If you find yourself held back by the debilitating symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – symptoms that include extreme reactions to everyday tasks, inappropriate anger, or self-harm – you should look into seeking help at a Borderline Personality Disorder treatment center.
If you are a woman dealing with the symptoms of BPD, a women’s treatment center, as opposed to one that is co-ed, might be the best choice for you. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you may prefer a women’s-only BPD treatment center:
Treating BPD Symptoms
Differences in how men and women deal with their symptoms, such as internalization or externalization of emotions, can have an impact on the treatment program that is designed for the group.
A study whose authors drew from data collected by a U.S. National Institutes of Health survey showed a preference for gender-specific prevention and treatment efforts. Lead author of the study, Nicholas Eaton of the University of Minnesota, said in a news release that, “In women, treatment might focus on coping and cognitive skills to help prevent rumination (as in thinking or reflecting on something too much) from developing into clinically significant depression or anxiety.”
Eaton went on to say that treatment for men would focus more on impulsive and aggressive behaviors.
A Safe Treatment Environment
Nearly 6 percent of people in the United States are affected by Borderline Personality Disorder. Studies show that roughly 75 percent of those diagnosed with the disorder are female. Many developed the disorder after suffering a trauma, whether in childhood or recently, such as sexual abuse or domestic violence, at the hands of a male friend or family member.
A women’s BPD treatment center gives females a safe and confidential forum to talk about the emotions surrounding such an event, with the support of peers and professionals. In the absence of males, women may be more willing and open when it comes to talking about and processing their experiences.
Differences in Co-Occurring Disorders
Borderline Personality Disorder often manifests a co-occurring disorder. Studies show that women with BPD and a co-occurring disorder have very dissimilar issues to men, including greater rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
An all-female treatment center may have more focused borderline treatments for women to address these issues.
We Are Family
A women’s treatment center can offer a sense of kinship that, due to the symptoms of BPD and its common co-occurring disorders, might be missing from the life of someone dealing with Borderline Personality Disorder.
At a residential BPD treatment center, for example, you will live alongside other women dealing with the same challenges as you, from the day-to-day tasks of simply getting up, showering and breathing, to the monumental ones, such as allowing yourself to be vulnerable in a group therapy session.
What to Look For
When looking for a women’s treatment center for Borderline Personality Disorder, be sure to do your homework and ask questions. Look for a BPD treatment center that offers the following:
- Several levels of care, from residential to outpatient
- Several levels of therapy, from individual to group and family
- One that gives professional attention to co-occurring disorders, such as depression, eating disorders Bipolar Disorder, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and Dependent Personality Disorder
- Offers, and integrates, several types of therapies from traditional to holistic
- A relaxing setting with caring professionals
- Has dedicated counselors who will cater a program to fit YOUR particular issue, and will grow with you and adjust your program as you recover
In any case, make sure you find a treatment center where you feel safe and secure and ready to take the first step toward healing. The possibility for recovery is within you.