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The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook summary
An Integrative Program to Understand and Manage Your BPD
17 mins
Brief summary
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook by Daniel J. Fox delves into the complexities of borderline personality disorder, offering practical exercises and strategies to help individuals understand and manage their emotions, relationships, and personal growth.
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The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook
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What is BPD?
Before you begin to address this disorder, you need to understand it.
This is especially important for BPD, which is often mischaracterized and misunderstood.
Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is one of ten personality disorders recognized by the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual for psychological professionals. It affects around six percent of Americans – so you’re not alone!
The DSM-5 defines BPD as an inability to regulate behavior, thinking, and responses to situations. This instability often manifests as problems with relationships, self-image, and emotional outbursts.
Following are the nine official symptoms of BPD. You must meet at least five to receive an official BPD diagnosis. Which ones apply to you?
Fear of abandonment – you frantically try to avoid people leaving you.
Emotional reactivity – you often act impulsively based on intense emotions.
Unstable relationships – you have intense swings in how you view others.
Unstable self-image – your sense of self is frequently shifting.
Self-harm & Suicidal behavior – you engage in or threaten self-harming or suicidal gestures.
Feelings of emptiness – you often feel alone and empty.
Intense anger – you have emotional outbursts you can’t control.
Stress-related paranoia – when you're stressed, you feel like the world is out to get you.
BPD symptoms show up differently and with different intensity for everyone.
Let’s consider an example. Betty is a 22-year-old woman who has trouble making and keeping friends. She often feels alone and misunderstood. One day, she falls head over heels in love with Steven. But when he takes too long to respond to a long text, she abruptly breaks up with him. She starts calling him “the devil.” After breaking up with Steven, Betty starts cutting her arms. When her coworkers notice her scars, Betty finds the courage to seek treatment. She receives a BPD diagnosis, which helps her begin healing.
As you can see, Betty displays the symptoms of unstable relationships, self-harm, emotional reactivity, fear of abandonment, and feelings of emptiness.
What’s your story? To manage BPD, it is essential to identify your symptoms and develop strategies tailored to them. Many people like Betty see improvement through treatment.
And with this guide, you are already on the right path!
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What is The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook about?
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook (2019) is a practical guide to taking control of your BPD. Through expert advice and actionable exercises, this empathetic resource illuminates a path beyond unhealthy beliefs and destructive behaviors. With these proven techniques, anyone with BPD can begin to improve their emotional patterns and rebuild healthy relationships.
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook Review
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook (2019) is a comprehensive guide that helps individuals understand and manage the complexities of borderline personality disorder. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers practical exercises and worksheets that empower readers to gain insight into their emotions and behaviors, facilitating personal growth and healing.
- Supported by research and clinical expertise, the book provides valuable strategies for building healthier relationships, coping with distress, and developing effective communication skills.
- Through its compassionate and relatable approach, the book ensures that readers feel understood and validated, making the journey of self-discovery both enlightening and engaging.
Who should read The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook?
- People diagnosed with BPD
- Those experiencing BPD-like symptoms
- Friends and family of people with BPD trying to learn about the disorder
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The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook FAQs
What is the main message of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook?
The main message of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook is to provide practical tools and techniques for managing and recovering from borderline personality disorder.
How long does it take to read The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook?
The reading time for The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook varies depending on the reader's pace. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook is a valuable resource for those seeking to understand and cope with borderline personality disorder. It offers practical insights and guidance for self-improvement.
Who is the author of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook?
The author of The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook is Daniel J. Fox.
What to read after The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Complex Borderline Personality Disorder by Daniel J. Fox
- Healing Collective Trauma by Thomas Hübl
- Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T. Mason & Randi Kreger
- Hardcore Self Help by Robert Duff
- Phaedo by Plato
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
- How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart by Meggan Roxanne
- Blind Spots by Marty Makary
- Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom