Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder

Impulsive. Erratic. Unpredictable. Untreatable.

These are the common perceptions of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). They, however, cannot be further from the truth.

Officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980 as a personality disorder, the condition was largely understood to be a psychotic disorder. Now, about 40 years later, mental health counselors recognize the need to understand this oft-misunderstood condition.

The causes

 With an estimated 1.4 percent of the U.S. population living with Borderline Personality Disorder, mental health professionals need to understand its underlying causes. While the causes of the condition aren’t entirely clear, the risk factors can be narrowed down to biological, environmental, and social factors.

· Social & environmental factors: As with many mental health concerns, a history of trauma and negative experiences can make you vulnerable to Borderline Personality Disorder. Childhood abuse, abandonment, neglect, or trauma have been suggested as possible causes. However, everyone with BPD doesn’t share similar early experiences.  

· Genetic history: People with family members who have BPD tend to have a higher risk of developing the condition.

· Biological factors: Since BPD is closely related to impulse control and emotional regulation, it is connected to the brain’s functioning. The brain functions and structures of people living with BPD can differ, resulting in altered impulse control and emotional regulation capabilities.

What does BPD look like?

As with other personality disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder manifests in your behavior patterns and ability to function. The dysregulation of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal control is uniquely experienced by each individual—this means that there’s a distinct treatment plan for each person.

Some common signs and symptoms of BPD are:

· Frequent mood swings

· Low sense of self-worth, resulting in uncertainty about their role in people’s lives

· Interests rapidly change

· Viewing things in extremes

· A pattern of unstable relationships with close friends and family members

· Extreme efforts to avoid abandonment—whether it’s rational or imagined.

· Recurring thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation

· Difficulty controlling anger or trusting people’s intentions

· Frequent feelings of dissociation

· Difficulty empathizing with others’ emotions

· Intense fear of separation or rejection

· Lack of impulse control with regard to risky behaviors

With almost 80 percent of those living with BPD reporting a history of suicide attempts, mental health professionals need to display a greater understanding of the condition. Only by recognizing its various signs and manifestations can you provide effective care to those who need it most.

Enhance your knowledge through CEUs for mental health professionals and distance learning programs for training for psychologists. By paying attention to the individual’s needs, you can begin to help them to the path of recovery.

You have the power to alter the course of someone’s life—register for E Care Behavioral Health Institute’s live and recorded webinars to polish your skills as a mental health professional. They offer extensive insight into general skill-building, training workshops, and certifications.

Browse their recorded webinars or find out which Webinar CEUs are scheduled by heading to their website. Learn about Borderline Personality Disorder, The Chameleon of Psychopathology by registering for the webinar.

If you, or a loved one, are struggling with BPD or any other mental health condition, it’s important to seek professional help. If you’re experiencing self-harming behaviors and suicidal thoughts, know that you are not alone.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) at any time or day of the week.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Speeding up Your Recovery

 

Healing isn’t a lateral experience that everyone who’s struggling goes through. Depending on the experiences of the individual, the experience of recovery can differ. How you think and feel about your thoughts and emotions significantly impacts how you experience them.

Emotional intelligence has been extensively studied as an important aspect of the mind in terms of mental health and illnesses. Emotional intelligence affects your emotional adaptation, empathy, self-control, and regulation of impulses.

When you’re able to understand your own and other people’s emotions, as well as effectively express them, you’re able to help yourself better. Emotional intelligence is often understood as the bridge that connects you with others.

A Forbes article stated that emotional intelligence is comprised of four core competencies; these are self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management.

So how can emotional intelligence instill the coping skills you need to recover?

Motivation

Personal growth and recovery are significantly affected by how motivated you are to achieve your goals. When you set a speedy recovery as your goal, you’ll be able to find the drive to accomplish it.

With higher emotional intelligence, you’re better able to direct your energies to work on yourself.

Self-awareness

Emotional intelligence is all about processing and understanding your inner thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Individuals with high emotional intelligence are able to decipher their negative behavior patterns and understand the changes that are needed to improve their life.

When they aren’t constantly battling their inner selves to improve their quality of life, the harmony within their thoughts and actions will prove positive results.

Better social skills

Since social awareness is understood to be one of the tenets of emotional intelligence, it’s clear that higher emotional intelligence leads to better relationships with those around you.

Using empathy and social skills, individuals with higher emotional intelligence are able to make lasting relationships and seek comfort in them. Social support is an important part of the journey to recovery and, thus, emotional intelligence is a necessary component of healing.

Regulating your thoughts and emotions

When you’re in touch with your emotions, you’re able to recognize your needs and identify what you should be cautious of. People struggling with mental health concerns are often unable to see their negative habits, leading them to continue losing control of their lives.

With greater emotional intelligence, you’re better able to feel in control of your life and how you’ll be able to improve.

As a mental health counselor and psychologist, it’s imperative to focus on encouraging emotional intelligence in your clients. As times change, you should be able to stay abreast of the latest methods and techniques that are being used to provide effective relief.

E Care Behavioral Health Institute is a hub of information—live webinars, recorded webinars, workshops, and courses— that will help you on your CEU journey. Their training for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, and peer support specialists polish your skills and add to your knowledge.

Head to their website to find out more about E Care Behavioral Health Institute’s popular courses or call them at 704 883 6615.

4 Mental Health Resolutions to Set for the New Year

For anyone living with a mental illness, it’s important to remember they’re not alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 American adults experience some sort of mental illness in their lives. This means almost 47.6 million people are fighting an uphill battle against invisible ailments every single day.

If you’re a mental health counselor or psychologist, you must know the importance of setting goals and achieving milestones on the road to recovery. Managing a mental illness takes effort and every small victory is an accomplishment on the way to improving your mental and physical wellbeing.

As the year draws to a close, it’s a time for reflection for the days gone by. Taking this opportunity to view the events that have shaped your personality over the past months and working on actionable resolutions can do well for you. No matter what you’re struggling with, it’s important to look forward with hope.

Here are some mental health resolutions to set for the upcoming year:

Being Mindful Of the Present

Too many people dwell in past events, allowing them to dictate the trajectory of their life. While it’s a struggle to process and move on from the events that have held you down for so many years, it’s important to look forward with hope.

One therapeutic technique for achieving this kind of mindfulness is reality therapy. By taking control of your life and the events in it, you can encourage proactive behaviors and thoughts.

Be Kind to Yourself

Self-talk is an important component of our perception of our lives and the events in it. Treating yourself with the respect and love you deserve will promote better thoughts about yourself, leading to a greater motivation to make changes in how you deal with your life.

 

Achieve Milestones

Conquering the challenges that bog you down is good for your mental wellbeing. Learned helplessness can leave you stuck in a cycle of despair. Achieving the seemingly-impossible feats in your life gives you the drive to get the things you want in life. No matter how small your goals are, the pay off you enjoy from activities you dedicated time and effort to is unmatched.

Engage in Physical Activity

Several studies have emphasized the importance of mental health and physical exercise. The release of the chemicals serotonin and endorphins regulates your mental wellbeing. Reduce the symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety by vowing to take part in an hour of exercise every day.

Are you a mental health counselor or psychologist looking to inspire your clients for the coming year? Continuing education programs—like those offered by E Care Behavioral Health Institute—provide a wealth of knowledge, latest techniques, and help you polish your skills.

Their recorded and live webinars for social workers, CEUs for addiction counselors and mental health professionals help you build general skills, get certified, and provide training for specific functions. This distance learning program offers mental health professionals an affordable, effective, and convenient way to continue their education.

Browse their recorded webinars or find out which live webinars are scheduled by heading to their website.