Before talking further about treating BPD, I thought it might be important to talk about the symptoms of BPD and the underlying pathology which the treatments are designed to heal.
Most BPD persons are drawn to the attention of the medical community when we show up in emergency due to a suicide attempt or cutting.
While I myself, have been often suicidal, I am not a cutter. I think what is underlying the behaviours of BPD persons is a sense of being overwhelmed, unable to cope, which then results in self-destructive behaviour.
From what I understand, we get overwhelmed, partially due to the fact we are misperceiving what is going on around us.
Some of the symptoms (collected from a variety of sources) of BPD are:
* Unstable relationships
* Distorted thoughts and perceptions--especially in relationship to others (Idealization and then demonization)
* Impulsivity & instability
* Repetitive self-destructive behaviours
* Hypersensitivity
* Emptiness
* Unstable self-image
* Lability (rapidly changing emotions)
I'd like to add to this my own observations of myself: hyper, perfectionist, inability to love, insomnia* and frequent bouts with eczema when I'm stressed.
Sometimes when I'm not well, I can feel like I'm vibrating in my own skin and I want desperately to get out. This was often one of the times I would drink. Alcohol has the amazing ability to immediately calm me when I'm feeling like this--at least initially.
Something I've noted when in treatment for alcohol abuse is that many of the other women with whom I've spent weeks in residence are also hyper. Very reactive. We are not a calm bunch.
Perhaps that's why mindfulness is an important aspect of DBT--we need to learn how to calm ourselves without self-medicating.
*Insomnia: For most of my adult life, I have been an insomniac. It is only in the past 2-3 years, while living with family members, I have calmed myself down and felt safe enough to be able to sleep through the night.
For me, sleep is a huge luxury. During recent years, when I feel overwhelmed and anxiety ridden, and choose not to drink, I will sometimes cancel everything, unplug the phones, and go to bed (if I can).
I know from the outside, this looks as though I am lazy. Nonproductive. But for me, if I can get some sleep--or even if I can calm myself enough to stay still, read, regroup--this is better than drinking or running away.
Most BPD persons are drawn to the attention of the medical community when we show up in emergency due to a suicide attempt or cutting.
While I myself, have been often suicidal, I am not a cutter. I think what is underlying the behaviours of BPD persons is a sense of being overwhelmed, unable to cope, which then results in self-destructive behaviour.
From what I understand, we get overwhelmed, partially due to the fact we are misperceiving what is going on around us.
Some of the symptoms (collected from a variety of sources) of BPD are:
* Unstable relationships
* Distorted thoughts and perceptions--especially in relationship to others (Idealization and then demonization)
* Impulsivity & instability
* Repetitive self-destructive behaviours
* Hypersensitivity
* Emptiness
* Unstable self-image
* Lability (rapidly changing emotions)
I'd like to add to this my own observations of myself: hyper, perfectionist, inability to love, insomnia* and frequent bouts with eczema when I'm stressed.
Sometimes when I'm not well, I can feel like I'm vibrating in my own skin and I want desperately to get out. This was often one of the times I would drink. Alcohol has the amazing ability to immediately calm me when I'm feeling like this--at least initially.
Something I've noted when in treatment for alcohol abuse is that many of the other women with whom I've spent weeks in residence are also hyper. Very reactive. We are not a calm bunch.
Perhaps that's why mindfulness is an important aspect of DBT--we need to learn how to calm ourselves without self-medicating.
*Insomnia: For most of my adult life, I have been an insomniac. It is only in the past 2-3 years, while living with family members, I have calmed myself down and felt safe enough to be able to sleep through the night.
For me, sleep is a huge luxury. During recent years, when I feel overwhelmed and anxiety ridden, and choose not to drink, I will sometimes cancel everything, unplug the phones, and go to bed (if I can).
I know from the outside, this looks as though I am lazy. Nonproductive. But for me, if I can get some sleep--or even if I can calm myself enough to stay still, read, regroup--this is better than drinking or running away.
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