With astonishing honesty, this memoir reveals what mental illness looks and feels like from the inside, and how healing from borderline personality disorder is possible through intensive therapy and the support of loved ones.With astonishing honesty, this memoir, Get Me Out of Here, reveals what mental illness looks and feels like from the inside, and how healing from borderline personality disorder is possible through intensive therapy and the support of loved ones. A mother, wife, and working professional, Reiland was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder at the age of 29--a diagnosis that finally explained her explosive anger, manipulative behaviors, and self-destructive episodes including bouts of anorexia, substance abuse, and promiscuity. A truly riveting read with a hopeful message.Excerpt: "My hidden secrets were not well-concealed. The psychological profile had been right as had the books on BPD. I was manipulative, desperately clinging and prone to tantrums, explosiveness, and frantic acts of desperation when I did not feel the intimacy connection was strong enough. The tough chick loner act of self-reliance was a complete facade."

am I Losing My Mind?people With Borderline Personality Disorderexperience Such Violent And Frightening Mood Swingsthat They Often Fear For Their Sanity. They Can Beeuphoric One Moment, Despairing And Depressed Thenext. There Are An Estimated 10 Million Sufferersof Bpd Living In America Today — Each Displayingremarkably Similar Symptoms: a Shaky Sense Of Identity sudden Violent Outburstsoversensitivity To Real Or Imagined Rejection brief, Turbulent Love Affairsfrequent Periods Of Intense Depressioneating Disorders, Drug Abuse, And Other Self-destructive Tendenciesan Irrational Fear Of Abandonment And An Inability To Be Alonefor Years Bpd Was Difficult To Describe, Diagnose, Andtreat. But Now, For The First Time, Dr. Jerold J. Kreismanand Health Writer Hal Straus Offer Much-neededprofessional Advice, Helping Victims And Their Familiesto Understand And Cope With This Troubling,shockingly Widespread Affliction.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by unstable moods, negative self-image, dangerous impulsivity, and tumultuous relationships. Many people with BPD excel in academics and careers while revealing erratic, self-destructive, and sometimes violent behavior only to those with whom they are intimate. Others have trouble simply holding down a job or staying in school. Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder is a compassionate and informative guide to understanding this profoundly unsettling-and widely misunderstood-mental illness, believed to affect approximately 6% of the general population. Rather than viewing people with BPD as manipulative opponents in a bitter struggle, or pitying them as emotional invalids, Valerie Porr cites cutting-edge science to show that BPD is a true neurobiological disorder and not, as many come to believe, a character flaw or the result of bad parenting. Porr then clearly and accessibly explains what BPD is, which therapies have proven effective, and how to rise above the weighty stigma associated with the disorder. Offering families and loved ones supportive guidance that both acknowledges the difficulties they face and shows how they can be overcome, Porr teaches empirically-supported and effective coping behaviors and interpersonal skills, such as new ways of talking about emotions, how to be aware of nonverbal communication, and validating difficult experiences. These skills are derived from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Mentalization-based Therapy, two evidence-based treatments that have proven highly successful in reducing family conflict while increasing trust. Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder is an empowering and hopeful resource for those who wish to gain better understanding of the BPD experience-and to make use of these insights in day-to-day family interactions. Winner of the ABCT Self Help Book Seal of Merit Award 2011

Borderline Personality Disorder Accounts For Almost 25 Percent Of Psychiatric Hospitalizations In This Country. This Book Takes Readers Behind The Erratic Behavior Of This Puzzling Disorder, Examining Its Underlying Causes And Revealing The Unimaginable Pain And Fear Beneath Its Surface.--from Publisher Description. Dear Reader -- Candles In The Wind -- When She Is Good -- A House Divided -- Suffer The Little Children : Origins Of Borderline Personality Disorder -- Crimes Without Punishment/punishment Without Crimes -- The Beginning Of Symptoms -- In The Looking Glass : Who Is Looking Back? -- Impulse : Filling Up An Empty Shell -- Rescuing The Angel Within : Understanding Self-mutilation -- Suicide : Dying Without Death -- Being In Treatment -- Hospitalization -- Group Therapy -- Drug Therapy -- Healing : Controlling Impulses -- When You Are Angry -- Intimacy : Managing Emotional Distance -- Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered : Living With A Borderline Person -- Beyond Survival : Is There A Cure? -- Am I My Patient?s Keeper : The Dilemma Of Treating People With Borderline Personality Disorder Richard A. Moskovitz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 195-[197]) And Index.

Many books have described victims of rape and battering, but scant attention has been paid to another form of harm increasingly common among women. Here at last is a book that provides help for the thousands of women who secretly inflict violence on themselves. Filled with moving stories, this powerful and compassionate book is the first to focus on women who harm themselves through self-mutilation, compulsive cosmetic surgeries, eating disorders, and other forms of chronic injury to the body.

30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. Her memoir of the next two years is a "poignant, honest ... triumphantly funny ... and heartbreaking story" (The New York Times Book Review).WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHORThe ward for teenage girls in the McLean psychiatric hospital was as renowned for its famous clientele—Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles—as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary. Kaysen's memoir encompasses horror and razor-edged perception while providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers. It is a brilliant evocation of a "parallel universe" set within the kaleidoscopically shifting landscape of the late sixties.Girl, Interrupted is a clear-sighted, unflinching document that gives lasting and specific dimension to our definitions of sane and insane, mental illness and recovery.

Author Lynn Melville believes that people caught in abusive relationships -- whether Borderline or not -- are stuck in the middle of the Grief Cycle. They are unable to move forward to acceptance of the reality of the abuse they're receiving, because their abuser continues to change, back and forth from the person who acts like they love them -- to the person who hurts them. Melville began writing Breaking Free from Boomerang Love for herself, words to help her stay focused on reality. Over time, her writing began to change into letters to others who were still stuck in abuse. Written in a daily affirmation style, readers will re-feel and finish the grieving of their pain, laugh and then watch their denial disappear, achieve a new strength to stand up for themselves, and re-connect and reach for guidance from the God of their understanding.

This book is a step-by-step guide to teaching clients four sets of skills: interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. A vital component in Dr. Linehan’s comprehensive treatment program, the manual details precisely how to implement DBT behavioral skills training procedures. It provides everything the clinician needs to implement the program in skills training groups or with individual clients. Included are lecture notes, discussion questions, exercises, and practical advice on dealing with frequently encountered problems. In a large-size format with lay-flat binding for easy photocopying, the book features over three dozen reproducible client handouts and homework sheets. See also Linehan's comprehensive presentation of DBT, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. Also available: instructive skills training videos for clients--Crisis Survival Skills: Part One, Crisis Survival Skills: Part Two, From Suffering to Freedom, This One Moment, and Opposite Action.

An honest and compelling memoir, Girl in Need of a Tourniquet is Merri Lisa Johnson’s account of her borderline personality disorder and how it has affected her life and relationships. Johnson describes the feeling of "bleeding out" unable to tell where she stopped and where her partner began. A self-confessed "psycho girlfriend," she was influenced by many emotional factors from her past. She recalls her path through a dysfunctional, destructive relationship, while recounting the experiences that brought her to her breaking point. In recognizing her struggle with borderline personality disorder, Johnson is ultimately able to seek help, embarking on a soul-searching healing process. It's a path that is painful, difficult, and at times heart-wrenching, but ultimately makes her more able to love and coexist in healthy relationships.

Understanding and Treating Borderline Personality Disorder: A Guide for Professionals and Families offers both a valuable update for mental health professionals and much-needed information and encouragement for BPD patients and their families and friends. The editors of this eminently practical and accessible text have brought together the wide-ranging and updated perspectives of 15 recognized experts who discuss topics such as ? A new understanding of BPD, suggesting that individuals may be genetically prone to developing BPD and that certain stressful events may trigger its onset? New evidence for the success of various forms of psychotherapy, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), in reducing self-injury, drug dependence, and days in the hospital for some groups of people with BPD? Pharmacology research showing that the use of specific medications can relieve the cognitive, affective, and impulsive symptoms experienced by individuals with BPD, as part of a comprehensive psychosocial treatment plan? New resources for families to help them deal with the dysregulated emotions of their loved ones with BPD and to build effective support systems for themselves Yet much remains to be done. Research on BPD is 20 to 30 years behind that on other major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Despite evidence to the contrary, much of the professional literature on BPD continues to focus on childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect as triggers for BPD -- to the detriment of both patient and family.Families of people with BPD must deal with an array of burdens in coping with the illness, often without basic information. The chapters on families and BPD give voice to the experience of BPD from the perspective of individuals and family members, and offer the hope that family involvement in treatment will be beneficial to everyone.Above all, this book is about the partnership between mental health professionals and families affected by BPD, and about how such a partnership can advance our understanding and treatment of this disorder and provide hope for the future.

The book tells the story of a young woman suffering with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a psychiatric illness characterized primarily by mood swings, unstable relationships, depression and self-destructive behavior. Pamela Tusiani's copious journals, moving artwork and poetry provide an intimate glimpse of her battle with a personality she could not control. Intertwined with Pamela's voice, Bea Tusiani tells the story of her daughter's struggle and the roller-coaster effect it had on her family. The two points of view present a unique insight into Pamela's state of mind.Based on Bea's and her husband's notes, taken during conversations with Pamela, her doctors and other healthcare providers, this book allows the reader to live through Pamela's day-to-day ordeal and experience the anxiety, love and fear of her family members. This is not just the story of one vibrant, gifted young woman and her courageous family. It is a real life account of an illness that irreparably changes one's world. It raises questions for family and friends of those plagued by BPD. To whom do you turn? How can you help? What do you do when you can't help? Whom do you trust? Where are the boundaries? How do you keep going? Hopefully, this book will provide some answers.Pamela wrote in her diary, "There I stood, in a hole, deep in the ground. Did I dig it or just get in? Did I fall into it? Did someone else dig it and throw me in?" The hole is still there, but through the telling of her valiant endeavor, Pamela extends a hand to help others climb out.Remnants penetrates the heart. To read it, is truly inspirational.Published October 2013

“These survivors hit their mark in helping to change the conversation about borderline personality disorder (BPD)." —Jim Payne, former president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness This provocative book uncovers the truth about a misunderstood and stigmatized disorder, and offers an opportunity for a deeper, more empathetic understanding of BPD from the real experts—the individuals living with it.BPD affects a significant percentage of the population. It is a disorder of relationships, one whose symptoms occur most in interpersonal contexts—and thus impact any number of interpersonal connections in life. When people have BPD, they may struggle to manage their emotions on a daily basis, and have to deal with fears of abandonment, anger issues, self-injury, and even suicidality—all of which can lead to even more instability in relationships.In Beyond Borderline, two internationally acclaimed experts on BPD—including Perry Hoffman, cofounder and president of the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD)—team up to present a rare glimpse into the lives and recovery of people affected by BPD. This powerful compilation of stories reveals the deeply personal, firsthand perspectives of people who suffer with BPD, explores the numerous ways in which this disorder has affected their lives, and outlines the most debilitating and misunderstood symptoms of BPD (the most tragic being suicide). Beyond Borderline delves into the many ways the disorder can present—as well as the many paths to recovery—using evidence-based tools from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness meditation, mentalization-based therapy (MBT), and more.BPD is a challenging disorder that impacts people’s lives and relationships in countless ways. With this book—full of intimate accounts that reflect the myriad ways BPD presents and how it affects not just those afflicted, but also their loved ones—you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the disorder and learn how to move forward on the path toward healing while dealing with BPD.

You are strong! No matter what anyone says, you can heal the symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). In this unique guide, influential BPD advocate and blogger Debbie Corso offers an easy-to-use primer on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), as well as powerful peer-to-peer support for managing your worst BPD symptoms.If you have BPD, you may experience extreme emotional ups and downs. These intense feelings can make navigating everyday life that much more difficult, and as a result, you may have trouble maintaining relationships, seeing yourself clearly, or reaching career goals. You should know that you are not alone, and that BPD isn’t your fault. Most importantly, you need to know that you are strong. With the right tools, you can overcome the symptoms of your BPD—this book will show you how.Written by a BPD survivor and advocate, Stronger Than BPD offers practical, evidence-based dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills to help you manage the intense emotions and negative self-image that can occur with BPD. This easy-to-use guide helps you apply the fundamental components of DBT—such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—to everyday situations that can trigger your symptoms. And through personal examples and real-life stories, you’ll see how others have put these skills to work in their own lives to get relief. You’ll even learn how social media can help you heal!BPD is a part of your life, but it doesn’t have to define you. If you are ready to take control of your symptoms using powerful, evidence-based DBT skills, this friendly guide will light the way.This book has been selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Recommendation—an honor bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

#1 New York Times bestseller“Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress StudiesA pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestsellerTrauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.

Over six million Americans suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a chronic, disabling psychiatric condition that causes extreme instability in their emotional lives, behavior, and self-image, and severely impacts their family and friends. In Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified, Dr. Robert Friedel, a leading expert in BPD and a pioneer in its treatment, has turned his vast personal experience into a useful and supportive guide for everyone living with and seeking to understand this condition. Friedel helps readers grasp the etiology of Borderline Personality Disorder, the course it takes, the difficulties in diagnosing it, the types of treatment available, strategies for coping, and much more. Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified is an invaluable resource for everyone diagnosed with BPD, those who think they might have the illness, and friends and family who love and support them.

The book that helps parents match the child care to the childMost children fall into five basic personality types that stem from inborn physical characteristics: the sensitive child, the self-absorbed child, the defiant child, the inattentive child, and the active/aggressive child. For each of these, there are parenting patterns to avoid and those that help the most. The Challenging Child reassures parents that they do not simply have to "live with" their child's temperament but can fit their parenting style to their child's unique personality and help each child build on strengths, master weaknesses, and embrace life with confidence and skills.