Borderline Personality Disorder- Are we Really Doomed?

[Wandering_free]

Any therapist or psychiatrist will tell you that working with individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most difficult psychiatric disorders to treat. You might be wondering, what is BPD and what is it like to have it? Well…It’s painful, exhausting and you feel like you will never get better. BPD can be genetic, but is typically a result of significant trauma. BPD is the defects to your personality that are your brains way of protecting you when you are being traumatized. Some symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder, include, but are not limited to, severe fear of abandonment, paranoia, unstable and intense emotions, frequently changing goals and interests because there is a lack of identity, dissociation, experiencing extreme ways of viewing oneself, such as, “I am amazing like a god” to “I am evil and I am nothing.” Given the mentally invasive nature of this disorder, many people suffering from it don’t seek treatment, or give up half way through, either because they feel they are not improving, or they have grown to become paranoid and start to believe their therapist is plotting to use their sensitive treatment information against them. This is a common fear of those with BPD. While this diagnosis is quite intense and causes significant instability in a person’s life, it IS possible to achieve long term recovery. Through cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR, or other treatment modalities that might work for some individuals but not others, those suffering with BPD can learn to have healthy relationships and thrive in life. The most important aspect of someone seeking treatment for BPD, is the stable support system that the person has. Anyone with BPD should surround themselves only with people who understand their diagnosis and are willing to foster a peer support and healing relationship. It can be hard dealing with a loved one with BPD, but positive consistency in their life can be a major advantage for recovery. If you or someone you know has this disorder, please don’t lose hope that it can get better and stay that way. You are not doomed.