Setting up a BPD self help group
Hi All,
Just found this forum and so grateful to have found you all. I have BPD (emotional dysregulation) which it has taken 6 years to discover. I live on the Lizard and I'd really like to start a self help group for BPD,BP, Depression sufferers, just to talk with each other once a week, maybe make some friends, have some group activities if we get on well and feel like it.It would be a daytime meet at my house and wondered if anyone might be interested? Just putting it out there really...
Love to hear from you and PM me if you wish.
I'm female aged 38 by the way!
Ladymisswolfe
Hi Ladymisswolfe,
I have to agree with Sapphire77..... do not give out your home address and be very careful of setting up a self help group without research.
I have had BPD for most of my life and like you have found it hard to share with like-minded people.
I did attend a self help group in Truro, but it was so chaotic and disruptive, many service users became worse because of it.
I do run a drop in at Redruth YMCA on Wednesday's 12:00 - 2:00pm. Its a general drop in, this has been running for around 18 years and have only had one incident.
I would say you first need to know what type of BPD you are, everyone is unique, there are over 550 listed variants.
There is a project running Falmouth, (but only for people living in the old Carrick area), this is professional led, yet there has been trouble with some of the clients.
I had a meeting with the Chief Executive of Cornwall Partnership Trust, on Wednesday, this week and stressed the need for more resources for BPD. My daughter also had the condition, but lost her fight for life whilst in Longreach two and a half years ago. There were a lot of failing on the day and the meeting was all about the changes they have made and also what changes are needed.
It would be good if only I could get hold of the figures of the actual number of people who has BPD in Cornwall. I did ask the question at my Daughters inquest about the number of people who are managers for Personality Disorders in Cornwall..... the answer???? ONE.
I belong to the Service User Reps Group and have done for about sixteen years and have constantly tried to get more services. It was myself who first brought to the attention of the CPT, Dielectral Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Though I do believe there are some more effective therapies now a days.
Myself (after all these years, my first episode was at 9, I am now 61) have been having Bio-Dynamic Body Psychotherapy, for the last two years and it is working. I do hope to write a paper on the results, once I feel I have gone as far as I can go, probably another two years. But I do believe if such therapy was given to someone, once someone has a diagnoses, then I do not believe it would take so long.
I believe there are two clear types of Borderlines. The aggressive (Acts outwardly against others) and the other is regressive (Acts out on self which includes eating disorders and harm..... that is my beliefs and not a professionals). But my therapist does work with me via the regressive self.
I'm also working with the new Service User Network Cornwall (
http://suncornwall.com ). Tomorrow I am working alongside with new social workers on a course at Cornwall College via suncornwall and next week I am also meeting with a group of second year psychologist.
Another website, where I gained a lot of insight is
http://toddlertime.com It's worth having a look in all areas.
In the New year a new group is starting in Penzance, it starts on January 8th and will be on every Tuesday, will be doing Yoga, Voice and Movement.
On Wednesday's at Sancreed House, Sancreed, there is Arts and Crafts, Wood Carving, Potery, Voice and Movement, Therapy...... starts at 11pm to 1pm and also from 2pm - 4pm, it cost £2 a session. Usually I have someone else running the Redruth Friendship Club, so I can go to Sancreed.
Hope this has been some help, there are some other things happening in the New Year and I will try to see if more things can happen in the Helston & Lizard area.
Take care
(((((Huggies to you))))
Ray