BPD & teenagers

I'm not sure what psychiatrists suggest for risk taking behaviours @Astrid4 but you must be so worried about your daughter.

I think for complex mental illness the road to recovery or at least a baseline is Long-&-Slow.

You probably won't cope that well in the immediate future, but once supports/therapies are in place, gradually and slowly, with lots of effort things can improve for BPD and some people do go into remission. But the person has to have at least some insght and be willing to accept and receive treatment.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is the go-to for BDP....there are public programs but I know they are snapped up pretty quick. You could contact your Primary Health Network or local mental health team.

If you can afford private health, you can do 12month programs as an out patient and your daughter could attend every week without having being admitted as an inpatient.

Corny

Thanks @Corny

Miss 18 has therapy upcoming but the process from diagnosis to receiving treatment has been long and slow. In the meantime her behaviours have become more erratic and her mental health deteriorating. Adding to that she has no insight into the impact of her behaviour on herself or others. She will attend appointments, agree with everything then walk out and continue on her own path. Its just heartbreaking

Astrid4

That's very stressful @Astrid4 chronically so, and there's so many creeps out there and dangerous situations she could get herself in. And if she starts experimenting with hard drugs the chance of recovery diminishes, and impulse control during times of high emotion gets harder for the patient to deal with without drugs or alcohol if this is a habit that sets in over years. Hopefully she doesn't get involved with people that take her down this path and are an unhealthy influence on her.

Long and slow is the same style of race most people with complex MI have to live. It really is a marathon with lots of trip and falls. Nothing changes overnight because they are not 'mental' illnesses, they are biological illnesses you can't see.

I've been on both sides of MI and I know how powerless and hard it is to be a carer. It also comes with lots of feelings of rejection because your loved one isn't engaged, their illness has taken them off line and they can't connect with people.

I hope her treatment isn't too far away.

It's hard to know if she lacks insight, or if its the total opposite and she is defensive because she knows she has got something and can't deal. MI still comes with a lot of shame, she's only 17 and she just wants to be normal. But its best to jump on this the younger she is, it comes with more hope while her brain/body still has some agility left. Corny

Hi, I'm new to this forum too, my daughter is 28 and has BPD, anxiety, depression and Complex PTSD also. She was diagnosed at 15 with anxiety and depression and then at 19 with BiPolar Disorder and BPD. She was given medication for these until 22 when she was rediagnosed with complex PTSD. Gradually after seeing Phsychiatrists, Pschologists, Therapists and GPs she has worked hard at moving forward through every diagnosis. Recently her diagnosis of BPD has been reinstated to her disappointment and she is now completing 6 months of DBT which is hard for her because it triggers all the past memories. She has attempted suicide 5 times and also self-harms. It has been a very long, hard road for her and also for myself as her primary care-giver. To be honest, I am heart-broken, devastated and wrecked and I dont know how much more I can give. I'm sorry this is such a negative post and I hope your journey is easier and more successful than mine.

Darling my dear friend are you a paid career or not, ?

Hi @Clawde

No I am not a paid carer at all.

Regards Astrid4

Hi @LPKB

I'm so sorry to hear of your journey and I have to agree it is heart-breaking and a tough slog. I should have mentioned in my original post that Miss 18 was also diagnosed with anxiety, depression and PTSD. I'm not sure how this journey for both of us will work out. Lately it seems to be one step forward and 10 steps backward. Like any parent I hold on to hope, because sometimes that's all you can have. It is helpful, to have forums like this to talk with others so you know your not alone. I do hope that things get better for you. It is such a tiring journey.

Astrid4