People with a personality disorder do not have to live with emotional pain.
We are all unique. The pattern of feelings, thoughts, and behaviours makes us different. These aspects form our unique personality. However, people with mental illness are stigmatised.
In Australia, there is a rising crisis of discrimination in mental health. People with personality disorder are not only discriminated but also neglected by society.
A Personality disorder cause suffering to patients. Understanding and accepting people with personality disorder relieves the suffering among many Australians.
What is Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is a long-term pattern of extreme behaviour, thinking, and emotions. It makes daily life functioning difficult and stressful. People living with
Different personality disorders affect different people. Some people appear emotional and dramatic. Most people show withdrawn and other eccentric or odd behaviours.
The symptoms of personality disorder are severe. They affect different areas of life. People affected by the disorder have higher rates of engaging in substance abuse and self-harm. Depression is also common to the patients.
Living A Fulfilling Life
People with a personality disorder do not have to live with emotional pain. The primary thing to do is to get help from a licensed mental health professional. The other thing is to learn more about how to manage the symptoms and relieve the impact it has on life.
Below are top ways that can alleviate the impact of personality disorder on daily living.
1. Get help
The experiences of personality disorder are not something anyone should face alone. There are different effective treatments for the disorder. Find a professional you feel comfortable with. Be willing to get help.
2. Have a safety plan
Personality disorder causes emotional pain. It is common for mental health emergencies to arise. The cases of active suicidal and self-harm are commonly experienced. Therefore, it’s important to have a safety plan before any crisis could happen.
Discuss with a mental health professional to assess your situation. Seek help in formulating a safety plan from a counselor, therapist, psychiatrist or social worker.
Once you have a safety plan always follow it every time, so that you don’t harm yourself or others.
3. Get support
Friends, family, or partner support is important. Have someone to turn to when things are difficult. Find ways to build support networks and connect with others. Tell the people within your support network about your situation.
Do not feel like you are suffering alone. In Australia, 1 in 5 people experience a mental health condition in a given year and almost 1 in 2 will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifetime. Many of those people around you are also looking for help, just like you.
4. Take care of yourself
Your safety is in your hands. Therefore, it’s important to take good care of yourself. Healthy self-care will improve your positive emotions and reduce emotional pain. It will also reduce the experiences of emotional ups and downs.
Some of the basic things to do include:
- Eating regularly and nutritious meals
- Doing exercises
- Practising good sleep hygiene
- Reading, watching, and listening to positive content
- Having fun activities in your daily life
- Having a good time for stress-reduction and relaxation
- Doing positive meditations
- Talking your emotional pain to your loved ones, and
- Following medication prescription, if there is any
5. Keep learning
Knowledge is power. Equip yourself with mental health knowledge. Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatments of personality disorder. Find materials explaining the best treatment plans. Read how other people have overcome their situation. Know how you can manage your symptoms.
The internet is a good source of information for learning. Ask a mental professional to recommend to you the best learning materials.
In conclusions, people with a personality disorder can experience other conditions. These conditions include anxiety disorder, eating disorder, and bipolar disorder. It’s therefore essential for caregivers to be informed about the changes in behaviour and mood of their patients.
When communicating, its necessary not say anything that could make a person with personality disorder feel uncared for. Always communicate in love. Be patient and attentive to your loved ones all the time.
