BPD is a mental health diagnosis that has become more prevalent in recent years. It is often characterised (wrongly) as relating to ‘attention seeking’ behaviours.
However, people with a diagnosis of BPD often experience:
- low mood or depression
- anxiety
- big emotions and, frequently anger.
Sometimes people experience:
- rapid mood swings
- moving from feelings of being high to low within hours.
Then there are other more difficult to describe features such as:
- feelings of hopelessness
- emptiness
- difficulty with relationships
- other feelings that are uncomfortable.
It can seem like there is no solution to BPD, parents or carers can become worn out and having these symptoms can be exhausting.
It does not have to be this way.
There are ways to treat BPD and also more useful ways to think about BPD as well.
For example: We can re-frame this as a ‘traumatic’ personality injury, caused by ruptures in relationships with a parent or carers that have long lasting effects.
Essentially, variations in attachment relationships can result in significantly different outcomes even when it seems as though children were bought up in the same way.
While medications can help in some cases and DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) can also be useful in learning to manage big emotions, one of the major treatments for BPD is psychotherapy.
We can learn to understand how our upbringing has affected us and how we can make changes to feel and behave differently.
Get in touch and we can talk about how we can help.
