There are a lot of misconceptions regarding Borderline Personality Disorder.
Judith Herman expert in trauma suggests that BPD is really a complex form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Another Doc suggests that BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) name should be changed to Dyslimbia meaning in a dyregulation of the limbic system.The limbic system is responsible for our emotional life.And studies show that the limbic system is affected in patients with BPD.
In any case i have never met anyone diagnosed with BPD who was not abused/neglected as a child or grew up in very invalidated environments.Invalidation is very damaging.Is not allowing a person to express or feel their emotions.This has long term damage on the brain as emotions are a biological reaction triggered by our environments not thoughts.
Personally i think a lot of patients diagnosed with BPD do not report abuse because they were the victims of emotional abuse like the silent treatments and other not so obvious emotional abuse but very damaging.The silent treatment and ignoring are one of the most cruel forms of emotional abuse.Verbal abuse that did not use cursing but that had dertrimental messages to the child…Words that sounded ‘caring’ but were aimed to hurt, invalidate, blame, ect.So a lot of patients do not report it as abuse.
I’m sure the families of those who were emotionally covertly abused would allege that they did “nothing” to him/her.Exactly they did nothing for him/her either.A child can not live with nothing.With no interaction.
In my case my family acted like ‘what was my problem?’ i had food and clothes and toys.But i had no interaction.My sister would give me the silent treatment for no reason for months.And my faher woukd seldom talk to me.If he did it was always about things that were not personal.If i expressed anything personal about me, he would be very angry and my sister also.
A child can not live without interaction with others.Meaningful interaction.Is as important as food.
I read a lot of people have been misdiagnosed for having BPD when they had PTSD.
Personally i was diagnosed with BPD in 89.But more recent diagnosis from other doctors do not agree i have BPD .I was diagnosed with PTSD and severe clinical depression.PTSD stemming from child abuse and neglect.
I do not relate to a lot of the BPD typical behaviour.I do not have addictions although i did have a severe eating disorder in the past.I do not see things in black and white.I am not a needy person.In fact i’m the most independant person i know.I have survived alone all my life.I do not have self-destrtuctive behaviours…I mean i could go on….
But i do relate to feelings of emptyness stemming from severe emotional neglect as a child.I do relate to rage stemming from sexual and severe emotional abuse and invalidation.I do feel emotions strongly but i do not act on them.
I have stop going to doctors because i have never found a really good one.I find them to make symptoms worse.I have helped myself a lot more on my own through information.Although i have consulted with several.
I have read several books from very reputable doctors who i really agree with.These are experts that are out of most people’s reach.And frankly unless someone can get a doctor as competent as those authors.No help from incompetent “professionals” is better than their “help”.
None of the “therapies” like CBT and ACT and DBT (although DBT is close to how i have coped on my own.I did not know it had a name).
But those therapies have never helped me at all.And they are useless for a lot of people…..For the single reason that Bruce Perry PHD talks about in his book “The boy who was raised as a dog”.When he states that “fancy therapies” are less important than true human care when it comes to help children recovering from child abuse and neglect.
True human care changes the neuroendocrine system (HPA axis) back to its normalcy.Once that happens thought process (thinking) changes into a more healthy pattern.
So maybe these “therapies” help some people cope.People who have caring people around them also.But they can never take the place of true caring healthy human interaction.
But try to tell that to abusive, neglectful families in denial….
Most books written before the year 2000 are somewhat outdated.Since there has been a lot more studied and known about this disorder in recent years.”The BPD Survival Guide” is a good up to date book.
This is a good article.
http://mindforums.com/brain-and-development-affected-after-child-abuse
The wiki description and info on CPTSD is pretty accurate.It also makes reference to Judith Herman a very well recognized expert on trauma.Another Dr who is very well recognized on the subejct of CPTSD is Peter WAlker MA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_post-traumatic_stress_disorder
http://www.pete-walker.com/fAQsComplexPTSD.html
Good article by Dr Heller
Ekahidioltas 