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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Ever had a colleague (or anyone else in your life) who has Borderline Personality Disorder?

108 replies

Abundatia · 12/09/2015 16:32

Is it even possible to reason with them?

OP posts:
Abundatia · 12/09/2015 19:48

Thanks Kitty.

OP posts:
Wannabestepfordwife · 12/09/2015 19:55

One of my best friends has BPD and she is an amazing, compassionate and self aware woman.

From my experience with my friend there is such a stigma to BPD that CS are more involved then they would be if she had a different MH issue and there is insufficient funding for DBT.

I had an abusive parent so I can imagine how triggering it must be for you op working with someone who reminds you of your "mother" Flowers

Please don't right off people with BPD some maybe incredibly challenging but there are also some amazing people with the same condition

Abundatia · 12/09/2015 19:58

Thanks WannaBeStepfordWife

OP posts:
ShiningWhite · 12/09/2015 20:01

I do, one of my best friends. I am also a mental health nurse and have worked with many people who have the diagnosis. She certainly can be reasoned with. She is intelligent, insightful, empathic, thoughtful and considerate.

Her mental illness (I do believe it is an illness, folkgirl) has blighted her life and made life very difficult for her family and close friends. But she is the one who has suffered the most.

BPD has considerable overlap with both PTSD and Attachment disorders and is strongly correlated with childhood trauma. Childhood experiences do affect the physical development of the brain. But our brains are plastic and although more difficult in adulthood, we are capable of re-learning and building alternative neural pathways. Or in more behavioural terms, learning different coping strategies.

Like any illness, BPD will affect people in different ways. There is a specturm and also severity can fluctuate. It is a complicated condition as it often co-exists with other mental health issues such as depression, PTSD and Eating Disorders. The impact of these is hard to separate from the BPD.

The issue of Mental Health professionals refusing to work with people who have this diagnosis - there is a grain of truth in it but it is also the case that this diagnosis has been over-used and applied to people who dare to challenge mental health professionals or who fail to agree with them. It has also historically been used as an excuse not to take people seriously or to treat them with respect. I would hope that is changing in current practice but this remains a very misunderstood illness. The book you quote, OP, I have read but find it one dimensional and damaging.

ShiningWhite · 12/09/2015 20:02

It is very true that DBT is under funded and not available everywhere. refusing treatment, or failing to engage with therapy on offer, is more complicated than it might seem initially because quite often what is available can be damaging and inappropriate. It isn't as simple as "seek treatment, get better, stop ruining everyone's lives".

ShiningWhite · 12/09/2015 20:04

I think the bottom line, in terms of this thread, is that your boss sounds difficult and his behaviour has triggered some very difficult memories for you. But be wary of attributing all his behaviour to BPD or generalising about all BPD sufferers.

Abundatia · 12/09/2015 20:14

Great post.

OP posts:
Oboe1 · 12/09/2015 20:39

There are some extremely good books you can get, particularly for NPD, which demystify and explain the personality traits which partners, friends and co-workers deal with. The prognosis isn't good as few genuine NPD's get appropriate help. Good luck and good reading!

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