While by no means comprehensive, current research has been compiled to provide information regarding the stigma regarding borderline personality disorder and perceptions of patients with BPD by nursing staff. Stigma and past experiences color how we provide patient care and while it is important to share our experiences, it is also important to provide objective nursing care as much as possible.
Alright, it's still Mental Health Awareness Month. There is a lot of stigma going around (even by nursing professionals) about mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder. I have been out of the academic setting for a while, so please don't harp on my citations but please consider reading some evidence based research regarding a known phenomenon in nursing that needs to be re-examined and progress towards reducing negative perceptions of patients will both increase patient satisfaction as well as nursing satisfaction.
There is a wealth of knowledge out there, both positive and negative regarding borderline personality disorder. Anecdotes are plentiful on the internet and while it is important to be able to share personal, first-hand experiences with these diseases, it is equally important to consider the hard facts and how our anecdotes influence our nursing practice.
My Mom had BPD and it was horrible because you always felt like you were walking on eggshells with her. She would make one kid her favorite and when that one did something to her she would cut them out of her life. She would cut up their pictures-we have none from our childhood. You never knew what the day would bring with her-you always woke up wondering what kind of mood she was in. If she got mad at you she gave you the silent treatment for days or weeks-my Dad was always the target of this. He was a second class citizen in the house as far as she was concerned. I have very few memories of her that are pleasant ones and when I think of something nice somehow the bad memories come back. She was verbally and emotionally abusive to all of us. She was a control freak-when she started to lose control of things around her she would try to kill herself as a way to get things back to where they were. She was manipulative and played people against each other in my family.
Specializes in Psych. Violence & Suicide prevention..
Folks diagnosed with BPD are similar to every other Axis I or III diagnosis. They are suffering from a disease process. And those with BPD truly suffer, possibly more so then the general population.
I always ask my patients to share their diagnosis and what they are doing to differently because of the diagnosis. I am still surprised at the number of people who don't know about this diagnosis or know they have it, but don't understand it. Our jobs as mental health professionals is to help them understand it. Validate that the disorder is learned as a means to cope with their own upbringing. Help them understand that the learned skills are now causing problems in their life. Understanding is empowering.
TheGooch
775 Posts
My Mom had BPD and it was horrible because you always felt like you were walking on eggshells with her. She would make one kid her favorite and when that one did something to her she would cut them out of her life. She would cut up their pictures-we have none from our childhood. You never knew what the day would bring with her-you always woke up wondering what kind of mood she was in. If she got mad at you she gave you the silent treatment for days or weeks-my Dad was always the target of this. He was a second class citizen in the house as far as she was concerned. I have very few memories of her that are pleasant ones and when I think of something nice somehow the bad memories come back. She was verbally and emotionally abusive to all of us. She was a control freak-when she started to lose control of things around her she would try to kill herself as a way to get things back to where they were. She was manipulative and played people against each other in my family.
She was just a mean person 90% of the time.