Borderline - DEAN AMORY

RECAP : WHAT IS BPD?
Borderline personality disorder is a disturbance of certain brain functions
that causes four types of behavioral disturbances:
1. poorly regulated and excessive emotional responses;
2. harmful impulsive actions;
3. distorted perceptions and impaired reasoning; and
4. markedly disturbed relationships.
The symptoms of borderline personaliy disorder were first described in the medical literature
over 3000 years ago. The disorder has gained increasing visibility over the past three decades.
The full spectrum of symptoms of bordelrine personality disorder typically first appears in the
teenage years and early twenties. Although some children with significant behavioral
disturbances may develop readily diagnosable borderline disorder as they get older, it is very
difficult to make the diagnosis in children.
After its onset, the disorder becomes chronic. Remissions, relapses, and overall significant
improvement with treatment is the most common course of the illness. Borderline disorder
appears to be caused by the interaction of biological, usually genetic, and environmental risk
factors, such as poor parental nurturing, and early and sustained emotional, physical or sexual
abuse.
Physical disorders, such as migraine headaches, and other mental disorders, such as
depression, anxiety, panic and substance abuse disorders, occur much more often in people
with borderline disorder than they do in the general population.
TREATMENTS
There are six key elements of care that directly bear on the effectiveness of the treatment you
receive for borderline disorder. These include your level of commitment to treatment, locating
a skilled primary clinician, determining the most appropriate level of care for you, evaluating
your need for medication, and selecting the type of psychotherapy and support group that will
be most effective for you.
Taking Responsibility
If you have borderline disorder, it is essential that you understand clearly and believe deeply
that you, more than anyone or anything else, have the ability and responsibility for gaining
increasing control over your life.
Primary Clinician
You will need help. The number and complexity of decisions involved in the proper treatment
of a patient with borderline disorder requires that a highly skilled clinician assumes a central
role in helping you. This person is referred to as your primary clinician, and ideally will be a
psychiatrist experienced in treating borderline disorder.