Posted by rabble_rouser on July 15, 2005, at 7:43:07
In reply to Re: Re Borderline replies, ShortE and Pinkeye, posted by Shortelise on July 12, 2005, at 14:52:49
Hi ShortE,
Once again ShortE, thank you for your honest comments.
I wanted to post and say that I have bought myself a book (to add to the other 416) on BPD. It starts off with a warning that sufferers will find that it really churns up the emotions, but after is very healing - I have found it to be a very accurate synopsis. It is called "The Angry Heart", and is written by a psychiatrist in tandem with a BPD sufferer named Samuel. His experiences are very extreme and at first I just thought "no way, this isn't me"
I felt a little disoriented reading it, thinking "am I just being melodramatic? Does this really apply to me?", but the more I read it the more I identify with the issues being discussed. Although the exact situation that Samuel found himself in does not always match mine, I can see how the net effect of his actions is scarily similar to me.
After reading the first chapter, I was moved to write 3 pages of pure spleen, talking through my experiences from early chldhood to now and venting my rage at everyone I could think of! It felt amazing afterwards - a release that had obviously needed to happen for a while.
Anyhow, it is difficult reading because it brings up many negative emotions (mostly anger) so I am taking it in Little doses, intertwined with reading and watching lots of comedy :D The book recommends using a journal, something I think most people that have been in therapy are used to doing, so I have found I can (almost seamlessly apart from wanting to hurt pillows) integrate it with my other self-growth work.
There is a great little tool in there that determines whether you are in "The Borderline Zone, The Recovery Zone or the Free Zone". Obviously each of these refer to your own particular state of illness. I am quite excited again as it seems I am in "recovery" - encouraging because it shows me that the last years of therapy and endless self-improvement are paying off.
If anyone feels it may help them I think its freely available on amazon?
Blue skies
Ross
poster:rabble_rouser
thread:525886
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050706/msgs/527928.html