Therapy For Borderline Personality Disorder: Living At The Extremes: Managing And Treating Borderline Personality Disorder

A lot of times when we not engage our senses we end up being disoriented. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)One of the quickest and simplest ways to self-soothe is by using your senses. To determine which sensory-based stimulation is most effective for you, you will need to explore. When you’re upset or angry, one thing may help, and when you’re numb or depressed, something else may come in handy. Relationships require work, compromise, communication, empathy, and understanding.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

But sometimes, that craving can lead us to toxic relationships that can hurt us more than they help us. Personally, I’ve been in a few toxic relationships myself. But as someone who has borderline personality disorder , it’s sometimes hard to spot when someone is just as toxic as me. This means she can get to know romantic partners while taking things slow. In her experience, she did this by taking a three-month vow of celibacy to ensure the intentional building of a relationship.

If your loved one won’t acknowledge that they have a problem with BPD, you may want to consider couple’s therapy. Here, the focus is on the relationship and promoting better communication, rather than on your loved one’s disorder. Your partner may more readily agree to this and eventually consider pursuing BPD therapy in the future. Enable the person with BPD by protecting them from the consequences of their actions.

Although many people tend to think these conditions are the same, they are opposites due to their characteristics and traits. Since more and more people are demanding all-encompassing treatment that is also inexpensive, the medical industry is expanding its scope. To relieve hospital strain, dedicated outpatient clinics have formed.

It helps me notice what’s true right now versus what you’re afraid might happen in the future. Should I date and get negative thoughts, I know to use this method to cope. Navabi believes her latest relationship success was partly due to not overthinking it. Stopping herself from second-guessing other people’s intentions has allowed her more freedom within the relationship. “We have such a massive capacity for overthinking, to the point where these thoughts appear valid,” she says. While some of these negative thoughts may be valid due to our experiences, this shouldn’t justify never having healthy and fulfilling relationships.

Therapy for Caregivers and Family Members

If the person has five or more of the following signs, the DSM-IV-TR says that they have BPD. People with BPD are easily bored and it is hard for them to concentrate. People with BPD may tend to disconnect or “dissociate” from people and things around them, which can be thought of as an intense form of “zoning out”. This often happens in response to a painful event, or something that triggers the memory of a painful event. This can give make the person feel better for a short time, it can also have the unwanted side effect of blocking ordinary feelings.

Coping with Depression

After you’ve done this, she advises people to “engage in activities that help you release negative thoughts,” she adds. “Pay attention to your coping mechanisms, but also your defence mechanisms too.” These, she tells me, will help you stay grounded in the present. The last time I went on a date was long before the pandemic began. I’ve been on a “dating sabbatical” since 2018 and I feel pretty indifferent towards the idea of getting back out there. The articles we publish on Psychreg are here to educate and inform. So if you’re looking for professional help, don’t delay or ignore it because of what you’ve read here.

Unlike me, Navabi has had a healthy dating history since being diagnosed in July 2020 and has been using any negative experiences to inform her next steps. “My desire for companionship overcame my fears around dating successfully,” she says. “Emotions are assets, not liabilities.”At the same time, this shouldn’t be read as an instruction to underthink. Checking in with yourself while getting to know someone — as well as during more established relationships — is crucial.

To illustrate this, he uses an analogy of going shoe shopping. “You may have a perfectly good foot and you see that perfectly good shoe. But if it doesn’t fit, you have to acknowledge that,” he says. The lack of a “fit” doesn’t indicate any deficiencies of either party but rather a fact of life — that you aren’t right for one another. A pattern of unstable intense relationships, such as idealising someone one moment and then suddenly believing the person doesn’t care enough or is cruel.

The goals of psychotherapy are to help learn to manage emotions, reduce impulsive actions, improve awareness in relationships, and understand the disorder. Because the benefits of prescription medication for borderline personality disorder are unclear, medications aren’t typically used as the primary way to treat the illness. However, in some cases, a psychiatrist may recommend medications to treat specific symptoms or co-occurring mental disorders such as mood swings or depression. Treatment with medications may require coordinated care from more than one medical professional. Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that severely impacts a person’s ability to regulate their emotions. This loss of emotional control can increase impulsivity, affect how a person feels about themselves, and negatively impact their relationships with others.

When a person with BPD realizes that their new partner is not faultless, that image of the perfect, idealized soulmate can come crashing down. Many people are initially drawn to people with BPD precisely because they have intense emotions and a strong desire for intimacy. Verywell Mind’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Supporting your loved one’s recovery can be both extremely challenging and rewarding. You need to take care of yourself, but the process can help you grow as an individual and strengthen the relationship between you.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained counselor. If you have a partner who is living with BPD, there are many challenges that can occur, but there are ways you can help support your partner who has BPD and take care of yourself. If you canoodle com or your partner has symptoms of BPD, it’s important that you seek professional help in navigating your relationship with each other. Ashley Braun, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian and health content writer with over 5 years of experience educating patients on chronic diseases using science-based information.

Their brains heighten the intensity and negativity of their perceptions and feelings. It’s all made worse when they’re alone; thus, they’re dependent on others. They may seek advice frequently, sometimes from several people on the same day, asking the same question. Anyone living with BPD can still lead satisfying lives and take pleasure in long-term relationships and even life partnerships. With the proper treatment and support, people with BPD can and do have healthy and happy relationships.