MHM Magazine

Issue 4 | 2021 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | 41 MHM If you have a loved one with borderline personality disorder (BPD), life can be fraught with crises and conflict. Here is what you should know. Misunderstood, fearing abandonment, on an emotional rollercoaster and often suicidal – this is life for many people with borderline personality disorder, but there is treatment that offers hope and restored quality of life. BPD is less well-known than other mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, but it comes with debilitating symptoms that cause significant distress and unstable relationships, for those diagnosed, their families and loved ones. Up to 10% of BPD patients die by suicide and at least 40% make multiple attempts to take their own lives, while self-harming behaviour such as cutting is a common means to release their intense emotional pain. However, psychiatrist and South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) member, Dr Aneshree Moodley said long-term therapy together with the right medication, offered a lifeline for people living with borderline personality disorder. Appropriate treatment can assist BPD patients to regulate their moods, emotions and behaviour, she said. And for those living closely with a BPD patient, there are coping strategies that can be learned, resources for information and networks for support. One of several types of personality disorders, BPD is characterised by rigid and unhealthy patterns of thinking and behaving. Individuals with BPD have difficulty interpreting emotions and relating to people and life experiences, leading to unstable interpersonal relationships and difficulty in functioning at work and in social situations, Dr Moodley explained. She said, as with many mental By Linda Christensen SASOP Press Office IDENTIFYING BORDERLINE PERSONALITY