to be one of the first residential treatment facilities in the country for treating adolescent girls in need of intense psychiatric care using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Originally developed to treat adult suicidality resulting from Borderline Personality Disorder, researchers have found positive effects using DBT treatments with adolescents. The patient population will be females aged 13-19 suffering from consistent emotional dysregulation who have not responded to previous treatments.
"Dialectical Behavior Therapy first looks at emerging Borderline Personality Disorder as a diagnosis [that] is restricted to adults, so no such therapy is [typically] done on children," says Philip Levendusky, Ph.D., vice president of network development at McLean.
Levendusky says there is "clear evidence that kids have the same profile as adults," but because the symptoms are seen so early in their lives and can often be confused with the normal maladies of adolescence, the symptoms may seem less apparent.
"What we've had here [at McLean] are generic programs. But with the evolution of the field, there is incredible interest in applying [DBT] to adolescents," says Levendusky, adding that the new facility will "creatively try to put together a state-of-the-art treatment program."
"Parents have called us and say there is nothing of its kind," says Blaise Aguirre, M.D., medical director of the new Adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center, as it will be named. Aguirre has been a child and adolescent staff psychiatrist for seven years at McLean and is a psychiatry instructor at the Harvard Medical School where he provides child adolescent training for residents. He says he "doesn't know of any other short-term residential unit in the country that's using a strict DBT model of treatment, where all of the clinicians are trained in DBT treatment." Aguirre does say, however, there are clinicians practicing DBT on young people in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York.
Although the program will be primarily for New Englanders, Aguirre doesn't rule out fielding inquiries from other parts of the United States. Current McLean patients come from all over this country and as far as Mongolia and Spain.
The average inpatient stay will be about four to six weeks. "Anecdotally, 70-80 percent [of patients] have really good outcomes when the DBT treatment is very intensive," says Aguirre. "It's the idea of really 'packing it in,' and immersing" patients in the program.
The other upshot of an intense stay at the center is that it will decrease the opportunity for relapse once the patient gets back into his/her normal routine. "The downside of DBT treatment [in adolescents] is that it's very difficult to have continuum of care when we discharge kids who can't get DBT in their home environment."
Aguirre says that almost all studies show that up to two percent of the general population suffers from BPD. "In adults, I've never seen - and I've asked very senior colleagues about this - a BPD person who didn't suffer in adolescence.
"If two percent of the population is suffering, that means a lot of adults are suffering," he says.
By developing programs that can quickly halt early symptoms of BPD from becoming full-blown BPD, Aguirre believes that McLean's new center will help.
This self-pay program will cost approximately $1,400 per day. For more information about the program call 877-967-7233.
It truly is one of the best hospitals in the entire country for this issue and I will always continue to work to get better.
.Free PTSD Newsletter!Sign Up
Discuss in my Forum
PTSD, Cutting, and Other Forms of Self-Injury
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: May 27, 2009
Carbide Cutting Tool
PTSD and self-injury (also called deliberate self-harm), such as cutting and burning, frequently co-occur. Deliberate self-harm has been defined as the deliberate and direct destruction or alteration of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent, but resulting in injury severe enough for tissue damage to occur. Basically, deliberate self-harm means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-harm behaviors may include:
•Cutting
•Burning
•Needle-sticking
•Banging your head
•Carving on your skin
•Severe scratching
•Punching yourself
•Biting yourself
Cutting, skin carving, severe scratching, head banging, and punching oneself have been found to be some of the most common methods of self-harm.
Deliberate Self-Harm, Trauma, and PTSD
The experience of a traumatic event has been linked to deliberate self-harm behavior. In particular, people who have a history of sexual abuse and/or physical abuse have been found to be more likely to engage in deliberate self-harm. Women who have been raped may also be more likely to begin engaging in deliberate self-harm behavior. People with PTSD have also been found to be more likely to engage in this behavior.
Why Do People Use This Behavior?
There is evidence that people engage in deliberate self-harm as a way of attempting to express and manage their emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, shame, and/or anger. Deliberate self-harm may also provide a temporary escape from or be a way of avoiding emotional pain.
People with PTSD in particular may use deliberate self-harm as a way of getting back in touch with the present moment (also called "grounding"). Some people with PTSD may experience dissociation or flashbacks. Hurting oneself such as through cutting or burning may "shock" the body back into the present moment, ending the flashback or dissociation, much like the way smelling salts work.
Consequences
Deliberate self-harm is a serious behavior. Although some people report that it causes relief from painful emotions, this relief is temporary. Afterwards, people may feel more painful emotions, such as shame, guilt, sadness, and/or anger. The behavior may also leave scars which people may feel shame about and attempt to hide, and the behavior may become more severe over time.
Resources
If you engage in deliberate self-harm or you know someone who does, it is important that you seek out help. The S.A.F.E. Alternatives website provides resources on and referrals for people struggling with deliberate self-harm behavior.
Source:
Chapman, A. L., & Dixon-Gordon, K. L. (in press). Emotional antecedents and consequences of deliberate self-harm and suicide attempts. Suicide & Life Threatening Behavior.
Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 371-394.
Gratz, K. L. (2003). Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 192-205.
Gratz, K. L. (2001). Measurement of deliberate self-harm: Preliminary data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 253-263.
Greenspan, G.S., & Samuel, S.E. (1989). Self-cutting after rape. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 789-790.
Harned, M.S., Najavits, L.M., & Weiss, R.D. (2006). Self-harm and suicidal behavior in women with comorbid PTSD and substance dependence. The American Journal on Addictions, 15, 392-295.
Lyons, J.A. (1991). Self-mutilation by a man with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 505-507.
Pattison, E.M., & Kahan, J. (1983). The deliberate self-harm syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 867-872.
Pitman, R.K. (1990). Self-mutilation in combat-related PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 123-124.
Whitlock, J., & Knox, K.L. (2007). The relationship betwen self-injurious behavior and suicide in a young adult population. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161, 634-640.
PTSD, Cutting, and Other Forms of Self-Injury
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: May 27, 2009
Carbide Cutting Tool
PTSD and self-injury (also called deliberate self-harm), such as cutting and burning, frequently co-occur. Deliberate self-harm has been defined as the deliberate and direct destruction or alteration of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent, but resulting in injury severe enough for tissue damage to occur. Basically, deliberate self-harm means doing something to cause immediate physical harm to yourself but not for the purpose of ending your life. Self-harm behaviors may include:
•Cutting
•Burning
•Needle-sticking
•Banging your head
•Carving on your skin
•Severe scratching
•Punching yourself
•Biting yourself
Cutting, skin carving, severe scratching, head banging, and punching oneself have been found to be some of the most common methods of self-harm.
Deliberate Self-Harm, Trauma, and PTSD
The experience of a traumatic event has been linked to deliberate self-harm behavior. In particular, people who have a history of sexual abuse and/or physical abuse have been found to be more likely to engage in deliberate self-harm. Women who have been raped may also be more likely to begin engaging in deliberate self-harm behavior. People with PTSD have also been found to be more likely to engage in this behavior.
Why Do People Use This Behavior?
There is evidence that people engage in deliberate self-harm as a way of attempting to express and manage their emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, shame, and/or anger. Deliberate self-harm may also provide a temporary escape from or be a way of avoiding emotional pain.
People with PTSD in particular may use deliberate self-harm as a way of getting back in touch with the present moment (also called "grounding"). Some people with PTSD may experience dissociation or flashbacks. Hurting oneself such as through cutting or burning may "shock" the body back into the present moment, ending the flashback or dissociation, much like the way smelling salts work.
Consequences
Deliberate self-harm is a serious behavior. Although some people report that it causes relief from painful emotions, this relief is temporary. Afterwards, people may feel more painful emotions, such as shame, guilt, sadness, and/or anger. The behavior may also leave scars which people may feel shame about and attempt to hide, and the behavior may become more severe over time.
Resources
If you engage in deliberate self-harm or you know someone who does, it is important that you seek out help. The S.A.F.E. Alternatives website provides resources on and referrals for people struggling with deliberate self-harm behavior.
Source:
Chapman, A. L., & Dixon-Gordon, K. L. (in press). Emotional antecedents and consequences of deliberate self-harm and suicide attempts. Suicide & Life Threatening Behavior.
Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 371-394.
Gratz, K. L. (2003). Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 192-205.
Gratz, K. L. (2001). Measurement of deliberate self-harm: Preliminary data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23, 253-263.
Greenspan, G.S., & Samuel, S.E. (1989). Self-cutting after rape. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 789-790.
Harned, M.S., Najavits, L.M., & Weiss, R.D. (2006). Self-harm and suicidal behavior in women with comorbid PTSD and substance dependence. The American Journal on Addictions, 15, 392-295.
Lyons, J.A. (1991). Self-mutilation by a man with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 505-507.
Pattison, E.M., & Kahan, J. (1983). The deliberate self-harm syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 867-872.
Pitman, R.K. (1990). Self-mutilation in combat-related PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 123-124.
Whitlock, J., & Knox, K.L. (2007). The relationship betwen self-injurious behavior and suicide in a young adult population. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161, 634-640.
Monday, March 15, 2010
.Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
Learn more about the symptoms and associated features of borderline personality disorder, including emotional and relationship instability, impulsivity, suicidality, self-harm, and more.
..Coping with Symptoms - Challenges in Coping with Symptoms
All the symptoms of borderline personality disorder are difficult to deal with, but most people with BPD have one or two symptoms that they can identify as the most disruptive to their lives. For some, the chronic feelings of emptiness can seem unbearable. For others, the constant struggle with self-harm is the hardest burden to bear. What symptom is most difficult for you to manage?
Impulsive Behavior - How to Tame Impulsive Behavior
Many people with borderline personality disorder struggle with impulsive behavior, including acts like reckless driving, unsafe or promiscuous sex, going on spending sprees, and others. Do you struggle with impulsive behavior? What things do you do that get you in trouble? How have you been able to tame your impulsive behavior?
What Does Dissociation Feel Like - What Does Dissociation Fee…
Dissociation is difficult to define, and many people experience dissociation differently. What does dissociation feel like for you? How do you know if you are dissociating?
Do You Tell Lies - Why and When Do You Tell Lies
Do you tell lies? While there is no good research on the connection between BPD and lying, lots of people with BPD will tell you that they find themselves telling lies even when they don't mean to. What do you lie about? What triggers your lying? Do think there is a connection between BPD symptoms and lying?
Is It Time for a Borderline Personality Disorder Name Change - Border…
Many experts are now calling for a borderline personality disorder name change, because the term "borderline" is outdated and because, unfortunately, the name has been used in a stigmatizing way in the past. What do you think? Should BPD be renamed? What are the advantages of renaming the disorder? Do you see any potential drawbacks of renaming BPD?
Borderline Personality Disorder Axis II - Should We Keep Borderline P…
Borderline personality disorder and other personality disorders are on a separate axis, axis II, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders multi-axial diagnostic system. But, does BPD belong on Axis II? Or is it actually better captured if it is recognized as an Axis I clinical disorder? What do you think - is BPD a "personality disorder" or is it a disorder that deserves recog…
Suicide Risk Factors
Is there a way to predict who is at greatest risk for attempting or committing suicide? This article covers two different kinds of suicide risk factors: distal and proximal risk factors.
Suicide Risk Factors - When Are You Most at Risk
Many people with BPD have suicidal ideation from time to time. But there are some critical periods when you are at the greatest risk of a suicide attempt. Have you learned what risk factors signal that you might make an attempt? How do you know that you are becoming unsafe? What do you do when you realize you may make an attempt to keep yourself safe?
Who Am I? Borderline Personality Disorder and Identity Problems
Do you ever find yourself asking, who am I? What do I believe in? What is my place in this world? If you do, you are not alone. Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with identity issues – it is one of the core symptoms of the disorder.
Who Am I - Struggling with Identity Problems
Do you often ask yourself "who am i?" What is my place in the world? Do I even exist? If you do, you are not alone. Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with identity problems.
Borderline Personality Symptoms - Describing Your Borderline Personal…
The symptoms of BPD can be very hard to understand for someone who has not experienced them. How do you let other people know what it feels like to have BPD? Do you have a particular way of explaining your symptoms to let others know what it is like to have the disorder?
Understanding Borderline Anger
Anger is a key feature of borderline personality disorder. Learn more about borderline anger and how to get help.
Deliberate Self-Harm
What is deliberate self harm and why does it occur? Learn more about self harming behaviors, why self harm happens, and how self harm is treated.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
What is BPD? What are the symptoms? How is it treated? Learn more about the basics of BPD.
Understand Dissociation
What is dissociation? Is dissociation a disorder? How is dissociation treated? Learn more about dissociation in BPD.
Suicidality in Borderline Personality Disorder
Suicidality is an unfortunately common occurrence in borderline personality disorder. Learn more about the link between suicide and BPD, and what you can do to keep yourself or your loved one safe.
Impulsive Behavior and BPD
Are you someone who tends to take action without thinking through the consequences? Do hasty decisions often get you into trouble? Do you often act based on your feelings in the moment rather than on a long-term plan? You may be struggling with impulsive behavior, one of the symptoms of BPD.
NIMH: National Survey Tracks Prevalence of Personality Disorders
A study by researchers at the State University of New York Binghamton and Harvard University explores the prevalence of personality disorders in the U.S.
Research Report: Self-Harm is Prevalent in Children
This BBC report on research performed by Britain's National Health Service shows that self-harm is very prevalent (and on the rise) in children.
NIMH: Evidence of Emotional Reactivity in BPD
Research has demonstrated that the strong emotional reactivity described by people with BPD is evident in laboratory tests.
Learn more about the symptoms and associated features of borderline personality disorder, including emotional and relationship instability, impulsivity, suicidality, self-harm, and more.
..Coping with Symptoms - Challenges in Coping with Symptoms
All the symptoms of borderline personality disorder are difficult to deal with, but most people with BPD have one or two symptoms that they can identify as the most disruptive to their lives. For some, the chronic feelings of emptiness can seem unbearable. For others, the constant struggle with self-harm is the hardest burden to bear. What symptom is most difficult for you to manage?
Impulsive Behavior - How to Tame Impulsive Behavior
Many people with borderline personality disorder struggle with impulsive behavior, including acts like reckless driving, unsafe or promiscuous sex, going on spending sprees, and others. Do you struggle with impulsive behavior? What things do you do that get you in trouble? How have you been able to tame your impulsive behavior?
What Does Dissociation Feel Like - What Does Dissociation Fee…
Dissociation is difficult to define, and many people experience dissociation differently. What does dissociation feel like for you? How do you know if you are dissociating?
Do You Tell Lies - Why and When Do You Tell Lies
Do you tell lies? While there is no good research on the connection between BPD and lying, lots of people with BPD will tell you that they find themselves telling lies even when they don't mean to. What do you lie about? What triggers your lying? Do think there is a connection between BPD symptoms and lying?
Is It Time for a Borderline Personality Disorder Name Change - Border…
Many experts are now calling for a borderline personality disorder name change, because the term "borderline" is outdated and because, unfortunately, the name has been used in a stigmatizing way in the past. What do you think? Should BPD be renamed? What are the advantages of renaming the disorder? Do you see any potential drawbacks of renaming BPD?
Borderline Personality Disorder Axis II - Should We Keep Borderline P…
Borderline personality disorder and other personality disorders are on a separate axis, axis II, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders multi-axial diagnostic system. But, does BPD belong on Axis II? Or is it actually better captured if it is recognized as an Axis I clinical disorder? What do you think - is BPD a "personality disorder" or is it a disorder that deserves recog…
Suicide Risk Factors
Is there a way to predict who is at greatest risk for attempting or committing suicide? This article covers two different kinds of suicide risk factors: distal and proximal risk factors.
Suicide Risk Factors - When Are You Most at Risk
Many people with BPD have suicidal ideation from time to time. But there are some critical periods when you are at the greatest risk of a suicide attempt. Have you learned what risk factors signal that you might make an attempt? How do you know that you are becoming unsafe? What do you do when you realize you may make an attempt to keep yourself safe?
Who Am I? Borderline Personality Disorder and Identity Problems
Do you ever find yourself asking, who am I? What do I believe in? What is my place in this world? If you do, you are not alone. Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with identity issues – it is one of the core symptoms of the disorder.
Who Am I - Struggling with Identity Problems
Do you often ask yourself "who am i?" What is my place in the world? Do I even exist? If you do, you are not alone. Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with identity problems.
Borderline Personality Symptoms - Describing Your Borderline Personal…
The symptoms of BPD can be very hard to understand for someone who has not experienced them. How do you let other people know what it feels like to have BPD? Do you have a particular way of explaining your symptoms to let others know what it is like to have the disorder?
Understanding Borderline Anger
Anger is a key feature of borderline personality disorder. Learn more about borderline anger and how to get help.
Deliberate Self-Harm
What is deliberate self harm and why does it occur? Learn more about self harming behaviors, why self harm happens, and how self harm is treated.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
What is BPD? What are the symptoms? How is it treated? Learn more about the basics of BPD.
Understand Dissociation
What is dissociation? Is dissociation a disorder? How is dissociation treated? Learn more about dissociation in BPD.
Suicidality in Borderline Personality Disorder
Suicidality is an unfortunately common occurrence in borderline personality disorder. Learn more about the link between suicide and BPD, and what you can do to keep yourself or your loved one safe.
Impulsive Behavior and BPD
Are you someone who tends to take action without thinking through the consequences? Do hasty decisions often get you into trouble? Do you often act based on your feelings in the moment rather than on a long-term plan? You may be struggling with impulsive behavior, one of the symptoms of BPD.
NIMH: National Survey Tracks Prevalence of Personality Disorders
A study by researchers at the State University of New York Binghamton and Harvard University explores the prevalence of personality disorders in the U.S.
Research Report: Self-Harm is Prevalent in Children
This BBC report on research performed by Britain's National Health Service shows that self-harm is very prevalent (and on the rise) in children.
NIMH: Evidence of Emotional Reactivity in BPD
Research has demonstrated that the strong emotional reactivity described by people with BPD is evident in laboratory tests.
What is Phone Coaching and How Can It Help You?
What is Phone Coaching and How Can It Help You?
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created March 02, 2010
Question: What is Phone Coaching and How Can It Help You?
One important aspect of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder is phone coaching. What is phone coaching, and how can it help you cope with symptoms?
Answer:
Phone coaching is one of the essential elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a very effective form of psychotherapy for BPD.
In DBT, you will be provided with both group skills training (a therapy group in which you will learn basic skills for managing emotions, maintaining relationships, and tolerating distress), and individual psychotherapy with a therapist. In addition to meeting with your therapist in person, individual DBT therapists usually provide phone coaching. In fact, unlike other forms of therapy for BPD, in DBT you are encouraged to call your therapist.
Phone coaching is used when you are in a crisis and in need of some help. The goals of phone contact are to decrease suicide threats and attempts, to help you to apply skills you've learned in DBT to your everyday life, and to help you maintain a healthy relationship with your therapist.
Most DBT therapists do provide some guidelines about the use of phone coaching. For example, if you are calling too frequently or using telephone calls inappropriately (e.g., calling but being unwilling to accept the help your therapist provides), your therapist will likely work with you to change how you are using the phone coaching.
Source:
Linehan, MM. "Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder." New York: Guilford Press, 1993.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created March 02, 2010
Question: What is Phone Coaching and How Can It Help You?
One important aspect of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder is phone coaching. What is phone coaching, and how can it help you cope with symptoms?
Answer:
Phone coaching is one of the essential elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a very effective form of psychotherapy for BPD.
In DBT, you will be provided with both group skills training (a therapy group in which you will learn basic skills for managing emotions, maintaining relationships, and tolerating distress), and individual psychotherapy with a therapist. In addition to meeting with your therapist in person, individual DBT therapists usually provide phone coaching. In fact, unlike other forms of therapy for BPD, in DBT you are encouraged to call your therapist.
Phone coaching is used when you are in a crisis and in need of some help. The goals of phone contact are to decrease suicide threats and attempts, to help you to apply skills you've learned in DBT to your everyday life, and to help you maintain a healthy relationship with your therapist.
Most DBT therapists do provide some guidelines about the use of phone coaching. For example, if you are calling too frequently or using telephone calls inappropriately (e.g., calling but being unwilling to accept the help your therapist provides), your therapist will likely work with you to change how you are using the phone coaching.
Source:
Linehan, MM. "Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder." New York: Guilford Press, 1993.
The Cluster B Personality Disorders
The Cluster B Personality Disorders
What Are the Cluster B Personality Disorders?
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated January 12, 2010
Appendicitis Symptoms
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) lists borderline personality disorder (BPD) among the Cluster B personality disorders. Personality disorders are psychological conditions that begin in adolescence or early adulthood, continue over many years, and cause a great deal of distress. Personality disorders also can often interfere with a person's ability to enjoy life or achieve fulfillment in relationships, work or school.
What Are the Cluster B Personality Disorders?
There are four Cluster B personality disorders: antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic. The DSM-IV views these as a subset of personality disorders that are characterized by dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior. The Cluster B personality disorders are also the most common of the DSM-IV personality disorders.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
According to DSM-IV, antisocial personality disorder is a “pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in early childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.”
People with antisocial personality disorder have been described as lacking empathy (or the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” to understand their feelings), and they may often be deceitful or break the law. Antisocial personality disorder is also associated with impulsive behavior, aggression (such as repeated physical assaults), disregard for their own or other’s safety, irresponsible behavior, and lack of remorse.
Borderline Personality Disorder
BPD is associated with specific problems in interpersonal relationships, self-image, emotions, behaviors, and thinking. People with BPD tend to have intense relationships characterized by a lot of conflict, arguments and break-ups. They also have difficulties related to the stability of their identity or sense of self. They report many "ups and downs" in how they feel about themselves. Individuals with BPD may say that they feel as if they are on an emotional roller coaster, with very quick shifts in mood (for example, going from feeling OK to feeling extremely down or blue within a few minutes).
BPD is associated with a tendency to engage in risky behaviors, such as going on shopping sprees, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or abusing drugs, engaging in promiscuous sex, binge eating, or self-harming.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance. People with narcissistic personality disorder often believe that they are “special,” require excessive attention, take advantage of others, lack empathy, and are described by others as arrogant.
Histrionic Personality Disorder
The central features of histrionic personality disorder are intense expressions of emotion and excessive attention-seeking behavior. People with histrionic personality disorder often seek out attention and are uncomfortable when others are receiving attention. They may often engage in seductive or sexually promiscuous behavior, or use their physical appearance to draw attention to themselves. They also may demonstrate rapidly shifting emotions and express emotion in a very dramatic fashion.
Source:
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR Fourth Edition. American Psychiatric Association: 2000.
What Are the Cluster B Personality Disorders?
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated January 12, 2010
Appendicitis Symptoms
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) lists borderline personality disorder (BPD) among the Cluster B personality disorders. Personality disorders are psychological conditions that begin in adolescence or early adulthood, continue over many years, and cause a great deal of distress. Personality disorders also can often interfere with a person's ability to enjoy life or achieve fulfillment in relationships, work or school.
What Are the Cluster B Personality Disorders?
There are four Cluster B personality disorders: antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic. The DSM-IV views these as a subset of personality disorders that are characterized by dramatic, emotional or erratic behavior. The Cluster B personality disorders are also the most common of the DSM-IV personality disorders.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
According to DSM-IV, antisocial personality disorder is a “pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in early childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.”
People with antisocial personality disorder have been described as lacking empathy (or the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” to understand their feelings), and they may often be deceitful or break the law. Antisocial personality disorder is also associated with impulsive behavior, aggression (such as repeated physical assaults), disregard for their own or other’s safety, irresponsible behavior, and lack of remorse.
Borderline Personality Disorder
BPD is associated with specific problems in interpersonal relationships, self-image, emotions, behaviors, and thinking. People with BPD tend to have intense relationships characterized by a lot of conflict, arguments and break-ups. They also have difficulties related to the stability of their identity or sense of self. They report many "ups and downs" in how they feel about themselves. Individuals with BPD may say that they feel as if they are on an emotional roller coaster, with very quick shifts in mood (for example, going from feeling OK to feeling extremely down or blue within a few minutes).
BPD is associated with a tendency to engage in risky behaviors, such as going on shopping sprees, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or abusing drugs, engaging in promiscuous sex, binge eating, or self-harming.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance. People with narcissistic personality disorder often believe that they are “special,” require excessive attention, take advantage of others, lack empathy, and are described by others as arrogant.
Histrionic Personality Disorder
The central features of histrionic personality disorder are intense expressions of emotion and excessive attention-seeking behavior. People with histrionic personality disorder often seek out attention and are uncomfortable when others are receiving attention. They may often engage in seductive or sexually promiscuous behavior, or use their physical appearance to draw attention to themselves. They also may demonstrate rapidly shifting emotions and express emotion in a very dramatic fashion.
Source:
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR Fourth Edition. American Psychiatric Association: 2000.
Is There a Link Between Borderline Personality and Violence?
Is There a Link Between Borderline Personality and Violence?
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: February 02, 2009
Question: Is There a Link Between Borderline Personality and Violence?
I am in a relationship with a man who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He is an incredible person, but when he is in a “dark mood,” things can get really bad. He gets so angry it is scary; he throws things and has even threatened to hurt me. He hasn’t ever laid a hand on me, but he seems so out of control that I fear for my safety. Are people with BPD more prone to be violent?
Answer:
Yes, there is research demonstrating that both men and women who have committed violent acts have elevated rates of borderline personality disorder (BPD) compared to the general population. However, it is important to recognize that this does not mean that all people who have BPD are violent; just that the diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of violence. Impulsive behavior, which includes physical aggression, is one of the diagnostic criteria for BPD (although someone can meet criteria for the disorder without demonstrating this symptom).
There are several reasons why people with BPD are more likely to be violent in their relationships. First, people with BPD have often (although not always) been victims of violence themselves (e.g., child abuse). So, many people with BPD may have learned to use aggression to deal with strong emotions because adults modeled that behavior for them when they were young.
In addition, people with BPD often experience an unstable sense of self and difficulty trusting others in interpersonal relationships. They may experience very strong emotions if they believe they are being rejected or abandoned (this is known as rejection sensitivity), which in turn may lead to aggressive behaviors.
Finally, people with BPD often have difficulties with impulsivity; when they are experience the strong emotions that are typical of the disorder, they may do things without thinking about the consequences. If they engage in violence, it is usually not planned; it is an impulsive act in the heat of the moment.
That said, this general information does not help us to predict whether one particular individual with BPD will be violent. If you are feeling threatened, that is important; even if no violence has occurred in your relationship, something is not right. Your best bet is for both you and your partner to seek professional help—- either separately or as a couple. This may help you figure out whether the relationship can be improved, and may prevent violence from happening in the future. Therapy can also help you decide whether this is a relationship worth working on.
Sources:
Stuart GL, Moore TM, Gordon KC, Ramsey SE, Kahler CW. “Psychopathology in Women Arrested for Domestic Violence.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21: 376-389, 2006.
Holtzworth-Munroe A, Stuart GL. “Typologies of Male Batterers: Three Subtypes and the Differences Among Them.” Psychological Bulletin, 116: 476-497, 1994.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: February 02, 2009
Question: Is There a Link Between Borderline Personality and Violence?
I am in a relationship with a man who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He is an incredible person, but when he is in a “dark mood,” things can get really bad. He gets so angry it is scary; he throws things and has even threatened to hurt me. He hasn’t ever laid a hand on me, but he seems so out of control that I fear for my safety. Are people with BPD more prone to be violent?
Answer:
Yes, there is research demonstrating that both men and women who have committed violent acts have elevated rates of borderline personality disorder (BPD) compared to the general population. However, it is important to recognize that this does not mean that all people who have BPD are violent; just that the diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of violence. Impulsive behavior, which includes physical aggression, is one of the diagnostic criteria for BPD (although someone can meet criteria for the disorder without demonstrating this symptom).
There are several reasons why people with BPD are more likely to be violent in their relationships. First, people with BPD have often (although not always) been victims of violence themselves (e.g., child abuse). So, many people with BPD may have learned to use aggression to deal with strong emotions because adults modeled that behavior for them when they were young.
In addition, people with BPD often experience an unstable sense of self and difficulty trusting others in interpersonal relationships. They may experience very strong emotions if they believe they are being rejected or abandoned (this is known as rejection sensitivity), which in turn may lead to aggressive behaviors.
Finally, people with BPD often have difficulties with impulsivity; when they are experience the strong emotions that are typical of the disorder, they may do things without thinking about the consequences. If they engage in violence, it is usually not planned; it is an impulsive act in the heat of the moment.
That said, this general information does not help us to predict whether one particular individual with BPD will be violent. If you are feeling threatened, that is important; even if no violence has occurred in your relationship, something is not right. Your best bet is for both you and your partner to seek professional help—- either separately or as a couple. This may help you figure out whether the relationship can be improved, and may prevent violence from happening in the future. Therapy can also help you decide whether this is a relationship worth working on.
Sources:
Stuart GL, Moore TM, Gordon KC, Ramsey SE, Kahler CW. “Psychopathology in Women Arrested for Domestic Violence.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21: 376-389, 2006.
Holtzworth-Munroe A, Stuart GL. “Typologies of Male Batterers: Three Subtypes and the Differences Among Them.” Psychological Bulletin, 116: 476-497, 1994.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Ways of Coping with Anxiety
Ways of Coping with Anxiety
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated May 14, 2009
People with PTSD often struggle with frequent and intense symptoms of anxiety. These strong symptoms of anxiety often lead people with PTSD to rely on unhealthy ways of coping, such as through drug or alcohol use. Fortunately, there are a number of healthy ways of coping with anxiety that may help your anxiety go down in intensity, become less frequent, and/or become more tolerable.
1. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing can be an important coping skill to learn. It may sound silly, but many people do not breathe properly. Natural breathing involves your diaphragm, a large muscle in your abdomen. When you breathe in, your belly should expand. When you breathe out, your belly should fall. Overtime, people forget how to breathe this way and instead use their chest and shoulders. This causes short and shallow breaths, which can increase stress and anxiety. Fortunately, it is not too late to "re-learn" how to breathe and help protect yourself from stress. Practice this simple exercise to improve your breathing and combat anxiety..
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Stop Panic Attacks
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Anxiety Relaxation Techniques
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2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Using relaxation exercises can be an effective way to reduce your stress and anxiety. One relaxation exercise called progressive muscle relaxation focuses on a person alternating between tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body. In this way, relaxation is viewed like a pendulum. More complete relaxation of your muscles can be obtained by first going to the other extreme (that is, by tensing your muscles). In addition, by tensing your muscles (a common symptom of anxiety) and immediately relaxing them, the symptom of muscle tension may become a signal to relax over time. You can learn a basic progressive muscle relaxation exercise in this article..
3. Using Mindfulness to Cope with Anxiety
Using mindfulness for anxiety can be very helpful. Mindfulness has been around for ages. However, mental health professionals are beginning to recognize that mindfulness can have many benefits for people suffering from difficulties such as anxiety and depression. In a nutshell, mindfulness is about being in-touch with and aware of the present moment. So often in our lives, we are stuck in our heads, caught up in the anxiety and worries of daily life. This exercise will introduce you to mindfulness and may be helpful getting you "out of your head" and in touch with the present moment..
4. Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring can be a helpful way of getting a handle on your anxiety symptoms. We are all "creatures of habit." We often go about our day without thinking, being unaware of much that goes on around us. This may be useful in some situations, but other times, this lack of awareness may make us feel as though our thoughts and emotions are completely unpredictable and unmanageable. We cannot really address uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety without first being aware of what situations bring up these feelings. Self-monitoring is a simple way of increasing this awareness..
5. Using Social Support for Anxiety
Over and over again, it has been found that finding support from others can be a major factor in helping people overcome the negative effects of a traumatic event and PTSD. Having someone you trust that you can talk to can be very helpful for working through stressful situations or for emotional validation. However, simply having someone available to talk to may not be enough. There are several important pieces to a supportive relationship that may be particularly beneficial in helping someone manage their anxiety. Learn more about what makes up a good supportive relationship in this article..
6. Self-Soothing Exercises for Anxiety
When you are experiencing anxiety, it is important to have ways of coping with those feelings. For example, seeking out social support can be an excellent way of improving your mood. However, the anxiety associated with symptoms of PTSD can sometimes occur unexpectedly, and social support may not be readily available. Therefore, it is important to learn coping strategies that you can do on your own. Coping strategies focused on improving your mood and reducing anxiety that you can do on your own are sometimes described as self-soothing or self-care coping strategies..
7. Using Expressive Writing for Anxiety
Using journaling to cope with and express your thoughts and feelings (also called expressive writing) can be a good way of coping with anxiety. Expressive writing has been found to improve physical and psychological health. In regard to PTSD in particular, expressive writing has been found to have a number of benefits including improved coping and posttraumatic growth (or the ability to find meaning in and have positive life changes following a traumatic event), as well as reduced PTSD symptoms, tension, and anger..
8. Using Distraction to Cope with Anxiety
Purposeful use of distraction techniques can actually be of benefit in coping with emotions that are strong and feel uncomfortable, such as anxiety and fear. Distraction is anything you do to temporarily take your attention off of a strong emotion. Sometimes, focusing on a strong emotion can make it feel even stronger and more out of control. Therefore, by temporarily distracting yourself, you may give the emotion some time to decrease in intensity, making it easier to manage. Learn some distraction techniques in this article..
9. Behavioral Activation for Anxiety
Anxiety and avoidance go hand-in-hand. While the avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations may help reduce our anxiety in the moment, in the long-term it may prevent us from living a meaningful and rewarding life (especially as this avoidance grows bigger and bigger). Behavioral activation is a great way of increasing your activity level, as well as the extent with which you engage in positive and rewarding activities. Through behavioral activation, you can reduce your depression and anxiety.
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated May 14, 2009
People with PTSD often struggle with frequent and intense symptoms of anxiety. These strong symptoms of anxiety often lead people with PTSD to rely on unhealthy ways of coping, such as through drug or alcohol use. Fortunately, there are a number of healthy ways of coping with anxiety that may help your anxiety go down in intensity, become less frequent, and/or become more tolerable.
1. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing can be an important coping skill to learn. It may sound silly, but many people do not breathe properly. Natural breathing involves your diaphragm, a large muscle in your abdomen. When you breathe in, your belly should expand. When you breathe out, your belly should fall. Overtime, people forget how to breathe this way and instead use their chest and shoulders. This causes short and shallow breaths, which can increase stress and anxiety. Fortunately, it is not too late to "re-learn" how to breathe and help protect yourself from stress. Practice this simple exercise to improve your breathing and combat anxiety..
Sponsored Links
Relaxation Techniques
Achieve Ultimate Relaxation WIth These Simple Meditation Techniques.
www.silvalifesystem.com
Stop Panic Attacks
I have a trick that can Instantly Stop Panic Attacks
www.ilovepanicattacks.com
Anxiety Relaxation Techniques
Anxiety Tips & Stress Busters For Women. Watch Expert Videos Online.
www.HealthiNation.com/Anxiety
2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Using relaxation exercises can be an effective way to reduce your stress and anxiety. One relaxation exercise called progressive muscle relaxation focuses on a person alternating between tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body. In this way, relaxation is viewed like a pendulum. More complete relaxation of your muscles can be obtained by first going to the other extreme (that is, by tensing your muscles). In addition, by tensing your muscles (a common symptom of anxiety) and immediately relaxing them, the symptom of muscle tension may become a signal to relax over time. You can learn a basic progressive muscle relaxation exercise in this article..
3. Using Mindfulness to Cope with Anxiety
Using mindfulness for anxiety can be very helpful. Mindfulness has been around for ages. However, mental health professionals are beginning to recognize that mindfulness can have many benefits for people suffering from difficulties such as anxiety and depression. In a nutshell, mindfulness is about being in-touch with and aware of the present moment. So often in our lives, we are stuck in our heads, caught up in the anxiety and worries of daily life. This exercise will introduce you to mindfulness and may be helpful getting you "out of your head" and in touch with the present moment..
4. Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring can be a helpful way of getting a handle on your anxiety symptoms. We are all "creatures of habit." We often go about our day without thinking, being unaware of much that goes on around us. This may be useful in some situations, but other times, this lack of awareness may make us feel as though our thoughts and emotions are completely unpredictable and unmanageable. We cannot really address uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety without first being aware of what situations bring up these feelings. Self-monitoring is a simple way of increasing this awareness..
5. Using Social Support for Anxiety
Over and over again, it has been found that finding support from others can be a major factor in helping people overcome the negative effects of a traumatic event and PTSD. Having someone you trust that you can talk to can be very helpful for working through stressful situations or for emotional validation. However, simply having someone available to talk to may not be enough. There are several important pieces to a supportive relationship that may be particularly beneficial in helping someone manage their anxiety. Learn more about what makes up a good supportive relationship in this article..
6. Self-Soothing Exercises for Anxiety
When you are experiencing anxiety, it is important to have ways of coping with those feelings. For example, seeking out social support can be an excellent way of improving your mood. However, the anxiety associated with symptoms of PTSD can sometimes occur unexpectedly, and social support may not be readily available. Therefore, it is important to learn coping strategies that you can do on your own. Coping strategies focused on improving your mood and reducing anxiety that you can do on your own are sometimes described as self-soothing or self-care coping strategies..
7. Using Expressive Writing for Anxiety
Using journaling to cope with and express your thoughts and feelings (also called expressive writing) can be a good way of coping with anxiety. Expressive writing has been found to improve physical and psychological health. In regard to PTSD in particular, expressive writing has been found to have a number of benefits including improved coping and posttraumatic growth (or the ability to find meaning in and have positive life changes following a traumatic event), as well as reduced PTSD symptoms, tension, and anger..
8. Using Distraction to Cope with Anxiety
Purposeful use of distraction techniques can actually be of benefit in coping with emotions that are strong and feel uncomfortable, such as anxiety and fear. Distraction is anything you do to temporarily take your attention off of a strong emotion. Sometimes, focusing on a strong emotion can make it feel even stronger and more out of control. Therefore, by temporarily distracting yourself, you may give the emotion some time to decrease in intensity, making it easier to manage. Learn some distraction techniques in this article..
9. Behavioral Activation for Anxiety
Anxiety and avoidance go hand-in-hand. While the avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations may help reduce our anxiety in the moment, in the long-term it may prevent us from living a meaningful and rewarding life (especially as this avoidance grows bigger and bigger). Behavioral activation is a great way of increasing your activity level, as well as the extent with which you engage in positive and rewarding activities. Through behavioral activation, you can reduce your depression and anxiety.
Coping with Flashbacks
Coping with Flashbacks
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: October 29, 2008
Symptoms of PTSD
Many people with PTSD struggle in coping with flashbacks. Flashbacks are considered one of the re-experiencing symptoms of PTSD. In a flashback, a person may feel or act as though a traumatic event is happening again. A flashback may be temporary and some connection with the present moment may be maintained, or a person may lose all awareness of what is going on around him, being taken completely back to their traumatic event. For example, a rape survivor, when triggered, may begin to smell certain scents or feel pain in her body similar to that which was experienced during her assault.
People with PTSD may also experience dissociation. Dissociation is an experience where a person may feel disconnected from himself and/or his surroundings. Similar to flashbacks, dissociation may range from temporarily losing touch with things that are going on around you (kind of like what happens when you daydream) to having no memories for a prolonged period of time and/or feeling as though you are outside of your body.
Both flashbacks and dissociation may occur as a result of encountering triggers, or a reminder of a traumatic event. To the extent that people are not aware of their triggers, flashbacks and dissociation can be incredibly disruptive and unpredictable events that are difficult to manage. However, you can take steps to better manage and prevent flashbacks and dissociation. These are described below.
Know Your Triggers
In coping with flashbacks and dissociation, prevention is key. Flashbacks and dissociation are often triggered or cued by some kind of reminder of a traumatic event (for example, encountering certain people, going to specific places), or some other stressful experience. Therefore, it is important to identify the specific things that trigger flashbacks or dissociation.
By knowing what your triggers are, you can either try to limit your exposure to those triggers, or if that is not possible (which is often the case), you can prepare for them by devising ways to cope with your reaction to those triggers.
In addition to reducing flashbacks and dissociation, knowing your triggers may also help with other symptoms of PTSD, such as intrusive thoughts and memories of a traumatic event.
Identify Early Warning Signs
Flashbacks and dissociation may feel as though they come "out-of-the-blue." That is, they may feel unpredictable and uncontrollable. However, there are often some early signs that a person may be slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state. For example, a person's surroundings may begin to look "fuzzy," or someone may feel as though he is separating from or losing touch with his surroundings, other people, or even himself.
Flashbacks and dissociation are easier to cope with and prevent if you can catch them early on. Therefore, it is important to try to increase your awareness of early symptoms of flashbacks and dissociation. Next time you experience a flashback or dissociation, revisit what you were feeling and thinking just before the flashback or dissociation occurred. Try to identify as many early symptoms as possible. The more early warning signs you can come up with, the better able you will be to prevent future flashbacks or episodes of dissociation.
Learn Grounding Techniques
As the name implies, grounding is a particular way of coping that is designed to "ground" you in the present moment. In doing so, you can retain your connection with the present moment and reduce the likelihood that you slip into a flashback or dissociation. In this way, grounding may be considered to be very similar to mindfulness.
To ground, you want to use the five senses (sound, touch, smell, taste, and sight). To connect with the here and now, you want to do something that will bring all your attention to the present moment. A couple of grounding techniques are described below.
•Sound: Turn on loud music
Loud, jarring music will be hard to ignore. And as a result, your attention will be directed to that noise, bringing you into the present moment.
•Touch: Grip a piece of ice
If you notice that you are slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state, hold onto a piece of ice. It will be difficult to direct your attention away from the extreme coldness of the ice, forcing you to stay in touch with the present moment.
•Smell: Sniff some strong peppermint
When you smell something strong, it is very hard to focus on anything else. In this way, smelling peppermint can bring you into the present moment, slowing down or stopping altogether a flashback or an episode of dissociation.
•Taste: Bite into a lemon
The sourness of a lemon and the strong sensation it produces in your mouth when you bite into it can force you to stay in the present moment.
•Sight: Take an inventory of everything around you
Connect with the present moment by listing everything around you. Identify all the colors you see. Count all the pieces of furniture around you. List off all the noises you hear. Taking an inventory of your immediate environment can directly connect you with the present moment.
Enlist the Help of Others
If you know that you may be at risk for a flashback or dissociation by going into a certain situation, bring along some trusted support. Make sure that the person you bring with you is also aware of your triggers and knows how to tell and what to do when you are entering a flashback or dissociative state.
Seek Treatment
In the end, the best way to prevent flashbacks and dissociation is to seek out treatment for your PTSD. Flashbacks and dissociation may be a sign that you are struggling to confront or cope with the traumatic event you experienced. Treatment can help with this. You can find PTSD treatment providers in your area through the Anxiety Disorder Association of America website, as well as UCompare HealthCare from About.com. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) also provides a wealth of information on the connection between trauma and dissociation, how to cope with dissociation, and provides links to therapists who treat trauma and dissociation.
Source:
Linehan, M.M. (1993). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated: October 29, 2008
Symptoms of PTSD
Many people with PTSD struggle in coping with flashbacks. Flashbacks are considered one of the re-experiencing symptoms of PTSD. In a flashback, a person may feel or act as though a traumatic event is happening again. A flashback may be temporary and some connection with the present moment may be maintained, or a person may lose all awareness of what is going on around him, being taken completely back to their traumatic event. For example, a rape survivor, when triggered, may begin to smell certain scents or feel pain in her body similar to that which was experienced during her assault.
People with PTSD may also experience dissociation. Dissociation is an experience where a person may feel disconnected from himself and/or his surroundings. Similar to flashbacks, dissociation may range from temporarily losing touch with things that are going on around you (kind of like what happens when you daydream) to having no memories for a prolonged period of time and/or feeling as though you are outside of your body.
Both flashbacks and dissociation may occur as a result of encountering triggers, or a reminder of a traumatic event. To the extent that people are not aware of their triggers, flashbacks and dissociation can be incredibly disruptive and unpredictable events that are difficult to manage. However, you can take steps to better manage and prevent flashbacks and dissociation. These are described below.
Know Your Triggers
In coping with flashbacks and dissociation, prevention is key. Flashbacks and dissociation are often triggered or cued by some kind of reminder of a traumatic event (for example, encountering certain people, going to specific places), or some other stressful experience. Therefore, it is important to identify the specific things that trigger flashbacks or dissociation.
By knowing what your triggers are, you can either try to limit your exposure to those triggers, or if that is not possible (which is often the case), you can prepare for them by devising ways to cope with your reaction to those triggers.
In addition to reducing flashbacks and dissociation, knowing your triggers may also help with other symptoms of PTSD, such as intrusive thoughts and memories of a traumatic event.
Identify Early Warning Signs
Flashbacks and dissociation may feel as though they come "out-of-the-blue." That is, they may feel unpredictable and uncontrollable. However, there are often some early signs that a person may be slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state. For example, a person's surroundings may begin to look "fuzzy," or someone may feel as though he is separating from or losing touch with his surroundings, other people, or even himself.
Flashbacks and dissociation are easier to cope with and prevent if you can catch them early on. Therefore, it is important to try to increase your awareness of early symptoms of flashbacks and dissociation. Next time you experience a flashback or dissociation, revisit what you were feeling and thinking just before the flashback or dissociation occurred. Try to identify as many early symptoms as possible. The more early warning signs you can come up with, the better able you will be to prevent future flashbacks or episodes of dissociation.
Learn Grounding Techniques
As the name implies, grounding is a particular way of coping that is designed to "ground" you in the present moment. In doing so, you can retain your connection with the present moment and reduce the likelihood that you slip into a flashback or dissociation. In this way, grounding may be considered to be very similar to mindfulness.
To ground, you want to use the five senses (sound, touch, smell, taste, and sight). To connect with the here and now, you want to do something that will bring all your attention to the present moment. A couple of grounding techniques are described below.
•Sound: Turn on loud music
Loud, jarring music will be hard to ignore. And as a result, your attention will be directed to that noise, bringing you into the present moment.
•Touch: Grip a piece of ice
If you notice that you are slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state, hold onto a piece of ice. It will be difficult to direct your attention away from the extreme coldness of the ice, forcing you to stay in touch with the present moment.
•Smell: Sniff some strong peppermint
When you smell something strong, it is very hard to focus on anything else. In this way, smelling peppermint can bring you into the present moment, slowing down or stopping altogether a flashback or an episode of dissociation.
•Taste: Bite into a lemon
The sourness of a lemon and the strong sensation it produces in your mouth when you bite into it can force you to stay in the present moment.
•Sight: Take an inventory of everything around you
Connect with the present moment by listing everything around you. Identify all the colors you see. Count all the pieces of furniture around you. List off all the noises you hear. Taking an inventory of your immediate environment can directly connect you with the present moment.
Enlist the Help of Others
If you know that you may be at risk for a flashback or dissociation by going into a certain situation, bring along some trusted support. Make sure that the person you bring with you is also aware of your triggers and knows how to tell and what to do when you are entering a flashback or dissociative state.
Seek Treatment
In the end, the best way to prevent flashbacks and dissociation is to seek out treatment for your PTSD. Flashbacks and dissociation may be a sign that you are struggling to confront or cope with the traumatic event you experienced. Treatment can help with this. You can find PTSD treatment providers in your area through the Anxiety Disorder Association of America website, as well as UCompare HealthCare from About.com. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) also provides a wealth of information on the connection between trauma and dissociation, how to cope with dissociation, and provides links to therapists who treat trauma and dissociation.
Source:
Linehan, M.M. (1993). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
Coping With Your PTSD at Work
Coping With Your PTSD at Work
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 26, 2010
Health and Fitness
If you have a diagnosis of PTSD (or even if you are simply experiencing just a few symptoms of PTSD), you may have found that it is incredibly difficulty to manage PTSD at work.
The symptoms of PTSD can be quite debilitating, interfering greatly with many aspects of a person's life. For example, you may feel disconnected or detached from loved ones, and as a result, relationships with friends and family may suffer. You may find that you experience less pleasure when engaging in activities or hobbies that you used to enjoy. You may notice that you become highly anxious and on edge when you are around large crowds, and therefore, you avoid leaving your house. Finally, you may find work to be a particularly stressful experience.
Situations associated with the work environment can be particularly stressful for a person with PTSD. For instance, your work may require you to attend meetings which might make the person with PTSD feel on guard and trapped. A work environment may also have loud, unexpected noises that can trigger a strong startle response in someone with PTSD. You may be forced to interact with people that you feel disconnected or detached from. Finally, the concentration and sleep problems associated with PTSD may make it difficult to be productive and attentive at work.
Although it may be particularly difficult to manage PTSD symptoms while at work, work is a situation that few people can avoid. Therefore, it is very important to come up with ways of coping with your PTSD symptoms while at work. Listed below are just a few tips that may help you in better managing your PTSD symptoms during the work day.
Know Your Symptoms
Regardless of whether you are coping with your PTSD symptoms at work, in relationships, or going shopping, it is very important that you know what PTSD symptoms you are experiencing. Having a good understanding of how you experience your PTSD provides a strong foundation for all other coping skills. It is very difficult to manage symptoms if you cannot recognize them in the first place. Therefore, it can be important to spend some time reading about PTSD and monitoring your experience. By doing this, you can gain an increased awareness of what PTSD symptoms you are experiencing and what they feel like.
Know Your Triggers
Monitoring can also be a very helpful way of increasing awareness of triggers for your PTSD symptoms. For example, are there certain activities, places, or conversations that bring up unpleasant memories or thoughts about a traumatic event? Do crowds activate hyperarousal symptoms for you? Does seeing particular images cause you to have nightmares? Monitor your experience while at work or think about situations that you may encounter at work that could be triggering.
Come Up With a List of Ways to Cope with Triggers
Once you have identified what PTSD symptoms you are experience and what kind of situations trigger those symptoms, plan ahead. List all of the ways that you can cope with those triggers should you encounter them. Write these coping strategies down on a note card and carry this note card with you at all times. Then, when you encounter a trigger and experience PTSD symptoms, go down the list until you find a coping strategy that helps you manage your PTSD symptoms. Remember, the more strategies you have available to you, the better off you will be in managing your triggers.
Practice Your Coping Strategies
As stated above, the more coping strategies you have available to you, the better off you will be in managing your PTSD symptoms. Therefore, it is important to practice a number of coping strategies. Get comfortable with them in a number of different situations. This way, when you need them, it will be easier to enact them.
It is also important to remember that some coping strategies work really well in some situations but not so well in others. For example, expressive writing may be a great coping strategy when you have a good amount of time to sit down and reflect on your experience; however, it may not be the best strategy during a busy work day. Coping strategies that can work really well in a short amount of time are deep breathing, mindfulness, and grounding skills. These coping skills can be done pretty much anywhere, whether you are in a meeting, at lunch, or on your way to work.
Come Up With a Plan for Coping with Unexpected Situations
Even with the best planning, the occurrence of PTSD symptoms can be unpredictable. Therefore, it is important to create a safety plan for coping with them when they occur. For example, it may be helpful to keep a list of supportive people you can call. Make sure you put more than one number on the list in case the first person you call is not available. If you have a therapist and you are able to contact him or her outside of session, you may want his or her name on your list as well. If you are on PRN medication (medication taken as needed), make sure that you have it with you in case you are in a situation where you need it. Make sure you also have your list of coping strategies available. When you are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, it can be difficult to come up with a good coping plan. By having the coping strategy list available, you won't have to think on your feet.
Finally, it can be important to come up with some explanations in case you have to excuse yourself from a situation. Plan ahead to what you might say to excuse yourself from the room if your PTSD symptoms are triggered while you are in a meeting or at lunch with co-workers. The goal of this strategy is not avoidance, but instead, giving you the opportunity to be alone so that you can best enact effective coping strategies for your PTSD symptoms.
Coping with your PTSD symptoms at work can be a very difficult thing to do. However, through careful planning and preparation, you can find ways to limit the extent with which PTSD interferes with your life.
By Matthew Tull, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated February 26, 2010
Health and Fitness
If you have a diagnosis of PTSD (or even if you are simply experiencing just a few symptoms of PTSD), you may have found that it is incredibly difficulty to manage PTSD at work.
The symptoms of PTSD can be quite debilitating, interfering greatly with many aspects of a person's life. For example, you may feel disconnected or detached from loved ones, and as a result, relationships with friends and family may suffer. You may find that you experience less pleasure when engaging in activities or hobbies that you used to enjoy. You may notice that you become highly anxious and on edge when you are around large crowds, and therefore, you avoid leaving your house. Finally, you may find work to be a particularly stressful experience.
Situations associated with the work environment can be particularly stressful for a person with PTSD. For instance, your work may require you to attend meetings which might make the person with PTSD feel on guard and trapped. A work environment may also have loud, unexpected noises that can trigger a strong startle response in someone with PTSD. You may be forced to interact with people that you feel disconnected or detached from. Finally, the concentration and sleep problems associated with PTSD may make it difficult to be productive and attentive at work.
Although it may be particularly difficult to manage PTSD symptoms while at work, work is a situation that few people can avoid. Therefore, it is very important to come up with ways of coping with your PTSD symptoms while at work. Listed below are just a few tips that may help you in better managing your PTSD symptoms during the work day.
Know Your Symptoms
Regardless of whether you are coping with your PTSD symptoms at work, in relationships, or going shopping, it is very important that you know what PTSD symptoms you are experiencing. Having a good understanding of how you experience your PTSD provides a strong foundation for all other coping skills. It is very difficult to manage symptoms if you cannot recognize them in the first place. Therefore, it can be important to spend some time reading about PTSD and monitoring your experience. By doing this, you can gain an increased awareness of what PTSD symptoms you are experiencing and what they feel like.
Know Your Triggers
Monitoring can also be a very helpful way of increasing awareness of triggers for your PTSD symptoms. For example, are there certain activities, places, or conversations that bring up unpleasant memories or thoughts about a traumatic event? Do crowds activate hyperarousal symptoms for you? Does seeing particular images cause you to have nightmares? Monitor your experience while at work or think about situations that you may encounter at work that could be triggering.
Come Up With a List of Ways to Cope with Triggers
Once you have identified what PTSD symptoms you are experience and what kind of situations trigger those symptoms, plan ahead. List all of the ways that you can cope with those triggers should you encounter them. Write these coping strategies down on a note card and carry this note card with you at all times. Then, when you encounter a trigger and experience PTSD symptoms, go down the list until you find a coping strategy that helps you manage your PTSD symptoms. Remember, the more strategies you have available to you, the better off you will be in managing your triggers.
Practice Your Coping Strategies
As stated above, the more coping strategies you have available to you, the better off you will be in managing your PTSD symptoms. Therefore, it is important to practice a number of coping strategies. Get comfortable with them in a number of different situations. This way, when you need them, it will be easier to enact them.
It is also important to remember that some coping strategies work really well in some situations but not so well in others. For example, expressive writing may be a great coping strategy when you have a good amount of time to sit down and reflect on your experience; however, it may not be the best strategy during a busy work day. Coping strategies that can work really well in a short amount of time are deep breathing, mindfulness, and grounding skills. These coping skills can be done pretty much anywhere, whether you are in a meeting, at lunch, or on your way to work.
Come Up With a Plan for Coping with Unexpected Situations
Even with the best planning, the occurrence of PTSD symptoms can be unpredictable. Therefore, it is important to create a safety plan for coping with them when they occur. For example, it may be helpful to keep a list of supportive people you can call. Make sure you put more than one number on the list in case the first person you call is not available. If you have a therapist and you are able to contact him or her outside of session, you may want his or her name on your list as well. If you are on PRN medication (medication taken as needed), make sure that you have it with you in case you are in a situation where you need it. Make sure you also have your list of coping strategies available. When you are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, it can be difficult to come up with a good coping plan. By having the coping strategy list available, you won't have to think on your feet.
Finally, it can be important to come up with some explanations in case you have to excuse yourself from a situation. Plan ahead to what you might say to excuse yourself from the room if your PTSD symptoms are triggered while you are in a meeting or at lunch with co-workers. The goal of this strategy is not avoidance, but instead, giving you the opportunity to be alone so that you can best enact effective coping strategies for your PTSD symptoms.
Coping with your PTSD symptoms at work can be a very difficult thing to do. However, through careful planning and preparation, you can find ways to limit the extent with which PTSD interferes with your life.
Living With Borderline Personality Disorder Video
Living With Borderline Personality Disorder Video
Lauren | March 14, 2010 at 5:14 pm | Tags: borderline, borderline personality disorder, bpd, creativity, expression, happiness, mental health, mental illness, music, ronald paul corbin, video | Categories: borderline personality disorder | URL: http://wp.me/pNiLP-57
This video was made by Ronald Paul Corbin (a supporter of On The Borderline), also known as MrOntheborder on YouTube. The song in the video is "Happiness," and was written and performed by Ronald Paul Corbin.
http://ontheborderlineblog.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/living-with-borderline-personality-disorder-video/
Lauren | March 14, 2010 at 5:14 pm | Tags: borderline, borderline personality disorder, bpd, creativity, expression, happiness, mental health, mental illness, music, ronald paul corbin, video | Categories: borderline personality disorder | URL: http://wp.me/pNiLP-57
This video was made by Ronald Paul Corbin (a supporter of On The Borderline), also known as MrOntheborder on YouTube. The song in the video is "Happiness," and was written and performed by Ronald Paul Corbin.
http://ontheborderlineblog.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/living-with-borderline-personality-disorder-video/
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Stigma and Borderline Personality Disorder
Stigma and Borderline Personality Disorder
How Stigma Impacts People With BPD
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated June 30, 2009
Stigma and borderline personality disorder (BPD) often go hand in hand. But what is stigma, and how can it impact you?
For years, in the United States and abroad, public information campaigns have tried to combat the stigma associated with mental illness. Unfortunately, these campaigns don’t seem to have been successful. In fact, the general public today is as afraid or more afraid of people with mental illness than they were decades ago. And people with BPD are among the most highly stigmatized groups.
How can we combat the stigma faced by people with BPD and other mental illnesses? The first step is to learn more about stigma, its consequences, and how to fight it.
What Is Stigma?
Stigma is a perceived negative attribute that causes someone to devalue or think less of the whole person. People tend to distance themselves from individuals in stigmatized groups, to blame individuals in these groups for the perceived negative attributes, and to discriminate against and diminish the stigmatized individuals.
Many individuals with mental health difficulties are perceived as weak, inhuman, or “less than” because of their psychological symptoms. Of the major mental illnesses, individuals with BPD are perhaps among the most stigmatized. Individuals with BPD are often blamed for their symptoms by both professionals and laypeople.
To give one example of stigma and mental illness, consider public perception of mental illness and violence. Research has shown that the American public is twice a likely to believe that people with mental illness tend to be violent than they were in 1950.
Actually, mental illness alone does not increase the chances that a person will be violent at all. In fact, people with mental illness are actually much more likely to be victims of violence than the general population. Still, the public perception is that people with mental illness are dangerous.
What Are the Consequences of Stigma?
The consequences of stigma are far-reaching. Research has shown that people from stigmatized groups are more likely to distance themselves from others, and they may start to believe what others say about them, thinking of themselves as incompetent, weak, or unreliable. These negative self-beliefs may have worse consequences than the mental illness itself, in some cases.
In addition, people from stigmatized groups may be less likely to seek treatment because of the possible consequences of being labeled with a disorder. Many people will not seek treatment for fear that getting a diagnosis will interfere with their ability to get a job in the future.
Stigma also makes it difficult for people with mental illnesses to find the social support they need to successfully manage their illness. There is evidence that social support is one of the key factors in successful recovery from mental illness, but individuals from stigmatized groups may have trouble finding that social support.
How Can I Fight Stigma?
Perhaps the most important way to fight stigma in your own life is to engage in educating others about BPD. There is evidence that when people learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for BPD, their attitudes tend to change. Share your knowledge about BPD with people around you, and you can be a major force for change in their beliefs.
Another way to fight stigma is to volunteer your time for organizations that seek to change public attitudes about mental illness. For example, the National Alliance for Mental Illness StigmaBusters campaign accesses the talents and resources of thousands of volunteers to identity and confront stigma wherever it occurs.
Sources:
Aviram RB, Brodsky BS, Stanley B. “Borderline Personality Disorder, Stigma, and Treatment Implications.” Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 14(5):249-256, 2006.
Dingfelder, S. F. “Stigma: Alive and Well.” APA Monitor on Psychology, 40(6): 56-60, 2009.
Krawitz R. “Borderline Personality Disorder: Attitudinal Change Following Training.” Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 38(7):554-559, 2004.
How Stigma Impacts People With BPD
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Updated June 30, 2009
Stigma and borderline personality disorder (BPD) often go hand in hand. But what is stigma, and how can it impact you?
For years, in the United States and abroad, public information campaigns have tried to combat the stigma associated with mental illness. Unfortunately, these campaigns don’t seem to have been successful. In fact, the general public today is as afraid or more afraid of people with mental illness than they were decades ago. And people with BPD are among the most highly stigmatized groups.
How can we combat the stigma faced by people with BPD and other mental illnesses? The first step is to learn more about stigma, its consequences, and how to fight it.
What Is Stigma?
Stigma is a perceived negative attribute that causes someone to devalue or think less of the whole person. People tend to distance themselves from individuals in stigmatized groups, to blame individuals in these groups for the perceived negative attributes, and to discriminate against and diminish the stigmatized individuals.
Many individuals with mental health difficulties are perceived as weak, inhuman, or “less than” because of their psychological symptoms. Of the major mental illnesses, individuals with BPD are perhaps among the most stigmatized. Individuals with BPD are often blamed for their symptoms by both professionals and laypeople.
To give one example of stigma and mental illness, consider public perception of mental illness and violence. Research has shown that the American public is twice a likely to believe that people with mental illness tend to be violent than they were in 1950.
Actually, mental illness alone does not increase the chances that a person will be violent at all. In fact, people with mental illness are actually much more likely to be victims of violence than the general population. Still, the public perception is that people with mental illness are dangerous.
What Are the Consequences of Stigma?
The consequences of stigma are far-reaching. Research has shown that people from stigmatized groups are more likely to distance themselves from others, and they may start to believe what others say about them, thinking of themselves as incompetent, weak, or unreliable. These negative self-beliefs may have worse consequences than the mental illness itself, in some cases.
In addition, people from stigmatized groups may be less likely to seek treatment because of the possible consequences of being labeled with a disorder. Many people will not seek treatment for fear that getting a diagnosis will interfere with their ability to get a job in the future.
Stigma also makes it difficult for people with mental illnesses to find the social support they need to successfully manage their illness. There is evidence that social support is one of the key factors in successful recovery from mental illness, but individuals from stigmatized groups may have trouble finding that social support.
How Can I Fight Stigma?
Perhaps the most important way to fight stigma in your own life is to engage in educating others about BPD. There is evidence that when people learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for BPD, their attitudes tend to change. Share your knowledge about BPD with people around you, and you can be a major force for change in their beliefs.
Another way to fight stigma is to volunteer your time for organizations that seek to change public attitudes about mental illness. For example, the National Alliance for Mental Illness StigmaBusters campaign accesses the talents and resources of thousands of volunteers to identity and confront stigma wherever it occurs.
Sources:
Aviram RB, Brodsky BS, Stanley B. “Borderline Personality Disorder, Stigma, and Treatment Implications.” Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 14(5):249-256, 2006.
Dingfelder, S. F. “Stigma: Alive and Well.” APA Monitor on Psychology, 40(6): 56-60, 2009.
Krawitz R. “Borderline Personality Disorder: Attitudinal Change Following Training.” Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 38(7):554-559, 2004.
Why is it Called Borderline Personality Disorder?
Why is it Called Borderline Personality Disorder?
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: October 18, 2009
Question: Why is it Called Borderline Personality Disorder?
Where did the term "borderline" come from, and what does it mean?
Answer:
The term "borderline" was first used by early psychiatrists to describe people who were thought to be on the "border" between diagnoses. At the time, the system for diagnosing mental illness was far less sophisticated than it is today, and "borderline" referred to individuals who did not fit neatly into the two broad categories of mental disorder: psychosis or neurosis.
Today, far more is known about BPD, and it is no longer thought of as being related to psychotic disorders (and the term "neurosis" is no longer used in our diagnostic system). Instead, BPD is recognized as a disorder characterized by intense emotional experiences and instability in relationships and behavior.
Many experts are now calling for BPD to be renamed, because the term "borderline" is outdated and because, unfortunately, the name has been used in a stigmatizing way in the past. Suggestions for the new name have included: "Emotion Dysregulation Disorder," Unstable Personality Disorder," and "Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder."
Source:
Bernstein, PhD, David P., Iscan, MD, Cuneyt, Maser, PhD, Jack, Board of Directors, Association for Research in Personality Disorder, & Board of Directors, International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders. "Opinions of personality disorder experts regarding the DSM-IV Personality Disorders classification system." Journal of Personality Disorders, 21: 536-551, October 2007.
By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide
Created: October 18, 2009
Question: Why is it Called Borderline Personality Disorder?
Where did the term "borderline" come from, and what does it mean?
Answer:
The term "borderline" was first used by early psychiatrists to describe people who were thought to be on the "border" between diagnoses. At the time, the system for diagnosing mental illness was far less sophisticated than it is today, and "borderline" referred to individuals who did not fit neatly into the two broad categories of mental disorder: psychosis or neurosis.
Today, far more is known about BPD, and it is no longer thought of as being related to psychotic disorders (and the term "neurosis" is no longer used in our diagnostic system). Instead, BPD is recognized as a disorder characterized by intense emotional experiences and instability in relationships and behavior.
Many experts are now calling for BPD to be renamed, because the term "borderline" is outdated and because, unfortunately, the name has been used in a stigmatizing way in the past. Suggestions for the new name have included: "Emotion Dysregulation Disorder," Unstable Personality Disorder," and "Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder."
Source:
Bernstein, PhD, David P., Iscan, MD, Cuneyt, Maser, PhD, Jack, Board of Directors, Association for Research in Personality Disorder, & Board of Directors, International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders. "Opinions of personality disorder experts regarding the DSM-IV Personality Disorders classification system." Journal of Personality Disorders, 21: 536-551, October 2007.
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