Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder sustain a pattern of instability throughout their adult lives. They often appear to be in one crisis after another. Many feel empty and bored; they attach themselves strongly to others, then become intensely angry or hostile when they believe that they are being ignored or mistreated by those they depend on. They may impulsively try to harm or mutilate themselves; these actions are expressions of anger, cries for help, or attempts to numb themselves to their emotional pain. Although individuals who suffer from borderline symptoms may experience brief psychotic episodes, these episodes resolve so quickly that they are seldom confused with psychosis. Intense rapid mood swings, impulsively, and unstable interpersonal relationships make it difficult for these individuals to achieve their full potential socially, at work, or in school. Borderline symptoms usually run in families. These people are truly miserable and in some cases (up to 10%) complete suicide (Morrison, 1995).
Individuals who suffer from symptoms of borderline personality, try not to get close to people because of fear of becoming too attached and being abandoned. Therefore, it is difficult for them to stick with one therapist. However, if they are able to continue therapy for extended periods, then they tend to benefit greatly. Treatment of borderline personality symptoms is generally supportive, acceptance, and validation. Individuals need to feel they are understood before they can begin the process of change. Once the trust is established, then they are taught to identify when they are having one of the cluster of symptoms, and identify the corresponding thought that is causing the emotion. Once the thought is identified, then it is forcefully disputed, and an alternative thought is developed. Once the individual sees the gains of the approach, then that becomes the motivator for them to continue, and invest more in the therapy.
Physical/Emotional Symptoms
1.Emotional instability
2.Empty, bored feeling
3.Feeling of “being all over the place”
4.No sense of self
5.Angry interpersonal conflicts
6.Fear of abandonment
7.Self mutilation
8.Suicide thoughts
9.Depression
10.Splitting (people are good or bad, not shades of both)
11.Black and white thinking (thinking of extremes only)
12.Potentially self-damaging impulsiveness in binge eating, reckless driving, sex, spending, substance use
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form