Author Question: Describe the characteristics and causes of borderline personality disorder, and discuss possible ... (Read 122 times)

BrownTown3

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 564
Describe the characteristics and causes of borderline personality disorder, and discuss possible treatment approaches and their efficacy.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Describe the basic features of antisocial personality disorder. Why is psychotherapy with this population so likely to fail?
 
  What will be an ideal response?



jaymee143

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 341
Answer to Question 1

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by erratic moods, unstable relationships, poor self-image, and fear of abandonment. Borderline individuals often engage in suicidal and/or self-mutilating behaviors, and have difficulty maintaining healthy relationships. Borderline personality disorder is more prevalent in families with the disorder and is more common in women. There is also a strong link to early sexual abuse among borderline individuals, but it is not clear whether there is a gene-environment interaction accounting for some of this data. People with borderline personality disorders are typically distressed about their lives and are more likely to seek treatment even than people with anxiety and mood disorders. They often respond positively to medications, including SSRIs, other antidepressants, and lithium. Dialectical behavior therapy, which involves helping people cope with the stressors that trigger suicidal behavior, may also be effective. Therapy is conducted weekly and helps patients learn to identify and regulate emotions. It also contains elements of treatments used to help people with posttraumatic stress disorder. Eventually, clients learn to trust their own response rather than depending on the validation of others. Up to 88 percent of borderline patients who undergo therapy experience remission at 10 years, which is an extremely positive outlook among the personality disorders.

Answer to Question 2

Antisocial personality disorder involves irresponsible, impulsive, deceitful behavior that violates social and legal norms. Antisocial individuals lack conscience and empathy, and feel justified in taking what they want, whether it suits other people or not. These behaviors start early in life as conduct disorder, which is considered a precursor to antisocial personality disorder. Often the individuals involved are glib and superficially charming but have a grandiose sense of self-worth, are very good at manipulating others, and lack remorse for their actions. Some researchers believe that the fearlessness, thrill seeking, and insensitivity to punishment shown by people with antisocial personality disorder are related to low levels of cortical arousal, although social factors such as familial divorce or substance abuse may also encourage antisocial behavior. Since people with antisocial personality disorder do not feel bad about what they have done, they rarely seek treatment unless forced to for family or legal reasons. Consequently, they are not motivated to change, often fail to cooperate with treatment, and may even try to manipulate the therapist in order to thwart therapeutic change.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question


 

Did you know?

Warfarin was developed as a consequence of the study of a strange bleeding disorder that suddenly occurred in cattle on the northern prairies of the United States in the early 1900s.

Did you know?

More than 2,500 barbiturates have been synthesized. At the height of their popularity, about 50 were marketed for human use.

Did you know?

HIV testing reach is still limited. An estimated 40% of people with HIV (more than 14 million) remain undiagnosed and do not know their infection status.

Did you know?

Every 10 seconds, a person in the United States goes to the emergency room complaining of head pain. About 1.2 million visits are for acute migraine attacks.

Did you know?

Between 1999 and 2012, American adults with high total cholesterol decreased from 18.3% to 12.9%

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library