Therapy

Therapy

Finding out that you have, or suspecting that you have, HPD can be a confusing and isolating experience. You may have read information about the disorder that has concerned you or caused you to ask many questions. If you have not had a diagnosis from a professional practitioner, the Board strongly recommends that you approach one with a view to seeking a diagnosis. The diagnostic process can take some time and may require more than one visit. No one here on the forum can diagnose you, and an internet diagnosis from a personality disorder test is very unreliable.

Counselling, psychotherapy and psychiatric care are the recommended treatments for HPD. This is because HPD often has its roots in early life experiences which have caused deeply ingrained thought processes and behaviour patterns. These cannot be repaired overnight or by visiting a forum. Therapy can be a deep and lasting process, but it has many benefits. Your therapist will have had years of extensive training, and will be trained to gently take you through the process of therapy, at a pace you are comfortable with. This can bring many rewards and many people have emerged from therapy with a renewed attitude to life, a sense of healing, and a new sense of autonomy, self esteem and motivation.

It is very important that you seek out a reputable therapist who belongs to a recognised governing organisation. Members of these organisations are bound by a code of ethics, have had extensive training which is often ongoing, passed a police criminal record check and have supervisors to whom they are accountable. Always check a therapist's credentials.

Here are the details of some organisations in the UK and the USA. If you are from another country, it may help if you can do a bit of research to find out the equivalent organisations in your own country.

http://www.counseling.org/ USA

http://www.bacp.co.uk/ UK

The costs of therapy can vary. If you are in the USA, your medical insurance may possibly cover this. In the UK, it may be possible to find a therapist on the NHS. You should ask your doctor about this.

The purpose of the forum is to provide informal peer support, which may lessen your sense of isolation. It cannot be,and should not be, a substitute for therapy.

There is often some confusion about the differences between the various types of practitioner.

A psychiatrist is a qualified medical doctor who has undergone further studies in mental health. They are allowed to prescribe medication and make a diagnosis. Some may also offer talking therapy in addition to psychiatric care. They are qualified to decide whether or not hospital treatment is appropriate.

A psychotherapist engages in in depth talking therapy, in which they may delve into deep rooted child hood issues, and help the patient to find how they affect the present. Through in depth talking, the patient is enabled to recognise their patterns, and talk in depth about their thoughts and feelings. A psychotherapist doesn't usually diagnose, but they may specialise in certain areas ie personality disorders amongst other things. Psychotherapy can be a long and in depth process.

A counsellor also engages in talking therapy and may also delve into deep rooted child hood issues, but less extensively. The process is very similar to psychotherapy but is less in depth. They cannot diagnose, but if they suspect a personality disorder,may refer the patient to a specialist. They may treat the patient for their thoughts and feelings related to having the disorder in order to help them come to begin to come to terms with it, but rarely for the disorder itself. There may be some counsellors who do treat the actual disorder, and it is recommended that you ask and check their credentials.

CBT and DBT are also effective in treating the cognitive and behavioural aspects of HPD, but they tend not to tackle the root cause, and it is recommended that a person also undertakes other types of therapy in addition to them.

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A song for those who are hesitant about therapy.
(Click the image or the link to listen.)



Dar Williams: What Do You Hear In These Sounds

I can't say I've gained much from therapy myself so far, but that's just me.
You don't really have much to lose by trying.