Borderline Personality Disorder - BPD & Me!

Raising questions, finding answersBorderlinereport having been sexually abused, usually by a
personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mentalnon-caregiver.Researchers believe that BPD
illness characterized by pervasive instability inresults from a combination of individual
moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, andvulnerability to environmental stress, neglect or
behavior. This instability often disrupts family andabuse as young children. A series of events that
work life, long-term planning, and the individual'strigger the onset of the disorder as young
sense of self-identity.Originally thought to be atadults.Adults with BPD are also considerably more
the "borderline" of psychosis, people with BPDlikely to be the victim of violence, including rape
suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation.and other crimes. This may result from both
While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolarharmful environments as well as impulsivity and
disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is morepoor judgment in choosing partners and
common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostlylifestyles.NIMH-funded neuroscience research is
young women.There are a high rate of self-injuryrevealing brain mechanisms underlying the
without suicide intent, as well as a significant rateimpulsivity, mood instability, aggression, anger, and
of suicide attempts and completed suicide innegative emotion seen in BPD. Studies suggest
severe cases. Patients often need extensivethat people predisposed to impulsive aggression
mental health services, and account for 20have impaired regulation of the neural circuits that
percent of psychiatric hospitalizations.Yet, withmodulate emotion. The amygdale, a small
help, many improve over time and are eventuallyalmond-shaped structure deep inside the brain, is
able to lead productive lives. Symptoms While aan important component of the circuit that
person with depression or bipolar disorder typicallyregulates negative emotion.In response to signals
endures the same mood for weeks. A personfrom other brain centers indicating a perceived
with BPD may experience intense bouts of anger,threat, it marshals fear and arousal. This might be
depression, and anxiety that may last only hours,more pronounced under the influence of drugs like
or at most a day. These may be associated withalcohol, or stress. Areas in the front of the brain
episodes of impulsive aggression, self-injury, and(pre-frontal area) act to dampen the activity of
drug or alcohol abuse.Distortions in cognition andthis circuit. Recent brain imaging studies show that
sense of self can lead to frequent changes inindividual differences in the ability to activate
long-term goals, career plans, jobs, friendships,regions of the prefrontal cerebral cortex thought
gender identity, and values. Sometimes peopleto be involved in inhibitory activity predict the
with BPD view themselves as fundamentally bad,ability to suppress negative emotion.Serotonin, nor
or unworthy. They may feel unfairlyepinephrine and acetylcholine are among the
misunderstood or mistreated, bored, empty, andchemical messengers in these circuits that play a
have little idea who they are. Such symptoms arerole in the regulation of emotions, including
most acute when people with BPD feel isolatedsadness, anger, anxiety, and irritability. Drugs that
and lacking in social support, and may result inenhance brain serotonin function may improve
frantic efforts to avoid being alone.People withemotional symptoms in BPD.Likewise,
BPD often have highly unstable patterns of socialmood-stabilizing drugs that are known to enhance
relationships. While they can develop intense butthe activity of GABA, the brain's major inhibitory
stormy attachments, their attitudes towardsneurotransmitter, may help people who
family, friends, and loved ones may suddenly shiftexperience BPD-like mood swings. Such
from idealization (great admiration and love) tobrain-based vulnerabilities can be managed with
devaluation (intense anger and dislike).Thus, theyhelp from behavioral interventions and
may form an immediate attachment and idealizemedications, much like people manage
the other person, but when a slight separation orsusceptibility to diabetes or high blood
conflict occurs, they switch unexpectedly to thepressure.Future Progress Studies that translate
other extreme and angrily accuse the otherbasic findings about the neural basis of
person of not caring for them at all. Even withtemperament, mood regulation, and cognition into
family members, individuals with BPD are highlyclinically relevant insights which bear directly on
sensitive to rejection, reacting with anger andBPD represent a growing area of NIMH-supported
distress to such mild separations as a vacation, aresearch.Research is also underway to test the
business trip, or a sudden change in plans.Theseefficacy of combining medications with behavioral
fears of abandonment seem to be related totreatments like DBT, and gauging the effect of
difficulties feeling emotionally connected tochildhood abuse and other stress in BPD on brain
important persons when they are physicallyhormones. Data from the first prospective,
absent, leaving the individual with BPD feeling lostlongitudinal study of BPD, which began in the early
and perhaps worthless. Suicide threats and1990s, is expected to reveal how treatment
attempts may occur along with anger ataffects the course of the illness.It will also pinpoint
perceived abandonment andspecific environmental factors and personality
disappointments.People with BPD exhibit othertraits that predict a more favorable outcome. The
impulsive behaviors, such as excessive spending,Institute is also collaborating with a private
binge eating and risky sex. BPD often occursfoundation to help attract new researchers to
together with other psychiatric problems,develop a better understanding and better
particularly bipolar disorder, depression, anxietytreatment for BPD.With Much Love,Arthur
disorders, substance abuse, and other personalityBuchanan
disorders.TreatmentTreatments for BPD havePresident/CEO
improved in recent years. Group and individualOut of Darkness & Into the Light
psychotherapy are at least partially effective for43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
many patients. Within the past 15 years, a newHuron Ohio, 44839
psychosocial treatment termed dialectical behavior567-219-0994 (cell)
therapy (DBT) was developed specifically to treatare calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of
BPD, and this technique has looked promising inrecovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY!
treatment studies.Pharmacological treatments are(MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur
often prescribed based on specific targetBuchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print
symptoms shown by the individual patient.for recovery in these uncertain times, when
Antidepressant drugs and mood stabilizers mayMental Illness at a all time high in the United States
be helpful for depressed and/or labile mood.of America, yet if you follow this young mans
Antipsychotic drugs may also be used when theremethods, we assure you of positive results and I
are distortions in thinking.Recent ResearchQUOTE 'If these methods are followed precisely,
FindingsAlthough the cause of BPD is unknown,their is no way you can't see positive results with
both environmental and genetic factors arewhatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert Palos
thought to play a role in predisposing patients toDetroit, MichiganListen to Arthur Buchanan on the
BPD symptoms and traits. Studies show thatMike Litman Show!
many, but not all individuals with BPD report a
history of abuse, neglect, or separation as youngTHIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!
children Forty to 71 percent of BPD patients