Well, Amy Winehouse is in the news again. This type she supposedly threatened suicide. Some times it makes you wonder if she or Pete Doherty will be the first U.K. celeb with (possible) BPD to burn out completely. Here an article from “Now” (who knows how much truth there is to it though):

Amy Winehouse threatens to kill herself

Singer on 24-hour watch by worried friends

Monday, 6 October 2008

Amy Winehouse is said to be on suicide watch after she allegedly threatened to stab herself.

The singer is thought to have been pushed further downhill after her husband Blake Fielder-Civil rejected an offer of parole last month – because he didn’t want to stay with his mum Georgette Civil or wear an electronic tag.

Amy, 25, apparently held a knife to her chest in front of friends.

‘She said she was “caught up in a nightmare”,’ a source tells the Daily Star. ‘Her friends managed to get the knife away from her but are now holding a 24-hour watch on her.

‘Her emotions are exaggerated. She is either high as a kite or, when she hears something she doesn’t like, she is suicidal.’

Blake, 26, is being held at Edmunds Hill Prison after he was found guilty of GBH and attempting to pervert the course of justice. It is now thought that he has accepted another offer of early release.

Bon Dobbs :: Oct.06.2008 :: Celebrities, Suicide, Self-Injury, Borderline Personality Disorder :: 1 Comment »

Here’s an article from CNN about guns in homes:

More than half firearm deaths are suicides

• Story Highlights
• Recent Supreme Court ruling on guns focused on protection from home invasion
• Suicides accounted for 55 percent of nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005 in U.S.
• More gun-related suicides than homicides and accidents in 20 of last 25 years
• Research shows if gun in home, higher likelihood of suicide or homicide in home

ATLANTA, Georgia, (AP) — The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on gun ownership last week focused on citizens’ ability to defend themselves from intruders in their homes. But research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves.

Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation’s nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There was nothing unique about that year — gun-related suicides have outnumbered firearm homicides and accidents for 20 of the last 25 years. In 2005, homicides accounted for 40 percent of gun deaths. Accidents accounted for 3 percent. The remaining 2 percent included legal killings, such as when police do the shooting, and cases that involve undetermined intent.

Public-health researchers have concluded that in homes where guns are present, the likelihood that someone in the home will die from suicide or homicide is much greater.

Studies have also shown that homes in which a suicide occurred were three to five times more likely to have a gun present than households that did not experience a suicide, even after accounting for other risk factors.

In a 5-4 decision, the high court on Thursday struck down a handgun ban enacted in the District of Columbia in 1976 and rejected requirements that firearms have trigger locks or be kept disassembled. The ruling left intact the district’s licensing restrictions for gun owners.

One public-health study found that suicide and homicide rates in the district dropped after the ban was adopted. The district has allowed shotguns and rifles to be kept in homes if they are registered, kept unloaded and taken apart or equipped with trigger locks.

The American Public Health Association, the American Association of Suicidology and two other groups filed a legal brief supporting the district’s ban. The brief challenged arguments that if a gun is not available, suicidal people will just kill themselves using other means.

More than 90 percent of suicide attempts using guns are successful, while the success rate for jumping from high places was 34 percent. The success rate for drug overdose was 2 percent, the brief said, citing studies.

“Other methods are not as lethal,” said Jon Vernick, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research in Baltimore.

The high court’s majority opinion made no mention of suicide. But in a dissenting opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer used the word 14 times in voicing concern about the impact of striking down the handgun ban.

“If a resident has a handgun in the home that he can use for self-defense, then he has a handgun in the home that he can use to commit suicide or engage in acts of domestic violence,” Breyer wrote.

Researchers in other fields have raised questions about the public-health findings on guns.

Gary Kleck, a researcher at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, estimates there are more than 1 million incidents each year in which firearms are used to prevent an actual or threatened criminal attack.

Public-health experts have said the telephone survey methodology Kleck used likely resulted in an overestimate. iReport.com: Watch William Bernstein share his views on gun ownership

Both sides agree there has been a significant decline in the last decade in public-health research into gun violence.

The CDC traditionally was a primary funder of research on guns and gun-related injuries, allocating more than $2.1 million a year to such projects in the mid-1990s.

But the agency cut back research on the subject after Congress in 1996 ordered that none of the CDC’s appropriations be used to promote gun control.

Vernick said the Supreme Court decision underscores the need for further study into what will happen to suicide and homicide rates in the district when the handgun ban is lifted.

Today, the CDC budgets less than $900,000 for firearm-related projects, and most of it is spent to track statistics. The agency no longer funds gun-related policy analysis.

Now, consider that a person with BPD is 400 times more likely to commit suicide than the general public. And consider that:

Nearly 3/4 of borderlines attempt suicide or display self-mutilating behaviors like cutting themselves with razors or burning themselves. Only about 10% of suicide attempts are successful.

If only 10% of suicides are sucessful and 75% attempt suicide, what do you think the successful suicide rate for BPD would be if they all had access to a gun? Suicide attempts in BPD are usually impulsive. They are not usually a “call for help” or manipulative. A lot of non-BPs think that they are, but typically the suicide is not thought out. The BP just wants to end the huge amount of pain that they are in. They will use whatever method is at hand (i.e. take all the pills in the cabinent). If a handgun is at hand and loaded, suicide is much more likely to occur.

 If you look at Kurt Cobain (who MAY have had BPD), he tried to commit suicide with pills at one point (that we know of) and drug overdose is not very effective. When he got a hold of his shotgun, the deed was done. From the above CNN article:

More than 90 percent of suicide attempts using guns are successful, while the success rate for jumping from high places was 34 percent. The success rate for drug overdose was 2 percent, the brief said, citing studies.

So, gun suicides are 90% sucessful, drug overdose 2%. Please don’t keep a loaded gun around someone with BPD.

Bon Dobbs :: Jul.02.2008 :: Suicide, Borderline Personality Disorder :: 1 Comment »

Press is reporting Heather Locklear checked into a mental facility for an eval. Wonder if they’ll disclose the diagnosis?

Admitted for depression

Vicki Salemi

Heather Locklear has checked herself into an in-patient treatment facility in Arizona. The quintessential evening soap opera vixen is on the road to recovery. And no, it’s not for substance abuse.

As for the reason? To deal with issues of anxiety, depression, and to re-evaluate her current condition. We give props to the 46 year-old actress who apparently recently switched doctors and is taking a pro-active stance towards her mental health. The new doc recommended that her condition and medication be re-evaluated.

While her publicist confirmed that Heather’s been dealing with anxiety and depression, it seems she’s taking it head on: by entering the facility she’ll get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Actually, a few months ago paramedics were called to her home. Her psychiatrist called 9-1-1 and told authorities there was concern for a possible overdose attempt on prescription meds. Well, paramedics left her home extremely quickly after arrival and deemed everything was all right.

As for the back story, last year her ex-husband and Bon Jovi band member Richie Sambora stayed in a treatment facility last year. Their ten year-old daughter Ava is staying with family at the moment.

Best wishes, Heather!

Bon Dobbs :: Jun.26.2008 :: Celebrities, Suicide :: 2 Comments »

I saw this story on television this morning. The emphasis is mine. The judge should be disbarred and fired IMO:

Magistrate Tells Man to Kill Himself

(WXYZ) - Court officials in Novi say a magistrate “could have chosen better words” when she told a man convicted of drunk driving and other offenses that he should commit suicide by jumping to his death or slitting his wrists in a bathtub.

52nd District Court Magistrate Judith Holtz made the shocking statements during a hearing on April 10 as she was sentencing 20-year-old Michael Robert Dickey on a charge of Minor in Possession of alcohol. Dickey had two prior convictions for drunk driving and, according to the court, “had failed to comply with his bond conditions to remain drug and alcohol free.”

According to court transcripts obtained by WXYZ, Dickey admitted to Holtz that he’d “made a lot of mistakes” — and that’s when she unleashed from the bench.

“I don’t mean to be offensive, but you have two Operating While Intoxicated convictions and then you blow a .223 and you’re still not twenty one?, Holtz said.

“Here is my suggestion to you, Mr. Dickey, climb up on the roof of your house and jump off; either that or get in a bathtub filled with hot water and slash your wrists; then you will be dead; it will be cheaper; it will be faster and in the long run it will be less painful to anybody who cares about you, because that’s where you’re headed now, and the best part of it is you won’t take somebody else with you.

“Who do you think you are? You don’t have the right to go out there and endanger innocent people and you know it. And you have had two convictions for drunk driving and you’re not twenty one and you still drink.”

Holtz is a veteran magistrate who joined the court in 1992 after practicing law for 18 years. She declined to talk with WXYZ about the tirade, but 52nd District Court officials offered an explanation late Monday.

“The words chosen by the Court’s magistrate to convey the seriousness and severity of the defendant’s actions and crime could have been better chosen,” the court said in a statement. “The magistrate was attempting to convey, through an analogy, that the defendant’s actions and past behavior has continually put the community at risk.”

The court’s statement to WXYZ also sought to prove Dickey remains a risk to the community. “It should also be noted that Mr. Dickey, at a probation appointment on May 12, 2008, tested positive for cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines in a urine screen.” Dickey has been sent to a rehab program.

Bon Dobbs :: May.15.2008 :: Odds and Ends, Suicide, Substance Abuse :: No Comments »

I wrote a reaction to the story of the MySpace Suicide. Here’s an update:

Woman indicted in fatal MySpace hoax on girl

By Dan Whitcomb2 hours, 11 minutes ago

A 49-year-old Missouri mother accused of using a fake MySpace persona to “torment, harass, humiliate and embarrass” a 13-year-old girl who hanged herself was indicted on Thursday on federal charges.

Lori Drew, accused of helping dupe 13-year-old Megan Meier into believing she was chatting with a teenage boy, was indicted on conspiracy and other charges by a U.S. District Court jury in Los Angeles.

Meier’s suicide in October of 2006 made worldwide headlines and prompted calls for social networking sites like MySpace to crack down on cyber-bullying.

“Any adult who uses the Internet to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences,” U.S. Attorney Thomas O’Brien said in announcing the indictment.

Meier for several weeks had what she thought was an online relationship with the fictional 16-year-old boy, “Josh Evans,” when in fact she was exchanging messages with Drew and others.

Drew, 49, is the mother of a teenage girl who had a falling out with Meier.

Meier hanged herself in the closet of her bedroom in a St. Louis suburb on October 15, 2006, after “Evans” told her he did not want to be friends with her anymore and that “the world would be a better place without you.”

Prosecutors say Drew and others created the fake persona using the picture of an unwitting teenage boy.

A former employee of Drew, 19-year-old Ashley Grills, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” in an interview that she set up the fake MySpace account because Drew wanted to find out what Meier was saying about her daughter.

After Meier killed herself, Drew had the hoax MySpace account deleted and told an unnamed juvenile who knew about it that she should “keep her mouth shut,” according to the indictment.

It said “defendant Drew and the co-conspirators used the information obtained over the MySpace computer system to torment, harass, humiliate and embarrass the juvenile MySpace member.”

Drew, who faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if she is convicted on all of the charges, was expected to surrender to authorities in Missouri.

(Editing by Vicki Allen)

Bon Dobbs :: May.15.2008 :: Odds and Ends, Suicide :: No Comments »

 Here’s an article on mentalization based therapy (MBT). A snip:

The study, “8-Year Follow-Up of Patients Treated for Borderline Personality Disorder: Mentalization-Based Treatment Versus Treatment as Usual,” is the latest analysis of a randomized trial first reported in AJP in October 1999 and titled “Effectiveness of Partial Hospitalization in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.”

Joel Paris, M.D., an expert on BPD, explained that mentalization therapy, developed by Bateman and Fonagy in the 1990s, is based on attachment theory and on observations that BPD patients have a failure of “mentalization”—the ability to observe their own emotions and those of other people and to appreciate how their behavior may affect others.

“Mentalization-based therapy can be considered as an amalgam of psychodynamic and cognitive methods,” he told Psychiatric News.

For instance, a case report included in the study describes a 24-year-old woman who was referred from forensic services after her arrest for setting fire to her university dormitory.

She had a history of recent suicide attempts and regularly burned herself with cigarettes and a hot iron. In individual sessions, treatment initially focused on clarifying her own feelings and others’ experience of her; later it progressed to helping her appreciate how her experiences of self-doubt and emotional turbulence led to a sense of fragmentation that was controlled only by experiences of intense physical pain, according to Bateman and Fonagy.

“The individual therapist identified these processes while focusing on the way she represented her own mental states and those of others with whom she interacted,” they wrote. “Gradually this was explored within the relationship with the therapist.”

They report the patient as stating, “It never occurred to me that what I did had an effect on anyone else.”

I have to say the suicide figures are astounding, especially when it comes to attempts. I mean, over 80% in two of the categories!

Bon Dobbs :: May.14.2008 :: Suicide, Resources, Treatment, Self-Injury, Borderline Personality Disorder :: No Comments »

I have created a new version of my book, which fixes some typos and clarifies some points. I also was able to drop the price! It’s now $19.95, instead of $20.95. Since it got 3 pages shorter, I will be able to make a decent profit at the lower price. That price anticipates the cost it will have to be when I get it on Amazon (shortly).

Anyway, I suggest you check out the preview, and pick up a copy (shameless self-promotion). You can see the preview or buy the printed or downloadable version of When Love is Not Enough at Lulu.com.

If you are one of my readers with BPD, I would suggest getting a copy for anyone with whom you’d like to have an on-going relationship. Why? Because this book teaches a “Non-BP” the attitudes and tools to be more effective and more validating toward someone with BPD. The purpose is to rebuild the lines of communication. Like I said in a previous post (or comment), if I can quote myself here:

The BP/Non-BP relationship seems to me to be one of misunderstanding and miscommunication. I hope that I can help each learn the language of the other. And I agree most public awareness is important - BUT it has to be the right kind of awareness - not the “stay away from these people” or “these people are evil” kind.

Enjoy!

Bon Dobbs :: May.13.2008 :: Pain, Treatment, Boundaries, DBT-FST, Resources, Impulsiveness, Suicide, Shame, Mindfulness, Validation, Lying, Manipulation, Self-Injury, Emotions, Substance Abuse, Parenting, DBT :: No Comments »

At long last (about six months of work and 2 1/2 years of research, experimentation and practice), my first book When Love is Not Enough (WLINE) has been published!

This book is a quick-start, how-to guide for Non-BPs. It spells out step-by-step WHAT to do in your relationship with someone with Borderline Personality Disorder (or BPD traits) and HOW to do it. Unlike other books on this subject (you guys probably know which ones I’m talking about), WLINE tells EXACTLY what to do. Through the use of attitudes and tools, WLINE can help you build mastery over your relationship, regain control of your life and develop a deeper understanding of your BP loved one. I highly recommend it (if I do say so myself).

Although WLINE is fairly short (about 185 pages), it is packed full insights, advice and practical skills to help you understand your BP and to reestablish the lines of communication. If you are a Non-BP, WLINE is an essential resource. If you have BPD, I would recommend that you recommend WLINE to your family members, partners and friends (that is, if they are aware of your disorder). WLINE helps to build the bridge of understanding, serenity and effective communication between Nons and BPs.

It could be the most effective $20.95 you’ve ever spent.

If you’d like to buy a printed or eBook copy of WLINE, I am selling the book through Lulu:

Buy the Book!

A note on the title… I kicked around a number of titles before settling on this one. It is my feeling that most Nons don’t understand that, in addition to love, they have to develop ATTITUDES and SKILLS to be effective in their relationship with a BP. WLINE actually innumerates these attitudes and skills and provides detailed examples of how to apply them. With a commitment to the relationship, application of the concepts in the book and PRACTICE, a Non can learn what IS enough in their relationship with a BP.

Bon Dobbs :: May.09.2008 :: Pain, Treatment, Boundaries, Shame, DBT-FST, Blame, Best of, Impulsiveness, Suicide, Resources, Mindfulness, Biology, Validation, Lying, Manipulation, DBT, Self-Injury, Anger, Substance Abuse, Parenting, Emotions, Borderline Personality Disorder :: No Comments »

OK, well, the other day I posted on how Pete Doherty has jumped to the top of my Celebrities with Borderline Personality Disorder (possibly, but not for sure) list. Why? Well, he just released a series of paintings done in his own blood. Let’s examine the other “evidence” of possible BPD….

(For those of you who don’t know who Pete Doherty is: he’s the lead singer of two British bands: Babyshambles and the Libertines. He dated Kate Moss and he is a regular in the tabloids in London for his erratic and criminal behavior.)

Self-Harm

Painting in one’s own blood seems to indicate self-harm. Here’s another article about Doherty’s self-harm.

Quotes from the self-harm article:

Graphic footage of rock star Pete Doherty deliberately harming himself will not appear in a forthcoming fly-on-the-wall documentary about the former Libertines’ singer, as had been feared by mental health charities.

The scenes of Doherty cutting himself with a broken bottle feature in a rough edit of the documentary, to be shown on BBC3 on Sunday 28 August. The images of Doherty slashing his chest, taken from the edit, were leaked to the national press last week, raising concerns about his mental health.

Substance Abuse

Well, duh… He’s been put in jail numerous times for drug offenses, including heroin and cocaine abuse.

Quotes:

He appeared at Ealing Magistrates’ Court to face charges of possessing heroin and cocaine.

The 26-year-old was arrested by police after he was spotted driving a speeding car in west London on 30 November.

The former Libertines singer has continually been in the headlines over his drug abuse and his relationship with model Kate Moss.

He is due to reappear at Ealing Magistrates Court on 8 February.

The prosecution said police pulled Mr Doherty over after he was spotted speeding and officers said he had a glazed look.

He was found to have three packets of heroin, with a weight of 0.875gm (0.03oz), and one packet containing 0.234gm (0.008oz) cocaine.

Inappropriate Anger

More quotes:

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty has been fined £750 after he admitted assaulting a BBC reporter in March.

The star pleaded guilty at Thames Magistrates’ Court to kicking a microphone out of her hand outside the same court after a separate appearance.

In a statement, the 27-year-old said: “If I hurt this lady I’m sorry.”

The star, who is currently being treated for drug addiction, was also ordered to pay £250 compensation and another £200 in court costs.

Painful hand

He had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault by beating after he kicked out at Radio 1 Newsbeat’s Trudi Barber.

His defence lawyer, Sean Curran, said Doherty changed his plea after watching television footage of the attack.

Indentity Issues

He’s turning to Islam? I wonder how long that will last.

Quotes:

One of Doherty’s friends said: “He’s been reading the Quran since he went into segregation. He’s got a lot of Muslim friends and they’ve been on at him for ages to study it. Now he’s on his own and he’s got time on his hands to study it.

“I’m surprised how much it has calmed him down as he was very on the edge inside. He definitely seems more chilled. He’s lapping it up and really interested in it. I think it’s helping him in there.”

Doherty has been having a difficult time since his 14-week sentence began for violating probation by taking drugs.

Volatile Relationships

The UK hottest couple, Pete Doherty and Kate Moss, split up, after the beautiful supermodel dumped Pete, arguing she cannot stand his way of life anymore, always worrying about him.

On July 22, 2005, Pete Doherty was involved into
a street fight. British newspapers The Sun and Daily Mirror reports that Pete and musician friend Alan Wass fought with a group of Somali youths after they shouted “crackhead” at him.

Farid Khan of Supersave store in Camden Town, said: “The singer ran in pursed by six man. There was a big fight. We got them out but they hurled a brick at the door.”

Kate reportedly told friends: “I can’t go on spending day and night worrying about Pete. He would disappear without a word and I would not hear from him for days. He has to change his lifestyle. Until that happens we are finished.”

Sexual Confusion

DOHERTY: ‘I WAS A GAY RENT BOY AND DRUG DEALER’

Troubled rocker PETE DOHERTY has shocked fans by boasting he worked as a homosexual prostitute and drug dealer to fuel his drug addictions, before he shot to fame in his former band THE LIBERTINES.

The wild singer confesses he was so desperate for money to fund his cocaine and heroin habits, he worked as a rent boy and once robbed a gay client after tying him up at his home.

Dangerous Driving

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty has been fined £300 and disqualified from driving for two months.

The 27-year-old admitted two charges of driving without insurance or a licence at Thames Magistrates Court in London.

District Judge Jane McIvor warned the singer that he faces jail if he drives without a licence again.

The rock star was arrested in November 2006 by officers who spotted him driving his Jaguar erratically near his east London home.

Shame

So you’ve got this support act, some posh bloke with a discomfited smile, slowly eating himself from the inside out from pure embarrassment. One guy with a guitar strumming idle fancies like ‘The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Dakota’, incapable of holding a note or playing a tune, and, what’s worse, he clearly hates himself for it. Pretty soon, he’ll be dead. And then he’s joined by a nonchalant Doherty in trenchcoat and hat. The place breaks out into hysteria. I’m blinded by about twenty camera phones flashing, then I’m nearly sucked under by the wave surging forward. Even Doherty, the boy in the bubble, advises everyone to move back because there’s a girl in the front whose eyes are bulging.

Suicide Attempts

Pete Doherty tried to kill himself in rehab after discovering that Kate Moss was dating a new man. British tabloids tattled that the ‘Babyshambles’ singer downed an entire bottle of pills-he just ended up making himself ill.

“He saw an opportunity to take an overdose and took it. He told me he didn’t know what the pills were but thought ‘fuck it’ and took them all,” says a NOW insider.

“He doesn’t care what drugs do to him—in fact, he likes finding out.”

“To begin with Kate was ringing him up all the time, concerned for his well-being.”

“But when Pete started to quiz her about the new guy, she was evasive and it got to him. She messed with his head.”

Impulsive Behavior

Anthony Thornton, the reviews editor of NME and an authority on The Libertines, said: ‘Pete is at a lower point than he was a year ago. He’s hit depths he didn’t even know existed. He’s not aware of how bad a state he’s in, and the drugs make it worse. He’s incredibly impulsive, he doesn’t take on responsibilities, he’s unreliable and likely to do himself harm.

Unsafe Sexual Behavior

I think anyone who was a male prostitute qualifies in this regard.

So, ole’ Pete hit just about all the categories that I applied to other celebrites. While I am not a doctor and can’t officially diagnose anyone… Pete Doherty looks suspiciously like he may have Borderline Personality Disorder (or something very close to it). And everyone, you will notice that I used mainly news articles in this analysis (with a bit of blogging, didn’t have time to look up interviews for shame - although I’ve been told he says he hates himself and he is a bad person).

Here’s his Wikipedia entry.

Bon Dobbs :: Apr.28.2008 :: Suicide, Impulsiveness, Celebrities, Shame, Substance Abuse, Self-Injury, Anger, Borderline Personality Disorder :: 3 Comments »

From MSNBC story about NIU Shooter:

Troubled mind
The discoveries added to the puzzle surrounding Kazmierczak.

While friends, family, educators and investigators remain baffled and shocked at the gunman’s acts, a closer look reveals that Kazmierczak’s friendly exterior masked a troubled mind.

University Police Chief Donald Grady said, without giving details, that Kazmierczak, 27, had become erratic in the past two weeks after he had stopped taking his medication.

A former employee at a Chicago psychiatric treatment center said Kazmierczak’s parents placed him there after high school. She said he used to cut himself, and had resisted taking his medications.

Bon Dobbs :: Feb.21.2008 :: Suicide, Anger, Self-Injury :: No Comments »