« Je veux sentir quelque chose, autre qu rien. Je peux me sentir bien et soudainement penser au suicide sans savoir même pas pourquoi. »
Que faire si vous pensez que vous pourriez avoir le TPL
- Les troubles de la personnalité sont très difficiles à traiter soi-même donc si vous êtes inquiet d’avoir un trouble de la personnalité, c’est une bonne idée de consulter votre médecin de famille. Le processus de diagnostic et de gestion de la maladie sera plus facile et plus rapide si vous chercher de l’aide professionnelle.
- Pour compléter un plan de traitement professionnel, les personnes souffrant de troubles de la personnalité aussi élaborent des stratégies pour gérer leurs symptômes dans la vie de tous les jours, y compris le développement des habiletés d’adaptation positives.
- Allez à la salle d’urgence si vous avez des idées de vous blesser ou de blesser quelqu’un d’autre.
Comment soutenir un membre de la famille ou un ami avec le TPL
- Validez leur expérience et écoutez sans jugement
- Renseignez-vous sur le TPL
- Soutenez leurs efforts pour obtenir de l’aide professionnelle
- Ne pas ignorer les menaces d’automutilation ou de suicide et prendre contact avec les services d’urgence
- N’oubliez pas de prendre soin de vous.
« I feel empty and lonely, sometimes like I don’t exist at all, and saying my name feels like a lie because I know there’s nothing inside. I play roles, try to be who I’m « supposed » to be, and I’m good at being anyone but me. »
THE GOOD NEWS: BPD IS VERY TREATABLE
With appropriate therapy most patients can recover and live a full productive life.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is highly effective in treating BPD. DBT combines standard techniques for emotion regulation and reality-testing with concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindful awareness.
DBT has also proven effective in the treatment of other mental health issues such as bipolar disorder and eating disorders. By providing an effective skills base for overall emotional stability, practicing DBT skills helps in regulating emotions; relating better with others and handling distress. See Family Connections for an evidence-based program developed to help families and friends with loved ones living with emotional dysregulation.
When we teach DBT skills to general populations, we help ensure that non-inherent life skills become more widely utilized. We believe this could result in fewer people exhibiting BPD traits, thus reducing the strain on medical resources. This could also help improve relationships within educational institutions, families and workplace through the creation of a more validating environment for everyone.
How Does the Future Look?
Research has shown that people can recover from BPD and that their recovery is often long-lasting. Everyone’s path to recovery is different, whether you are an individual with BPD or a family member or a friend. Recovery involves the development of new meaning and purpose in life as people grow beyond the impact of BPD. O’Grady and Skinner (2007) say it best: “Recovery has also been described as a process by which people recover their self-esteem, dreams, self-worth, empowerment, pride, dignity and meaning.”
Some of the above information was compiled from CAMH.ca. For more information visit CAMH.ca