Ginny Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Well, what can I say - BPD is a bitch!!! It ruined my childhood and tried to ruin my adult life. It almost got me there for a while, but, thankfully, I fought back and now I intend to win. This illness can be fought and the war will be waged until my last breath - no disorder is gonna tell me how to live my life... I am soon to be undergoing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and seeing a psychiatrist for the first time in years - I realise now, after all these years of hating myself, that there is hope ( and I am gonna grab it by the throat and hold on) Please everyone, dont let this illness beat you - after all, thats all it is, just an illness and nobody has to just lie down and take it. Choose Life Ginny :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippy Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Well, what can I say - BPD is a bitch!!! Yup i have to agree i'm glad you are getting help, i wish dbt was more widely available here, from what i have read it works good luck with it flippy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiney35 Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 dbt does work, its hard work and u have to take alot in, also they bombard you with alot of homework and diary cards which sometimes can be annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 B) Hey Ginny, Good luck with the DBT, as I said in my intro thread, I was in a 6 month intensive live in DBT treatment program. It was beneficial and yes it still is at times. Maybe more subconsciously than I actually realise. I feel that I have over used the distress tolerance technique of distraction way too much, but as you will learn we all have our own methods and I probably didn't have enough of these to utilise. Be prepared for years of hard work for it will never stop if it is going to help. Another thing i'm sure I don't need to share with you or anyone else. I think I was one of the lucky, if you can call me that, Aussie BPD's who had a chance to do this treatment program and the opp to do it a second time as it is the only one in Australia. The next closest program is in New Zealand. So being as Chronic as I was and still am with my symptoms was in its unfortunate way a positive thing. Crazy way to see it yes, but it got me into something like Spectrum. They have a web site if you or anyone wants to check it out, it's: www.spectrum-bpd.com It was worth the hard work. Fun in groups, i hope you are doing it that way, its a good way to practice the interpersonal effectiveness skills, boundaries, and plenty more. Once again best of luck with the treatment. Keep me informed and ask me heaps of questions if you like this stuff is a piece of cake to me. Although I'm sure there are plenty of medicos and psychologists here on this site who know the theoretical sides of it. you can chose between theory or experiential side or the coin. sorry i babbled as usual STACE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabbit Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 Ginny I am so happy to hear that you finally get to have DBT. It will change your life, may even save your life. It surely has been a life saver for me. They are a bit slow down there in Tas huh? Well better late than never. DBT is hard work, it will probably be the hardest thing that you have ever done, but the rewards are tremendous. Your son will like the new you. Teach it to him, when you get comfortable with it. It sounds like things are looking up for you and I am happy for you. As the other post-ee said, I hope you get to be in a group, then you will be able to see that you are not alone, and that others struggle. I think that sends a powerful message to us BPD's. Hugs and kisses my friend Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny Posted May 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Thanks to all you guys who replied to this post. I am really pleased that DBT is happening for me and I am glad that all of you are so positive about it - thanks so much. I will let you know how I go!!!! Ginny ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 :o What is this dbt? I have never heard of it here in New Zealnd. In fact, I can't seem to find anyone here who knows much about it, but I live in a very small farming town, so its easy to understand why. can anyone give me more info?? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY This therapy is especially designed for treatment of BPD by Marsha Linehan. It is a type of CBT but directed more to the specific dialectic dilemmas faced by borderlines. The aim is to find the in-between, from the black and white extremes. It is a structured kind of therapy, but has rules to help the patient/therapist relationship from therapy interfering behaviors. Although this therapy may seem the least successful, more research is needed. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buoyantcat Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Geez, Ginny. I wish I were as optimistic as you. My middle name is pessimistic. And, thanks for clearing up the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Josh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny Posted June 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 hey buoyantcat.. Sorry to hear you are pessimistic about BPD - I used to be... It's just that I have decided that I am not going to let BPD become a way of life for me - it has ruined every part of my life for so long and letting others try and treat me and accepting all they have to say has made it become a way of life - not just a diagnosis - I know it is a terrible disorder but I am gonna make sure it doesnt get me - ALL of us are too good for that - we have suffered enough already, dont you think? I am a firm believer that all illnesses can be overcome or made better at least by a positive and firm approach to seeking help for ourselves...especially in the case of BPD (the mother of all hellish mental illness) Love Ginny XXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buoyantcat Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 It's just that sometimes (a lot of times, actually), I feel like I don't have any control. I feel (<--- emotions) like my emotions are controlling me. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I can't pull myself out of it. It's really hard. Meh. I suppose that's what all of this therapy crap is about. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 I see why you are so pessimistic about therapy Cat, because I find it very hard myself to get very far with it. I have just left a therapist after one year, and many $$ spent, because it just didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. She didn't understand BPD very well, and was just starting to learn about it. It was a weird feeling to have to explain it to an "expert" in psychology! I also wore out a pastor who was trying to help me for two years, he just decided one day he had had enough and I was left on my own. I saw the signs of him distancing himself and felt utterly powerless to do anything about it, but it didn't help when he would give me mixed messages about calling him anytime for support and prayer, and then he would always say he was too busy! I think you will find that when this disorder comes out more into mainstream society to be recognised, only then will people start to open up and be more accepting of it, only then will there be real advances made. If you are in the States, you have an advantage because it is more recognised there, whereas Down Under, we have our heads a little more stuck in the sand. Anyway, don't give up! My mother who has BPD, always used to declare her pessimism as "realism", THAT IS A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL! The reality is, is that we are meant to have peace and joy in our lives, and abundance in living! Don't let the pessimism demons in too far! Blessings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 I have also had people tell me they always knew I had "my own way" of thinking and behaving, that ois was always hard for them to figure out or to have any input. It is hard because you so desparately want to be "acceptable" and when people keep you at an arms length it can be painful. Keep the faith you are acceptable, you have a purpose in your being and creation, no matter how much you might not make sense to the 90% of the people who don't have this condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buoyantcat Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Don't let the pessimism demons in too far! Okay... I shall try not to. It's just, meh, I don't know. Thanks, Song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buoyantcat Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 I think I can understand about how you had to explain Borderline Personality Disorder to your therapist. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think my therapist knew a whole lot about BPD either. I also didn't feel like I was getting anywhere in my therapy. That, and we were almost never on the same level of thinking, there was almost never any kind of connection as far as our brains go, and her personality was extremely degrading to me. With all of that put together, I've decided to find some other form of therapy. My therapist recommended someone else, and I am currently trying to get ahold of a doctor who specializes in Borderline Personality Disorder. I am actually looking forward to it. Maybe I can get something done. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Song; not all clinicians down under have their heads 'stuck in the sand', even though i am struggling, i went through a 6 month live-in DBT program during 2000 in Victoria and it has to some point been beneficial. I mean...even though i try at times not to be....i am still alive....that may or may not be a good thing but meh, we all see things differently. sorry im getting off the track and not making sense meh again. What im trying to say is that here in oz they are trying to see things from a different angle and a proactice one at that. Its just going to take time, patience and education. if we are the ones to educate then sobeit. ill be more than happy to put my two bobs in. once i have my shit in order. i have given many speaches on this before when i was much more stable and i could do it again. UM JUST NOT NOW and im many could vouch for that. stacey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Good Luck Song, It's good to see people trying to get on with their lives... I hope it all goes really well for you - and if not, well, you move on and try some more.. Choose Life Ginny XXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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