Psychological Matters

There are many excellent books written about Borderline Personality Disorder.  Here are a few that I found particularly helpful.   Please be aware these references are not listed alphabetical, but rather in order of my favorite. Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder: A Family Guide for Healing and Change by Valerie Porr, MA (2010, Oxford University Press) Valerie Porr, MA, is the founder of the non-profit organization Treatment and Research Advancement-NationalAssociation for Personality Disorder ( TARA APD) whose mission is to increase education and research in the field of personality disorder. She has written this outstanding book on BPD. It provides a comprehensive overview of the disorder, which includes the latest research on the etiology of the disease and the latest treatment options. It is primarily written for family members with loved one with BPD who are looking for effective coping strategies and compassionate interpersonal techniques to r...

Most people have a Hollywood perspective of psychiatric hospitalizations. It is commonly assumed that emotionally-struggling individuals are admitted to get psychological treatment and are only released once they are cured, or at least more socially functional. This is not true. Since brief stays at a psychiatric hospital are often part of the treatment plan for people struggling with borderline personality disorder, it is important to understand when and how to facilitate an admission to such a facility. Some common questions about psychiatric hospitalizations include: What psychological or physical symptoms are required to qualify someone for an admission? What is the difference between an involuntary commitment and a voluntary admission? Can a patient sign out of the hospital at anytime? Criteria for psychiatric hospitalization have changed over the years. The main purpose is to keep individuals safe while their most severe symptoms are being treated with medication. Mo...

Since those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) frequently have wild emotional vacillations, odd black-and-white thinking, and scary disruptive behavior, it is commonly believed that they must have different type of emotions than everybody else. This, however, is a myth. Their emotional experience is the same as other people’s, they just struggle to have adequate internal coping mechanisms to handle their emotional pain or strong impulses.  As mentioned in the article of Borderline Personality Disorder: Definition , it is their difficulty to regulate emotional challenges and impulses that causes their dysfunctional and erratic behavior. Medication is only one part of an effective treatment plan.  Psychotherapy is also a necessary critical component to achieve lasting improvements in those diagnosed with BPD. Currently the gold standard in counseling modalities for BPD is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Professor at the Unive...

Treatment for BPD usually consists of several different components.  A combination of drug treatment, individual counseling, and group therapy are the common regiment. Over the next three articles, the current available modalities will be explored. This article is going to focus on the use of medications to address the more troubling BPD symptoms. Most individuals with BPD only seek help after they have exhausted their social support system, risked a job or two, or have gotten into legal trouble. They may also be in financial difficulty, abusing drugs or alcohol, and have contemplated or attempted suicide. Their life is careening out of control. It is not surprising that most BPD sufferers are experiencing significant psychological symptoms when they initially seek treatment. A list of these symptoms can be found here . A first important step in getting the proper treatment is to seek an evaluation with a psychiatrist familiar in the peculiarities of BPD. Most insurance com...

People with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) have lives fraught with emotional upheaval and frequent crises. Often their work life is inconsistent. They change jobs frequently due to being fired or because of personal dissatisfaction. Relationships usually are strained. They frequently put others into no-win situations. Friends and family become burnt-out with the constant demands, radical emotional swings, self-centeredness, and impulsivity. Risky and self-destruction behaviors are the norm. Friends and family members usually recognize their loved ones need professional help, before individuals with BPD see the need. Like people who have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, people with BPD rarely admit their need for help. Instead, they tend to blame their problems on to external circumstances or other people. Randi Kreger in her book, The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder , identifies six stages family members or friends of BPD go through in the p...

I recently came across a YouTube clip from the fourth season of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey . In this episode Teresa Guidice exploded in a fit of rage and flipped over a restaurant table. I don’t watch the show or know if any of these women have a psychological condition, but I was struck by Teresa’s display of impulsivity and disruptive behavior. The scene takes place at a very nice restaurant. Teresa is arguing with a friend. When the friend becomes insulting, Teresa responds with rage. She begins a tirade while pounding the table with her fist and finally flips the table over. Several men rush to her side. She shoves one away, but allows another to comfort her. She then calms down and they end their conversation with a kiss.  In a post interview Teresa seems unaware of the intensity of her emotional outburst. She doesn’t realize she shoved her male friend. She is also out of touch with her table guests’ reactions of shock and confusion...

We have just wrapped up a brief exploration of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and now are going to shift gears slightly and address another psychological condition, Borderline Personality Disorder. In 1987, there was a popular movie, Fatal Attraction , which drew the public’s attention to Borderline Personality Disorder. The main character, Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), portrayed an individual suffering with a serious form of this disorder. To quickly recap the plot of Fatal Attraction , Alex meets Dan Gallagher (played by Michael Douglas), a married business man, and has a weekend affair. Dan sees their relationship as a brief fling and attempts to break it off. Alex, however, views their relationship much differently. She becomes obsessed with Dan and is threatened by his desire to discontinue their relationship. She makes increasingly bizarre efforts, such as stalking Dan and killing his daughter’s pet rabbit, to keep him connected to her. When all these attempts fail, Alex’...