Do you think that you are unable to alleviate the intensity of your emotions? Are your mood swings making your life difficult? Do you consider yourself worthless? You might be suffering from Borderline personality disorder. It is a common mental disorder that is characterized by emotional and psychological instability which results in a negative impact on life functioning. However, psychotherapy can help in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Among all therapeutic settings, group therapy can exhibit more fruitful results as it involves the interaction of affected individuals with multiple group members who are dealing with the same mental issue.
This article provides a complete guide to Borderline personality disorder and the effectiveness of group therapy for its treatment. You will understand why and how group therapy can help in the management of the symptoms of borderline personality disorder.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
A borderline personality disorder is a common but complex mental issue in which individuals do not have control over their minds. Their mental instability affects the way they think about themselves and others. Moreover, they are unable to regulate their emotions and therefore face difficulty in maintaining their interpersonal relationships. Affected individuals face cognitive distortion that negatively affects each aspect of their life including personal and professional.
Fortunately, borderline personality disorder is treatable, and multiple therapy options can work better for each affected individual including group therapy. Group therapy is considered highly effective for the treatment of borderline personality disorder and other common mental health issues.
What is Group therapy?
Group therapy is a type of psychotherapy. In addition, it is also named as the group psychotherapy. Psychotherapy involves different therapy sessions in which mental health professionals interact with mental health patients and treat their mental health issues. Moreover, experts also get guidance on how they can manage the symptoms of their mental health issues.
There are different types of psychotherapies including individual therapy and group therapy. Group therapy is ideal for those individuals who do not have confidence and have reduced self-esteem. Each group therapy involves multiple individuals who are facing the same mental issue and a therapist who treats them. Mental health experts ask individuals to share their previous life experiences. In this way, each individual learns from each other’s experiences how they can deal with their similar mental health struggles. Moreover, they also get a chance to share and develop new perspectives.
Furthermore, individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder do not feel comfortable in social meetings and therefore prefer to stay alone. However, in group therapy sessions, individuals learn different social skills that help them engage in different social activities. Overall, individuals learn the value of themself and employ different coping strategies to prevent or manage the symptoms of borderline personality disorder and acquire well-being.
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How does Group therapy work for Borderline Personality disorder?
Group therapy is ideal in providing a sense of assurance and belonging. Individuals feel calm and relaxed as group therapy experts make them feel that they are not alone. Moreover, they meet and communicate not only with the experts but with those individuals who are dealing with the same mental illness. Experts first analyze the mental state and behavior of affected individuals and then develop strategies of group therapy that are tailored to the needs of each individual. Furthermore, group therapy strongly favors the development of the following skills:
- Active listening
- Effortless communication
- Sense of self-worth
- Sense of cooperation
- Self-awareness
What are the benefits of Group therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder?
Group therapy offers multiple benefits for the individual suffering from a borderline personality disorder such as:
1. Emotional regulation
Individuals with BPD are unable to regulate their intense emotions. However, with group therapy, individuals learn how to control their emotional intensity and exhibit positive behavior.
2. Peer support
By sharing their mental health issues and related experiences, individuals get support and encouragement from each other.
3. Interpersonal skills
Due to a lack of social skills, individuals do not share their feelings and emotions with their loved ones. However, with the help of group therapy, individuals learn to communicate and develop stronger bonds with each other.
4. Increased motivation
The continuous support and encouragement also assist the individuals in increasing their confidence and self-esteem, which helps them excel in each field of life.
5. Mindfulness techniques
With the help of mindfulness techniques, individuals can experience peace of mind while staying in the present. Moreover, these techniques also help them in decreasing their impulsivity and elevating their self-awareness.
6. Cognitive restructuring
Affected individuals are unable to identify their undesired and distorted thought patterns. Therefore, they also exhibit negative behavior. However, during group therapy sessions, individuals can make a difference between their positive and negative thoughts and ultimately positively alter their behavior.
7. Self – compassion
Individuals dealing with borderline personality disorder also learn their self-worth and start accepting their life challenges. They develop self-compassion, avoid negative talk, and start focusing on self-care techniques.
8. Distress tolerance
Group therapy also teaches individuals how they can control their anger and cope with stressful situations without showing any harmful behavior to others.
9. Schema therapy
Group therapy can also involve schema therapy which helps the individuals to identify and overcome the negative thought patterns of beliefs that can trigger borderline personality disorder symptoms. With early identification, individuals get the chance to prevent future negative consequences.
What are the other types of Group therapy relevant to BPD?
The other types of group therapy are as follows:
1. Dialectical behavioral therapy
Dialectical behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy or psychotherapy and is specifically used for controlling intense emotions. Individuals grappling with borderline personality disorder face difficulty in keeping a balance in their emotional state and therefore most often exhibit angry, negative, or aggressive behavior. Various recent studies have also reported the fact that dialectical behavioral therapy is proven to be effective in overcoming the symptoms of borderline personality disorder. The main focus of this therapy is to guide the individuals regarding the effective management of their emotions so they can better express themselves and develop healthy and positive relationships with others.
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy functions by considering the bonds between the mind and behavior. Individuals grappling with any mental illness including borderline personality disorder face difficulty in distinguishing between their positive and negative thoughts. Their emotional instability is also reflected in their behavior. Therefore cognitive behavioral experts help them to identify them accurately and alter them into positive ones and thus exhibit positive behavior.
3. Mentalization-based therapy
Mentalization-based therapy comprises the combined elements of psychodynamic as well as cognitive behavioral components. This therapy assists individuals to improve their ability to mentalize. Moreover, individuals note their thoughts, emotions, and feelings and try to focus on them more. Such individuals think more before reacting or doing anything.
4. Support Groups
Support groups also play a major role in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. They help the individuals to share their experiences and learn multiple coping strategies. Different mental health platforms provide support groups to support the mental health of BPD individuals.
5. Transference focused psychotherapy
Transference-focused psychotherapy is also referred to as psychodynamic psychotherapy. This therapy works on improving the relationship between the expert and mental health individuals. Individuals learn about their emotions and thoughts and find ways that they can develop a stronger bond with the experts.
6. Arts Therapies
There are also multiple creative group therapy sessions that drive more interest in individuals in group therapy sessions. Some major art therapies involve:
- Drama therapy
- Art therapy
- Dance movement therapy
- Music therapy
Do Medications Help in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder?
Medications are considered the first line of defense as they help in the effective management of the following symptoms of borderline personality disorder:
- Mood swings
- Increased impulsive behavior
- Aggressive behavior
A major class of medications that experts usually recommend for the treatment of borderline personality disorder include:
- Mood stabilizers
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotic medications
Some major Challenges and Considerations in Borderline Personality disorder
Although group therapy is highly valuable for the treatment and management of borderline personality disorder, individuals have to face multiple challenges. However, the appropriate professional help can eradicate all the challenges.
- Challenge & solution
Individuals usually feel discomfort when they share their opinions and life experiences with other members of group therapy sessions. They usually have a fear of judgment and embarrassment in front of others. However professional mental health experts usually develop a friendly and non-judgmental environment where each individual feels secure and speaks their heart out without any fear.
- Challenge & solution
Due to borderline personality disorder, individuals face difficulty in building and strengthening their bonds with their loved ones. Therefore, they face multiple interpersonal issues. However professional experts can provide guidance to individuals on how they can resolve their interpersonal issues and strengthen their bonds with their loved ones.
- Challenge & solution
A major problem that individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder usually face is the communication issue. Due to their negative previous life experiences, individuals hesitate to speak with other group members and share their concerns. However, in group therapy sessions, sharing ideas and thoughts between the group members helps them overcome all communication issues.
- Challenge & solution
Individuals with borderline personality disorder usually avoid social exposure due to their emotional instability. Due to their withdrawal behavior, they have to face multiple issues in different areas of their life. However, this issue of social isolation can be diminished with the help of group therapy sessions.
Find the right Group therapy that works for Borderline Personality Disorder
The environment of group therapy plays a significant role in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Therefore the session of group therapy should be optimized where individuals get the best solutions for this mental illness.
An ideally tailored therapeutic environment comprises the following components:
1. Secure & friendly environment
Each session of group therapy should be friendly, serene, and non-judgmental so individuals do not feel any kind of fear and feel free to express themselves completely and obtain the finest treatment solutions.
2. Flexible solutions
Group therapy experts provide scalable and flexible solutions after the complete psychological evaluation of the group therapy members. They develop therapeutic strategies that work for each group therapy member so each gets the chance to live a stress-free life.
3. Continuous support from the experts
If therapists provide continuous support to mental health patients then individuals can easily get the chance to manage the symptoms of their mental issues. For this, individuals have to regularly appear for follow-ups so they get the benefit of the finest BPD treatment services.
Does Group therapy work rapidly for Borderline Personality Disorder?
The effectiveness of group therapy is undoubted but each individual starts experiencing the benefits in different ways. Moreover, the speed of progress also varies in each individual as they respond differently based on their mental health. In addition, multiple studies have explained the fact that group therapy sessions can result in rapid relief from the symptoms of borderline personality disorder.
Where to get Professional treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder
If you know anyone who is suffering from any common mental illness then that person immediately needs professional mental health assistance. Brainpower Wellness Institute is a renowned mental health platform that offers the best mental health treatment or solutions. We have a group of trained and professional mental health experts who first identify the mental condition and then develop therapeutic strategies that are tailored to meet the mental health requirements of each individual. For individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder, we also provide multiple group therapy sessions in which experts teach the individuals how they can eradicate the symptoms of their mental illness and attain mental stability.
If you want to achieve mental well-being then don’t hesitate and step ahead and stop searching for the borderline personality disorder group therapy near me. Schedule a consultation with our experts and take advantage of the group therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder.
