49 - When a family member or partner has Borderline Personality Disorder

Two Shrinks Pod

What’s it like living with a family member or partner with Borderline Personality Disorder? On this episode, we take a look at the experiences of carers and the supports available to them. We start with the diagnostic criteria for BPD and a discussion of how the dynamic of worry and monitoring can have a negative impact on family members. Hunter then takes us through the impact of BPD on parenting before Amy talks about the experiences of partners. As always, we finish with TWCA, chatting about whether public shaming works to change behaviour and provide scientific evidence for why Hunter’s kids wouldn’t eat their dinner (food neophobia)

Research:

Expressed emotion and wellbeing for families are carers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25195577

Comprehensive review of the impact of BPD on parenting and subsequent impacts on offspring: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27261413

Parenting intervention for BPD: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/18387357.2018.1464887

Systematic of review of partner experiences and supports: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29975337

TWCA:

Food neophobia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25862982

Public shaming: https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/11/13/the-paradox-of-viral-outrage-public-shaming-inspires-further-outrage-but-also-increases-sympathy-for-the-offender/

Resources for family members:

• Spectrum information sheet: https://www.spectrumbpd.com.au/images/PDFs/WHEN_A_FAMILY_MEMBER_OR_FRIEND_HAS_BORDERLINE_PERSONALITY_DISORDER_brochure__29_Sept_2016.pdf

• MIND information sheet: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/for-friends-and-family/#.Xe9HUbE7ZPY

• For partners: https://www.verywellmind.com/understanding-romantic-bpd-relationships-425217

Supports in Australia:

• Support for kids and teens looking after parents with mental health issues in Victoria, Australia: https://www.bouverie.org.au/support-for-services/fapmi

• www.bpdfoundation.org.au

• Free, 12 week Family Connections course for family members, Australia wide:

  https://www.bpdaustralia.org/about-family-connections/

Supports internationally:

• Links and resources: https://www.projectairstrategy.org/mpalinks/index.html

• Free, 12 week Family Connections course for family members, USA: https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/family-connections/family-connections-pre-registration-form/

• Free, 12 week Family Connections course for family members, Canada: https://sashbear.org/en/family-connections/family-connections-2