Hello, VA Fans...todays Mental Health Awareness Did You Know is brought to us by our friendly staff in the Robley Rex VAMC Mental Health Program. Todays focus: Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD. Did you know? 1. Borderline personality disorder is relatively common—about 1 in 20 or 25 individuals will live with this condition. 2. The exact causes of BPD remain unknown, although the roles of both environmental and biological factors are thought to play a role in people who develop this illness. 3. The connection between BPD and other mental illnesses is well established. People with BPD are at increased risk for anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse. BPD is often misdiagnosed and many people find they wait years to get a proper diagnosis, which leads to a better care plan. 4. Psychotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment for individuals who live with BPD. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is the most well researched and effective treatment for BPD. DBT focuses on teaching coping skills to combat destructive urges, encourages practicing mindfulness (e.g., meditation, regulated breathing and relaxation), involves individual and group work, and is often quite successful in helping people with BPD to control their symptoms. As with any mental health diagnosis, help and treatment is available. For information about diagnosis and treatment through the VA, talk to your primary care provider, or call our Mental Health team at 502-287-4000. For more information about Borderline Personality Disorder, check out the National Alliance Mental Institute (NAMI) website @ nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=44780
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 14:00:01 +0000
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