Jonaric

Insight to my struggles

2008-11-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

Emotional dysregulation, commonly known as "mood swings", is a term used in the mental health community to refer to an emotional response that is poorly modulated and does not fall within the conventionally accepted range of emotive response. Emotional dysregulation can lead to behavioral problems and can interfere with a person's social interactions and relationships at home, in school, or at place of employment. Common manifestations of emotional dysregulation include angry outbursts, yelling, screaming, crying, ripping up papers, throwing objects, aggression towards self or others, and threats to kill oneself. Other examples of emotional dysregulation might include rage over a broken plate, or hysterics over a missed appointment. These variations usually occur in seconds to minutes or hours, unlike the so-called mood swings of bipolar disorder which take place over weeks to months.

Emotional dysregulation is a broad phenomenon that is a component of many mental health disorders.^[1] While it can be associated with an experience of early psychological trauma, or chronic maltreatment (such as child abuse, child neglect, or institutional neglect/abuse), it can also be associated with a wide range of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in adults and children. This includes Reactive attachment disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.^[2]^[3]

Informational on PPD

2008-09-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Paranoid personality disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis characterized by paranoia and a pervasive, long-standing suspiciousness and generalized mistrust of others. (DSM-IV) For a person's personality to be considered a personality disorder, an enduring pattern of characteristic maladaptive behaviors, thinking and personality traits must be present from the onset of adolescence or early adulthood. Additionally, these behaviors, traits and thinking must be present to the extent that they cause significant difficulties in relationships, employment and other facets of functioning.

Those with paranoid personality disorder are hypersensitive, are easily slighted, and habitually relate to the world by vigilant scanning of the environment for clues or suggestions to validate their prejudicial ideas or biases. They tend to be guarded and suspicious and have quite constricted emotional lives. Their incapacity for meaningful emotional involvement and the general pattern of isolated withdrawal often lend a quality of schizoid isolation to their life experience. ^[1]

Understanding BPD

2008-03-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a psychiatric diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV Personality Disorders 301.83^[1]) that describes a prolonged disturbance of personality function characterized by depth and variability of moods.^[2] The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; "black and white" thinking, or "splitting"; chaotic and unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, identity, and behavior; as well as a disturbance in the individual's sense of self. In extreme cases, this disturbance in the sense of self can lead to periods of dissociation.^[3] These disturbances can have a pervasive negative impact on many or all of the psychosocial facets of life. This includes difficulties maintaining relationships in work, home, and social settings. Attempted suicide and completed suicide are possible outcomes, especially without proper care and effective therapy.^[4] Onset of symptoms typically occurs during adolescence or young adulthood. Symptoms may persist for several years, but the majority of symptoms lessen in severity over time.^[4] with some individuals fully recovering. The mainstay of treatment is various forms of psychotherapy, although medication and other approaches may also improve symptoms.

As with other mental disorders, the causes of BPD are complex and unknown.^[5] One finding is a history of childhood trauma (possibly child sexual abuse),^[6] although researchers have suggested diverse possible causes, such as a genetic predisposition, neurobiological factors, environmental factors or brain abnormalities.^[5] The prevalence of BPD in the United States has been calculated as 1 to 3 percent of the adult population,^[5] with approximately 75% of those diagnosed being female, 25% male.^[7] It has been found to account for 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations. Common comorbid (co-occurring) conditions are other mental disorders such as substance abuse, depression and other mood disorders, and other personality disorders. BPD is one of four diagnoses classified as "cluster B" ("dramatic-erratic") personality disorders typified by disturbances in impulse control and emotional dysregulation, the others being narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorders.

The term borderline, although it was used in this context as early as the 17th century, was employed by Adolph Stern in 1938 to describe a condition as being on the borderline between neurosis and psychosis. Because the term no longer reflects current thinking, there is an ongoing debate concerning whether this disorder should be renamed.^[5] There is related concern that the diagnosis stigmatizes people, usually women, and supports pejorative and discriminatory practices.

Difficulties in therapy

There can be unique challenges in the treatment of BPD, for example hospital care.^[107] In psychotherapy, a client may be unusually sensitive to rejection and abandonment and may react negatively (e.g., by harming themselves or withdrawing from treatment) if they sense this. In addition, clinicians may emotionally distance themselves from individuals with BPD for self-protection or due to the stigma associated with the diagnosis, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy and a cycle of stigmatization to which both patient and therapist can contribute.^[108]

Some psychotherapies, for example DBT, were developed partly to overcome problems with interpersonal sensitivity and maintaining a therapeutic relationship. Adherence to medication regimens is also a problem, due in part to adverse effects, with drop-out rates of between 50 percent and 88 percent in medication trials.^[109] Comorbid disorders, particularly substance use disorders, can complicate attempts to achieve remission.^[110]

Jonaric

2007-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Jonaric is not a real name. It's a mix of two names; my first name, and my Submissive's name. When put together, it sound like the word 'generic'.

Merriam-Webster defines generic as "having no particularly distinctive quality or application".