Caring For a Personality Disordered Person?
Essential Facts... you need to know....
Borderline Personality Disorder....
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is an acutely distressing mental disorder that is conservatively estimated to affect between 2-10% of the UK population. Although it can also have genetic origins, it is widely acknowledged that the catalyst factors of BPD are firmly rooted in traumatic childhood experiences. In many cases these often include real or perceived instances of physical, sexual or mental abuse.
Diagnosable BPD usually emerges after adolescence and it is generally pervasive. Those affected find it incredibly difficult to control their emotions. The resultant emotional instability can lead to instances of self harming behaviours - e.g. eating disorders, cutting & substance abuse. and low self-esteem.
BPD sufferers may also have an acute fear of abandonment or rejection. Many go to great lengths to prevent real or imagined instances of this. Bouts of uncontrollable anger and disruptive or manipulative behaviour can be triggered by such fears. This, self-harm, and also low self-esteem, are only outward signs of the acute emotional torment that exists within the BPD person.
BPD is an excruciatingly distressful mental disorder. It has been unjustly stigmatised by people who have no understanding of its complexity. High levels of recovery from BPD can be achieved with treatment programs from specialist PD Mental Health Services.
What about the Carers....
It is widely recognised that carers of people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, have the lowest levels of well being of any group in society today. High levels of emotional distress are common among PD carers and understandably, many struggle to cope . Regretfully, the needs of PD carers are often ignored by mental health services and many carers feel totally isolated, unsupported and helpless.
Carers4PD - What we do....
The high prevalance of BPD may dictate the nature of much of the information and advice on our online groups, but be assured that Carers4PD seeks to provide safe online support groups for all Personality Disorder Carers to be able to express their concerns, fears and frustrations and to share helpful information with each other on both a regional and national basis. Currently, we aspire to provide online support groups for England, Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland.
The provision of specialist mental health services for personality disorder has improved in recent years, but they are still few and far between and access for Black Minority Ethnic groups is sometimes compromised by religous or cultural restraints.
In many areas the primary source of support and information for carers, is other carers. We all endeavour to help and support each other. Carers4PD online support groups are run by carers, for carers. Only PD Carers are eligible to access our online support groups and complete confidentiality is assured for all who access them.
Our online support groups are hosted onYahoo servers and each group will carry both downloadable information about Borderline Personality Disorder and also other helpful advice for all PD carers. A problem aired, is a problem shared and this leads to solutions to problems.To apply for access to all or any one of our online support groups, please click on the appropriate link below.
Copyright Carers4PD 2009.
