Should You Disclose Your Diagnosis?
A topic that comes up quite frequently in the BPD forum is whether or not to tell other people about your BPD diagnosis. BPD is such a stigmatized condition that sometimes you may feel reluctant to tell even mental health providers that you've been diagnosed with BPD.
What experiences have you had with disclosing your diagnosis? Have you ever dreaded telling someone you have BPD and then had it go better than expected when you actually told? Or, have you had experiences of rejection when you shared your diagnosis? Share your story of disclosure...
Stigma and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
I was reading an article today on teen stereotypes and teen behavior. The main research finding in this article was that if parents believe that their teen is likely to conform to negative behaviors (e.g., teen drinking) then then their teen actually DOES engage in more negative behavior.
What does this have to do with BPD? Well, it got me thinking that perhaps the same kind of self-fulfilling prophecy could happen with BPD. There is so much stigma attached to BPD, and many people expect those with BPD to "behave badly." Is it possible that knowing what others expect of you actually makes you conform to this expectation by acting out? What do you think?
Why Does Everyone Leave Me?
Difficult relationships are very common for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). A key symptom of BPD is fear of abandonment. This symptom may cause you to need frequent reassurance that abandonment is not imminent, to go to great lengths to try to avoid abandonment, and to feel devastated when someone ends a relationship with you.
But people with BPD also tend to have more unstable, chaotic relationships than others, and these relationships often end prematurely due to conflict. So, in many ways, it's a double-whammy...read more.
Suicidal Thoughts are More Common Than You'd Think
A new study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that more than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide over the course of a year. That's roughly 3% of the U.S. population.
The study demonstrates just how common suicidal thoughts are in the general population. People with BPD have very high rates of suicidal ideation, as well as suicide attempts and completion. Want to learn more about suicidality and BPD? Check out these articles:
Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 4th through 10th
Just a reminder that this week is National Mental Illness Awareness Week in the U.S.
The week was established by Congress to promote awareness of the millions of Americans who have a severe mental illness.
What are you doing to observe the week? Spread the word by posting on your blog, updating your Facebook status with a reminder, or tweeting your support for those with mental illness.
PBS Will Present "Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness"
In October, PBS will be presenting"Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness." The program promises to be an attempt to engage citizens, policy makers, and mental health professionals in an honest and open conversation about the current U.S. mental health system.
The website for the program has a number of very interesting features, and previews of the program are entertaining and provocative. You can also check the website to find out when your local PBS station will be airing the show. This is one program that may be worth checking out.
Grounding Exercises for Self-Harm, Dissociation, or Impulsivity
Many people with BPD suffer from self-harming behaviors, dissociation, or impulsivity, but few know that there are some simple skills that can keep these symptoms at bay. "Grounding exercises" can help you delay reckless or dangerous behavior or reconnect to the present moment if you are starting to zone out....(Read more)
Does Megan Fox Have Borderline Personality?
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) doesn't get a lot of press, but it has been in the headlines this week, all because Megan Fox (star of the Transformers movies and the new movie Jennifer's Body) thinks that she has the disorder. She told Wonderland magazine, ""I basically read every book ever written about Marilyn Monroe. I could end up like that because I constantly struggle with the idea that I think I'm a borderline personality - or that I have bouts of mild schizophrenia."
Unfortunately, this isn't the kind of press BPD needs. Ms. Fox hasn't been diagnosed with BPD by any mental health professional (as far as we know). And she seems to have it confused with psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia. This story just perpetuates more myths about BPD (e.g., it can be self-diagnosed, it is "on the border" of psychosis).
Study Finds that Antidepressant Use Doubled in the Last Decade
A study reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry this month found that the number of children and adults taking antidepressant medications in the United States doubled between 1995 and 2005. Even more interesting, though, is the finding that the number of people seeing psychiatrists actually fell.
What gives? Well, for one, advertising for antidepressants increased more than three-fold, which probably led more people to ask their physicians about the medications. But, it may also be that doctors (including primary care physicians) are more likely to feel comfortable prescribing newer generation antidepressants (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs) because of the low risk and side effect profiles.
Have You Tried Expressive Writing?
One of the most popular sections of the BPD Forum is "Poetry and Prose"-- the expressive writing section. But writing isn't just about creating something; it can also be healing. Check out the latest research on expressive writing. Have you tried expressive writing to cope with your symptoms? What do you write about? Does it help?