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Does Evidence-Based Medicine Discourage Richer Assessment of Psychopathology and Treatment?
The paradigm for modern psychiatry is evidence-based medicine (EBM)—it represents proven treatments for defined diagnoses. But there are major problems with this position, starting with the fact that while they are superior to placebo, evidence-based treatments too often are ineffective. Does Evidence-Based Medicine Discourage Richer Assessment of Psychopathology and Treatment? (link) By Simon Sobo, MD | April 5, 2012 Dr Sobo practices psychiatry in Northwestern Connecticut. Many of his other articles can be found at his Web site, www.simonsobo.com. The paradigm for modern psychiatry is evidence-based medicine (EBM)—it represents proven treatments for defined diagnoses. But there are major problems with this position, starting with the fact that while they are…
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Mom Was Right: Clean Your Room
People are apparently sensitive to information they get from the environment to the point that it influences decisions they make about what is moral and what is acceptable behavior. For emotionally sensitive people, the message from environmental cues seems to be a particularly strong. My experience is that the environment affects the mood and identity of emotionally sensitive people. Bon: I love the Emotionally Sensitive Person blog over at Psychcentral. Here is a post about an orderly environment and the effects on an emotionally sensitive person. Mom Was Right: Clean Your Room By KARYN HALL, PHD In his book Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change, Timothy Wilson described…
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Demi Moore and BPD
When I read the People Magazine article about Demi Moore, while I was waiting to get a haircut, I thought of Borderline Personality Disorder. I guess I wasn’t the only one. Here is an “open letter to Demi Moore” from Alisa Valdes, the author, about BPD and being lovable. An Open Letter to Demi Moore By Alisa Valdes 1/26/2012 Dear Demi, I don’t know you. So I ask you to forgive my false familiarity. We have New Mexico in common, and I know of people who knew you growing up in Roswell. From what I’ve heard, you had a rough start in this world. So I guess I we have…
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The Challenge of Treating Substance Abuse in People with BPD
Rage. Instability. Mood swings. Impulsivity. These characteristics make people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) prone to substance abuse as well as over-spending, promiscuity, eating disorders and other compulsive behaviors. In fact, studies suggest that 50 to 70 percent of those with BPD also have a co-occurring substance use disorder. The Challenges Of Treating Addicts with Borderline Personality Disorder (link) February 17, 2012 Rage. Instability. Mood swings. Impulsivity. These characteristics make people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) prone to substance abuse as well as over-spending, promiscuity, eating disorders and other compulsive behaviors. In fact, studies suggest that 50 to 70 percent of those with BPD also have a co-occurring substance use…
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A failure to mentalize – Mentalization Information Part 2
Often, when speaking with someone who is a close “attachment person,” misunderstandings, assumptions and ineffective modes of thinking creep into the situation. Bateman identifies several “modes” of thinking that inhibit mentalization. These modes are: Psychic Equivalence – when the world is equivalent to the person’s mind. This is the “feelings = facts” mode. “If I feel sad, there must be someone/something that made me sad.” Pretend – mental states are not anchored in reality. Pretending “as if” something is true, when external evidence shows the contrary. This is “bullshitting” mode. Teleological – mental states can only be expressed in action. “If you loved me, you’d buy me a car.” Only…
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Emotions and Borderline Personality Disorder
Emotions, understanding the enimga of BPD Why discuss emotions when we are talking about a personality disorder? Well, most researchers agree that the main component of BPD is emotional dysregulation. If you understand the function of emotions and how they play a part in BPD, you can understand the relationship better and interact more effectively with someone with BPD. Emotions involve both the body and the mind. Each emotion has a physical and mental configuration. [Dr. Paul Ekman has shown that for “universal emotions” (he cites seven of them: anger, sadness, joy, disgust, contempt, surprise and fear) the person feeling the emotion also will display the emotion on their face.…