Topic Tuesday Focus Group // Treatment and support for people experiencing personality disorders // Tuesday 6 March, 7pm AEDT

[NikNik]

Hi @difficulthuman

It definitely can take time to find the right person, but I hope by reading others' stories here tonight you can see that it is possible and worthwhile.

While I'm not certain on the 'cocktail of drugs' you're referring to, self medicating can be really risky, so please keep in contact with a doctor to keep an eye on things, if you're not already.

[NikNik]

"Trying to eat healthy (or sometimes eating chocolate - because that's an essential form of self care, right @NikNik Smiley LOL)."
100% @Phoenix_Rising !

[Catcakes]

I would have to say, find a therapist who is experienced and interested in working with people who meet the criteria for BPD.
Interview carefully before engaging with a therapist. Don’t waste your precious subsidised sessions seeing someone who DOESNT KNOW WHAT THEYRE DOING.
Also, try to maintain relationships if possible and find a support group.

[EliseSunflower]

Hi all, I'm moving on to my final question of the night: 

What would you like to see changed in the way personality disorders are treated in Australia?

[Former-Member]

there needs to be services in regional and country australia that are not only targeted to crisis situations.

[OhanaSystem]

@Phoenix_Rising

So true! Mine already has some aspects, like checking in frequently about whether everything's feeling safe etc, letting things proceed at a pace that feels safe to me (we're a year in and still only just beginning to touch on trauma), and lots of reassurance, and I wouldn't trade her, but it'd be nice to be able to bring in things like the story (especially because the younger traumatised parts don't always feel welcome in an adult community mental health setting). I looved the Mr Squiggle idea, but I don't think that would work well for us -- too much pressure.

If you have a free moment, and wouldn't mind, some time would you send me a PM with some of TTT's other unusual moves in setting the scene for you? Thanks for even thinking about it!

[difficulthuman]

Agree its important to have a ongoing dialog with a professional who can be objective. Unfortuantly it can be exhausting trying to find the right psychologist and hardest part is telling your story over and over again to every new one.

[NikNik]

Welcome @NameUnknown
Thanks for being so open and willing to answer questions!
We are just on our last question at the moment and are about to wrap up.
It's been an interesting discussion if you wanted to have a read back on it. It will continue to be available to read long after tonight.

[Phoenix_Rising]

---

@EliseSunflowerwrote:

I'm going to move on to my second last question for the night: What would you recommend to someone newly diagnosed with the same personality disorder?

---

@EliseSunflower I'd recommend reading up on it (but be selective about your sources!). I'd also recommend they come and play in Forum Land - especially here: Let's do DBT (ooooh look @CheerBear I managed to do another super subtle subliminal advertisement for our DBT thread ). 

Um... I'm actually not sure what else I would recommend...which goes to show how little support there is out there to recommend to people. I am eternally grateful for TTT...but it did take me twenty-one years and a whole lot of horrendous experiences and further trauma to find her. It should not be that hard! Finding helpful helping people (or at least those who do no harm!!!!) should not be that hard!

[OhanaSystem]

@EliseSunflower

SO MUCH. I want to see more services that offer a range of treatment options. I want to see more DBT services, but I also want to see more OTHER therapy types like ACT and Schema being offered. I want to see clinicians letting go of their preconceived mindsets on what BPD is or looks like. I want clinicians to stop using BPD as a grab-bag for people that fit too many other boxes, or assuming those who self harm must have BPD. I want to see services like Spectrum in other parts of Australia. I want to see personality disorders be treated as the real and genuine mental illnesses they are, and I want to see that done with empathy and compassion in a trauma-informed enviornment.