Self-destructive behaviors such as cutting, burning, overdoses, binge-eating, and substance abuse, among others, are often derived from impairments in the experience of self and the capacity to manage emotions adaptively. Individuals with these behavioral symptoms are often diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) which is a condition consisting of impairments in the capacity to navigate separations, loss, rejection, criticism and the associated emotions of sadness, hurt, anger and aloneness. Many of these individuals have experienced significant trauma in development. According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, it’s estimated that about 1.4% of the adult population living in the United States is living with Borderline Personality Disorder. While living with BPD can be a challenge, help for Borderline Personality Disorder is available and effective in helping individuals diagnosed with this condition to better manage emotions and live lives of mental well-being.

Yellowbrick offers psychiatric and in-depth psychotherapeutic treatment for young adults who self-regulate through destructive behaviors, including BPD. Located in Evanston, Illinois, the home of Northwestern University, Yellowbrick provides a real-time living laboratory for addressing how to navigate the tensions activated in everyday life. Treatment helps to relieve the maladaptive brain responses to trauma, develops skills for emotional regulation, and understandings which strengthen the core sense of self and capacity to engage in mutually caring relationships.

Identifying the Signs and Symptoms of BPD

Being informed about the signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder can help individuals who are living with it to realize they are not simply failing or bad people but rather that they have been affected and are struggling with how to cope with developmental trauma. The following may be indications for recognizing the presence of BPD.

1. Depression and anxiety
2. Moody, irritability, angry
3. impulsivity
4. self-harming behaviors
5. unsteady relationships
6. fears of being abandoned
7. difficulty being alone
8. dissociation, attention and memory problems
9. suicidal thoughts and ideation

Help for Borderline Personality Disorder at Yellowbrick

Treatment for life-long problems with self-regulation and destructive behaviors requires a comprehensive, integrated approach which includes intensive psychotherapy. It is crucial to have an in-depth assessment as individuals with these challenges often have a history of trauma which needs to be addressed and is often hidden behind a firewall of shame. In addition, assessment and treatment at Yellowbrick addresses the complications of the emotional regulation impairment such as depression, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders. Yellowbrick employs neuroscience technologies such as deep TMS, neurofeedback and EMDR, skills based (CBT, DBT, ACT) and experiential relationship psychotherapies, and cognitive processing and executive function enhancement.

Find out more about our approach to treating personality disorders like BPD at our facility on our website and reach out to talk to a mental health specialist today.