In the second part of their conversation with Amanda Smith, Bill and Megan explore the challenges faced by families of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). They discuss the importance of education, self-care, and strategies for navigating high conflict situations.
The Importance of Family Support and Self-Care
Amanda emphasizes the significance of family support and education in the long-term success of individuals with BPD. She highlights the positive impact of informed and understanding family members and the importance of self-care for those living with someone with BPD. Amanda encourages family members to prioritize their well-being, serving as positive role models for their loved ones.
Navigating Fear and Creating Safety Plans
Megan raises the issue of fear that many family members experience when their loved one with BPD engages in self-harm or expresses suicidal thoughts. Amanda suggests creating safety plans and checklists to help families navigate crisis situations and feel more prepared to prioritize physical, environmental, and relational safety.
Questions we answer in this episode:
- How can family support contribute to the success of individuals with BPD?
- What strategies can families use to find common ground?
- How can family members prioritize self-care while supporting their loved one?
- What steps can families take to address fear and create safety plans?
Key Takeaways:
- Family support and education play a crucial role in the long-term success of individuals with BPD.
- Prioritizing self-care is essential for family members to effectively support their loved one.
- Creating safety plans can empower families to handle crisis situations.
- Seeking support from trained therapists is important for healthy recovery.
This episode offers invaluable insights and practical strategies for families affected by Borderline Personality Disorder. Listeners will gain the tools necessary to support their loved ones while maintaining their own well-being.
Links & Other Notes
GUEST
BOOKS
COURSE
ORGANIZATIONS
ARTICLES
Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior.
- (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault
- (00:36) - Part Two: Borderline Personality Disorder with Amanda Smith
- (01:34) - How to Support BPD Family Members
- (07:23) - Fear and Safety
- (11:29) - The Danger of Being Reinforced in Social Groups
- (15:29) - Confusing Gaslighting
- (18:55) - Wrap Up
- (19:29) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: An Increase in Bullying
What is It’s All Your Fault: High Conflict People?
Hosted by Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. and Megan Hunter, MBA, It’s All Your Fault! High Conflict People explores the five types of people who can ruin your life—people with high conflict personalities and how they weave themselves into our lives in romance, at work, next door, at school, places of worship, and just about everywhere, causing chaos, exhaustion, and dread for everyone else.
They are the most difficult of difficult people — some would say they’re toxic. Without them, tv shows, movies, and the news would be boring, but who wants to live that way in your own life!
Have you ever wanted to know what drives them to act this way?
In the It’s All Your Fault podcast, we’ll take you behind the scenes to understand what’s happening in the brain and illuminates why we pick HCPs as life partners, why we hire them, and how we can handle interactions and relationships with them. We break down everything you ever wanted to know about people with the 5 high conflict personality types: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic, antisocial/sociopath, and paranoid.
And we’ll give you tips on how to spot them and how to deal with them.