Moving Toward Connectedness – A Qualitative Study of Recovery Processes for People With Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder estimated to affect 1–2% of the general population. As a group, people with BPD endure a high degree of suffering, often leading to suicide attempts, self-harm, and suicide. Comparatively few studies explore the first person perspective of the person suffering from any mental health disorder. This might be especially problematic for people diagnosed with BPD, as this particular diagnosis is followed by stigma potentially making help seeking harder and helping relationships more vulnerable. We interviewed 12 female participants recently diagnosed with BPD in-depth about their experiences with recovery and treatment, and used a stepwise reflective approach to rigorously analyze the data. Results show an overarching theme of working toward connectedness, with four constituent sub-themes. We discuss the findings with regard to empirical work, recovery and autonomy, and the risk of epistemic injustice that people with BPD risk facing.

From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner

“…A broad range of mental illnesses, including depression [20,21], post-traumatic stress disorder [22], bipolar personality disorder [23], and eating disorders [24] have been linked to feelings of psychological or social disconnection [25]. Connectedness, in a broad sense, is considered a key mediator of psychological well-being [26][27][28][29], and a factor associated with the recovery of mental health [30].…”

The potential synergistic effects between psychedelic administration and nature contact for the improvement of mental health

“…The capacity of psychedelics and nature contact to increase a sense of connectedness is notable, as a sense of ‘disconnection’, alienation or isolation has been implicated with a broad range of mental illnesses including eating disorders ( Huemer et al, 2011 ), bipolar personality disorder ( Kverme et al, 2019 ), PTSD ( McDermott et al, 2012 ) and depression ( Karp, 2017 ; Sorajjakool et al, 2008 ; Watts et al, 2017 ). Interestingly, feelings of disconnection from nature and other humans are not uncommon insights described by psychedelic users (St John, 2018 ), and this disconnection is frequently viewed as a source of health and societal problems, with these substances perceived to partly facilitate healing by amending this disconnection ( Fotiou, 2012 ; Gearin, 2015 , 2017 ; Schmid, 2013 ; St John, 2018 ; Watts et al, 2017 ; Winkelman, 2013 ).…”

Social Cognition Capacities as Predictors of Outcome in Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT)

“…As a specialized BPD treatment, MBT will address the relation self-other by work in therapy dyads, groups and direct exploration of significant interpersonal incidents, emotional reactions, and social interpretations (46). Several qualitative studies describing change processes among BPD patients have indeed highlighted the subjective impact of new relational experience, practice, and competence (47)(48)(49)(50). Positive patient-reported group experiences-learning to gain and lend perspectives are indeed emphasized in a qualitative study of MBT (51).…”