Borderline Personality Disorder – Has Your Life Been Affected?

In general, someone with a personality disorder will differ significantly from an average person in terms of how he or she thinks, perceives, feels or relates to others.

The symptoms of BPD can include the following:

• emotional instability
• disturbed patterns of thinking
• impulsive behaviour
• intense but unstable relationships with others
• distorted perception of self-image or sense of self
• self-harming behaviour
• intense and highly changeable moods
• recurring thoughts of suicide
• chronic feelings of emptiness
• episodes of inappropriate, intense anger
• feelings of disassociation
• attachment and abandonment issues.

The symptoms of a personality disorder may range from mild to severe and usually emerge in adolescence, persisting into adulthood.

The Patient and Client Council is interested in talking to people who are affected by personality disorder either personally or as a friend or carer.  In particular we would like to understand your experience of living with the condition and accessing health and social care services.  We want to gather the lived experience of people with a view to discussing issues raised with key health and social care decision makers.

If you are interested in taking part in this project please contact Nigel Warburton on 07789554083 or email [email protected]

More information on personality disorders is available on Mind, the mental health charity website.

Lechelle and Debbie talk about having BPD, and how a combination of medication and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) has helped them develop the skills to manage it.