One of the main reasons that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is sometimes believed to be a misdiagnosis is that it has symptoms in common with other disorders, two of which of these are :
1) Asperger’s Syndrome (a … Read the rest
Why Asperger’s And Bipolar Can Be Misdiagnosed As BPD.
Childhood Fame : The Downside And Cost Of Fame
‘I think every child star suffers through this period because you’re not the cute and charming child that you were. You start to grow, and they want to keep you little forever.’
-Michael Jackson on the perils of getting … Read the rest
Highly Dysfunctional Families and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Those who go on to develop borderline personality disorder (BPD) almost invariably grew up as children in highly dysfunctional families in which the parent/s was/were emotionally unstable.
I have written about BPD extensively in other articles on this site … Read the rest
Emotional Torture? When Parents Put Kids in a Psychological Double-Bind.
I first came across the phrase ‘double-bind’ at university whilst studying for my first degree in psychology; it struck a chord immediately.
In its most simple terms, the child who is placed in a psychological double-bind, by parent/s or … Read the rest
Childhood Trauma Leading to Anhedonia (Inability to Experience Pleasure).
ANHEDONIA
There is an established relationship between having experienced trauma as a child and suffering from anhedonia (the inability to experience feelings of pleasure) as an adult.
Anhedonia drains the colour from life, rather like seeing a film in high-resolution … Read the rest
Recovery of Repressed or Buried Memories of Abuse
There has been a long-standing debate about the reliability of recovered memories of trauma and abuse.
The psychologist Loftus draws our attention to the distinction between Type I and Type II traumas. Type I traumas relate to a single … Read the rest
The Use of Religion as a Weapon of Abuse
When I was thirteen, shortly after my disturbed and deeply unstable mother had thrown me out of the house and I was grudgingly received into the house (I won’t dignify it by calling it a home) of my father and … Read the rest
What Are The Effects Of Emotional Neglect Of A Child?
What Are The Effects Of Emotional Neglect / Emotional Deprivation On The Child?
A child who is emotionally neglected / emotionally deprived may be treated with indifference, as if s/he is of no importance, ignored, or almost as if s/he … Read the rest
Possible Effects of Divorce on Children
My own parents divorced in the scorching summer of 1976 when I was 8 years old. At prep school, I was the only boy in the class with divorced parents. I was deeply ashamed of this fact, and I did … Read the rest
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Questionnaire
As we have seen in several of the previously published articles on this website, severe childhood trauma can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you are concerned you might suffer from the condition, it is important … Read the rest
Cognitive Hypnotherapy for Stress Related Disorders.
Stress can be defined as the perception that the psychological demands being made upon us exceed our ability to cope with them. It has been well documented that the experience of stress (especially chronic stress) is linked to both physical … Read the rest
4 Types Of Borderline Mother : Witch, Hermit, Waif And Queen.
For those of us who grew up with mothers who suffered from a borderline personality disorder (BPD), our childhoods were often painful and anguished. We found ourselves living in a world that was contradictory and confusing; it is likely … Read the rest
Patterns of Behaviour Stemming from Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma may affect all aspects of an individuals life – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. It may result in dissociation (cutting off from reality, either intentionally or unintentionally), constant hypervigilance (ie being perpetually on ‘red alert’ and expecting … Read the rest
Childhood Trauma : Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD).
If our experiences of relationships in childhood are largely negative and painful, in extreme cases, we may develop social phobia as adults, or, in even more severe cases, avoidant personality disorder (AvPD).
What is AvPD?
APD is similar to … Read the rest
Posttraumatic Growth – How Trauma Can Positively Transform Us
‘Whatever does not kill me makes me stronger.’
– Nietzsche
Much of the research into the effects of severe trauma has concentrated upon its NEGATIVE effects. However, as new research is showing that the experience of trauma can also … Read the rest