Understanding Your Borderline Personality Disorder – A Workbook

<p>About the author vii</p>
<p>Preface ix</p>
<p>Series Editor Preface xi</p>
<p>Acknowledgements xiii</p>
<p>UNDERSTANDING YOUR ILLNESS</p>
<p>Below are common questions that you, your family and others may ask when discussing your condition: Borderline Personality Disorder. These questions will provide the format for the sessions and hopefully provide you with information that enhances your understanding, so that you can lead a more positive life.</p>
<p>Session 1 1</p>
<p>What does personality mean? 3</p>
<p>What is a personality disorder? 8</p>
<p>What have people said about Borderline Personality Disorder? 10</p>
<p>What is it like to suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder? 11</p>
<p>Session 2 15</p>
<p>Can you inherit Borderline Personality Disorder? 17</p>
<p>Is it something to do with the brain? 17</p>
<p>Does the environment in which you grew up cause you to develop</p>
<p>Borderline Personality Disorder? 19</p>
<p>What famous people suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder? 21</p>
<p>Session 3 23</p>
<p>What are the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder? 25</p>
<p>What famous people have self harmed? 35</p>
<p>Session 4 41</p>
<p>What are talking therapies? 43</p>
<p>What are creative arts therapies? 49</p>
<p>What are the roles of professionals who treat me? 52</p>
<p>What difficulties might I anticipate regarding a working relationship with my therapist? 54</p>
<p>Session 5 57</p>
<p>How can medication help with the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder? 59</p>
<p>How can you work with your GP regarding your prescribed medication? 60</p>
<p>What is the most commonly prescribed medication? 61</p>
<p>Session 6 69</p>
<p>Wheel of mood swings 73</p>
<p>Wheel of psychosis 87</p>
<p>Wheel of impulsive behaviours 96</p>
<p>Wheel of emptiness and boredom 103</p>
<p>Wheel of suicidal ideas 110</p>
<p>Wheel of abandonment 117</p>
<p>Wheel of relationships 127</p>
<p>Wheel of self harming 139</p>
<p>Wheel of anger 157</p>
<p>Wheel of self identity 166</p>
<p>Bibliography and Further Reading 177</p>
<p>Index 183</p>