Synopses & Reviews
Your clear, compassionate guide to managing BPD and living well
Looking for straightforward information on Borderline Personality Disorder? This easy-to-understand guide helps those who have BPD develop strategies for breaking the destructive cycle. This book also aids loved ones in accepting the disorder and offering support. Inside you'll find authoritative details on the causes of BPD and proven treatments, as well as advice on working with therapists, managing symptoms, and enjoying a full life.
Review the basics of BPD discover the symptoms of BPD and the related emotional problems, as well as the cultural, biological, and psychological causes of the disease
Understand what goes wrong explore impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, identity problems, relationship conflicts, black-and-white thinking, and difficulties in perception; and identify the areas where you may need help
Make the choice to change find the right care provider, overcome common obstacles to change, set realistic goals, and improve your physical and emotional state
Evaluate treatments for BPD learn about the current treatments that really work and develop a plan for addressing the core symptoms of BPD
If someone you love has BPD see how to identify triggers, handle emotional upheavals, set clear boundaries, and encourage your loved one to seek therapy
Open the book and find:
The major characteristics of BPD
Who gets BPD and why
Recent treatment advances
Illuminating case studies
Strategies for calming emotions and staying in control
A discussion of medication options
Ways to stay healthy during treatment
Tips for explaining BPD to others
Help for parents whose child exhibits symptoms
Treatment options that work and those you should avoid
Synopsis
A clear and easy guide to the symptoms, causes, and treatments of BPD
Borderline personality disorder affects more than 5.4 million people in the United States. The sympathetic and comprehensive information in Borderline Personality Disorder For Dummies helps those diagnosed with BPD get to the root of their condition, develop strategies for breaking the destructive cycle, and ultimately learn to live well. It discusses the best forms of treatment as well as how to find an appropriate therapist. This thorough guide is also filled with information to help spouses, parents, and other loved ones understand and accept the disease, and to offer support.
About the Author
Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, are clinical psychologists who specialize in training mental health professionals in the treatment of adolescents and adults with personality disorders, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, anger, and depression. They are the coauthors of Depression For Dummies, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies, and Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Mapping the Boundaries of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Chapter 1: Exploring Borderline Personality Disorder.
Chapter 2: Defi ning Personality to Understand BPD.
Chapter 3: Describing BPD.
Chapter 4: Who Gets BPD and Why?
Part II: Taking Note of the Major BPD Symptoms.
Chapter 5: Sensation Seeking and Self-Harm: The Impulsivity of BPD.
Chapter 6: Explosive Feelings and Moods.
Chapter 7: Missing Persons: Identity Problems and BPD.
Chapter 8: Perceiving, Understanding, and Relating to Others.
Chapter 9: BPD and Extreme Thinking.
Chapter 10: Slipping Away from Reality.
Part III: Making the Choice to Change.
Chapter 11: Preparing to Conquer BPD.
Chapter 12: Breaking Through Barriers to Change.
Chapter 13: Explaining BPD to Others.
Chapter 14: Taking Care of Yourself.
Part IV: Treatments for BPD.
Chapter 15: Inhibiting Impulsivity.
Chapter 16: Calming the Storms Within.
Chapter 17: Creating an Identity.
Chapter 18: Putting Yourself in Other People’s Shoes.
Chapter 19: Finding Shades of Gray: Changing Problematic Core Beliefs.
Chapter 20: Considering Medication for BPD.
Part V: Advice for People Who Care.
Chapter 21: What to Do When Your Partner Has BPD.
Chapter 22: Befriending People with BPD.
Chapter 23: Parenting Children at Risk for BPD.
Chapter 24: Advice for Adult Children of BPD Parents.
Chapter 25: Advice for Therapists of People with BPD.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 26: Ten Quick Ways to Settle Down.
Chapter 27: Ten Ways to Say You’re Sorry.
Chapter 28: Ten Things You Shouldn’t Do.
Part VII: Appendixes.
Appendix A: Resources for You.
Appendix B: Forms to Help You Battle BPD.
Index.