Opinion: People who suffer from BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) should have access to euthanasia

[Water-Lily]

I have BPD. I have been open about my struggles and how BPD manifest and affect my daily life. It was stimulated due to horrific child abuse. bullying, continued trauma well into my adulthood. I am left with one mindset: suicide. That all my problems can be dealt with effectively by suicide. This seems to be an irrational thought. And it is. But it feels right to me. Some days the trauma and memories of what was robbed of me leave so traumatized that I actively research how to die. I genuinely feel that I will not be able to live a normal life in spite of my trauma and the pain is paramount. Though I am in therapy, I wish that the option of euthanasia was legal where I live. I fear one day acting impulsively and I may not be able to stop myself in the moment. I had a big scare 3 days ago and I feel I am slowly inching closer to dying

I also want to note that I do believe that one should give recovery a chance. Be it therapy, medication, DBT, CBT, etc. However, that should also be comorbid with euthenasia

 

[FuneralCry]

Euthanasia should be an basic human right. If people are prone to impulsive actions they could end up permanently damaged from ctb attempts. So it is needed.

 

[Water-Lily]

Euthanasia should be an basic human right. If people are prone to impulsive actions they could end up permanently damaged from ctb attempts. So it is needed.

Indeed. For instance I know I could cause myself irreparable damage due to impulsive death. I probably wouldn't even manage to die, just suffer more out of desperation

 

[RedHarlequin]

Euthanasia in case of BPD is allowed in Belgium. It is probably an extremely difficult and time consuming process but we can only hope that one day the rest of the world will follow.
If you haven't seen this already here is a documentary of a girl with BPD who got approved

 

[Wrennie]

Indeed. For instance I know I could cause myself irreparable damage due to impulsive death. I probably wouldn't even manage to die, just suffer more out of desperation

This is exactly what happened to me and why I'm so desperate to find a method that's both peaceful and bodes little risk of failure.

 

[life-eternal]

Euthanasia needs to be legalised ASAP, or make safer alternatives both legal and accessible. My life and future are beyond bleak, and my mental health is a disaster. I got diagnosed with BPD by my 3 year long therapist, and he said I suffer from my a very severe case of it. I can actually feel my BPD coming up in my daily life since he has mentioned it. There is also no cure for BPD, just like there is no cure for cancer. I am forced to live my life like this, and I know that whatever I do (diet, exercise, work, socialise, be in relationships, sports, study, whatever) I will always have daily suicidal ideations and low points. Everyday is a low followed by a high, but not in the bipolar way, just in this really unstable fucked up way. With all the progress humans have made, it is ridiculous that it hasn't been legalised.

There's slave factories everywhere with children working, people that have suffered trauma that is incurable, horrible things in this world, and these fucking asshole politicans whom we give a big % of our paycheck do absolutely nothing towards it. They're useless!

 

[rs929]

Why BPD and not OCD, MDD, schizophrenia, or bipolarity?

I mean, all of them can be severe and destroy your life if treatment doesn't work.

But all of them can be managed with treatment and you may have a life worth living. Or maybe you try everything and it doesn't work and you keep suffering. Then I would agree with euthanasia. But you make it sound like BPD it's a death sentence of doom, and from what I can research by myself and from my acquaintances with BPD, it is not always the case

 

[motel rooms]

Or maybe you try everything and it doesn't work and you keep suffering. Then I would agree with euthanasia.

That's what's required in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg. A team of psychiatrists will approve your request for euthanasia only after you've tried all the forms of therapy available in those countries

 

[Water-Lily]

Why BPD and not OCD, MDD, schizophrenia, or bipolarity?

I mean, all of them can be severe and destroy your life if treatment doesn't work.

But all of them can be managed with treatment and you may have a life worth living. Or maybe you try everything and it doesn't work and you keep suffering. Then I would agree with euthanasia. But you make it sound like BPD it's a death sentence of doom, and from what I can research by myself and from my acquaintances with BPD, it is not always the case

Of course. It is a case because basis I believe. BPD is not a death sentence, I was more so speaking from my experince with BPD and how it is for me. If yourself and your acquaintances were able to find BPD not as unbearable, thats great. However that isn't for everyone. Speaking for myself, I feel I cannot survive with my BPD despite treatment.

And this can be extended to the other mental illness you mentioned earlier as well. Of course BPD isnt the only mental sidsorder that causes intense pain. However since I have BPD I focused on that only

 

[rs929]

That's what's required in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg. A team of psychiatrists will approve your request for euthanasia only after you've tried all the forms of therapy available in those countries

Sounds good. Wish we had something like that where I live.

Of course. It is a case because basis I believe. BPD is not a death sentence, I was more so speaking from my experince with BPD and how it is for me. If yourself and your acquaintances were able to find BPD not as unbearable, thats great. However that isn't for everyone. Speaking for myself, I feel I cannot survive with my BPD despite treatment.

And this can be extended to the other mental illness you mentioned earlier as well. Of course BPD isnt the only mental sidsorder that causes intense pain. However since I have BPD I focused on that only

I know BPD is no walk in the park. I also don't know what's REALLY going on deep inside the people I know with it. But my OCD and recurrent MDD makes wanna die too. I just disagree with making a special case with BPD. I know DBT has evidence and it's relatively new, so you never know what's coming next.

 

[Celerity]

That's what's required in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg. A team of psychiatrists will approve your request for euthanasia only after you've tried all the forms of therapy available in those countries

Hmmm. What's left for me? ECT? Ketamine infusions?

 

[rs929]

Hmmm. What's left for me? ECT? Ketamine infusions?

What's your diagnosis?

 

[Celerity]

What's your diagnosis?

Assuming diagnoses mean much, GAD and MDD.

 

[rs929]

Assuming diagnoses mean much, GAD and MDD.

Have you tried a good trip? Ayahuasca, mushrooms, MDMA?. Microdosing is also a thing

I was reading today some people respond to old class antidepressants named MAOI's.

I would have done ketamine shots but it's pretty expensive here.

And therapy.. do you have a good therapist? MBCT seems promising.

ECT is scary. But if you're contemplating suicide, why not?

 

[Moose.000]

I suffer from DiD and I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[awfullife]

Spouses of those afflicted with BPD should have access as well!

 

[loopylou]

Spouses of those afflicted with BPD should have access as well!

Ossshhh

 

[Deadly_Intention]

Why BPD and not OCD, MDD, schizophrenia, or bipolarity?

I mean, all of them can be severe and destroy your life if treatment doesn't work.

But all of them can be managed with treatment and you may have a life worth living. Or maybe you try everything and it doesn't work and you keep suffering. Then I would agree with euthanasia. But you make it sound like BPD it's a death sentence of doom, and from what I can research by myself and from my acquaintances with BPD, it is not always the case

I'd just like to give my opinion on this if I may?
It's true that all mental illnesses are a suffering to both the person who has it and those around that person.
But as a person with BPD, I can say that I have seen and caused so much suffering to other people that those people even question if their lives are worth living. You see, as a person with BPD I can tell you that we don't just make life hard for others we physically ruin their lives. Don't believe me? Just go look for the countless websites that are aimed at helping people who have known people who have BPD. I am the monster everyone hates, and I can't do much about it besides totally stepping away from society and life itself. Yes, there are cases of people with BPD living as normal as possible lives but the carnage they have inflicted up until that point is just unreal. People who know us get broken on a deep level. I always think my purpose in life was to destroy people cos that's all I've done. And I've hated it.

 

[cocainenosejobs]

Yeah I have bpd and I totally agree with you.
I have ruined the lives of others and my own.

 

[Idkaho2]

Euthanasia in case of BPD is allowed in Belgium. It is probably an extremely difficult and time consuming process but we can only hope that one day the rest of the world will follow.
If you haven't seen this already here is a documentary of a girl with BPD who got approved

Thanks for posting this! Interesting.

 

[I-can-only-imagine]

I agree. I have done DBT, CBT, etc etc. I have BOD and bipolar 2 and I just don't know how to fight anymore. I am so SO tired. Nothing has helped. At all. I am apparently resistant to all medications so the last 2 years of trying to find one that works has been pointless. I have accepted nothing will ever change.

 

[InezSerrano]

People who care so much about BPD annoy me. There is treatment that works. What annoys me isn't the people really, if you don't have access to treatment, that's not your fault. I don't know if I have BPD, I've had two therapists say I might have it, but I'm not diagnosed. If I do have it, it sucks, whatever's going on with me sucks. Really I think you should try something first, I will copy and paste a comment I made somewhere else.

there are studies showing that people can do a therapy like Schema Therapy and like 80% of them stop having BPD symptoms.
>Dropout from treatment was 33.3% in Year 1, and 5.6% in Year 2, without cohort differences. BPD manifestations reduced significantly, with large effect sizes, and 77% recovery at 30 months. Large improvements were also found on general psychopathological symptoms, schema (mode) measures, quality of life, and happiness. Cohort-2 tended to improve faster, but there were no differences between cohorts in the long term.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005791613001018

Reading about DBT, it might be less effective
>"Analyses based on Jacobson's criteria for clinically relevant change indicated that 42% of those receiving DBT had clinically recovered on a general measure of psychopathology."
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796703001748

I agree. I have done DBT, CBT, etc etc. I have BOD and bipolar 2 and I just don't know how to fight anymore. I am so SO tired. Nothing has helped. At all. I am apparently resistant to all medications so the last 2 years of trying to find one that works has been pointless. I have accepted nothing will ever change.

Have you tried Schema therapy? It is more successful in the data I've seen.

 

[InezSerrano]

On second thought, I think that the source of this may be of some interest to someone. If you use Tor, you can read here, if you don't there is a partial archive here, I'd recommend starting on page 15 to avoid the talk about sex dolls (Yes, a conversation about sex dolls turned into a conversation about BPD).

 

[Al Cappella]

Since BPD is a mood intensity/regulation personality disorder there are treatments that help you manage to some extent, but that's about it. So your moods may level out some, your impulsivity may be blunted, but you still have no stable sense of self, no meaningful way to connect with ppl in a lasting way. You still can't ever quite trust anything you feel or think.

And that's if you're lucky enough to happen into treatment without having screwed your life up with various addictions or running afoul of law enforcement. And your first attempts at treatment aren't ever successful either—thanks to misdiagnosis and/or treatment-resistant behaviour.

Lastly, it's always comorbid with a host of other issues, just for kicks. BPD is a killer. Should there be an exit pill for folks who have it & want out? Hell ya.

 

[InezSerrano]

Since BPD is a mood intensity/regulation personality disorder there are treatments that help you manage to some extent, but that's about it. So your moods may level out some, your impulsivity may be blunted, but you still have no stable sense of self, no meaningful way to connect with ppl in a lasting way. You still can't ever quite trust anything you feel or think.

And that's if you're lucky enough to happen into treatment without having screwed your life up with various addictions or running afoul of law enforcement. And your first attempts at treatment aren't ever successful either—thanks to misdiagnosis and/or treatment-resistant behaviour.

Lastly, it's always comorbid with a host of other issues, just for kicks. BPD is a killer. Should there be an exit pill for folks who have it & want out? Hell ya.

My understand of BPD is that it is a learned behaviour pattern, not a structural issue in the brain, it is possible to recover and no longer meet the diagnosis criteria. There are many studies about it, including some I linked. It is possible to recover, maybe not for everyone, but for a good portion (maybe over 50% if you believe my studies).

 

[Al Cappella]

My understand of BPD is that it is a learned behaviour pattern, not a structural issue in the brain, it is possible to recover and no longer meet the diagnosis criteria. There are many studies about it, including some I linked. It is possible to recover, maybe not for everyone, but for a good portion (maybe over 50% if you believe my studies).

I'd be curious as to where you saw that. Personality disorders begin with a genetic component that becomes maladaptively active in a suitable (unsuitable) environment. Usually trauma very early on is involved. Obviously it's way more complicated than that.

And yes, there are structural differences in a BPD brain, from excessive amygdala function, issues with the hippocampus, etc. These have been measured through MRI, bla bla bla.

 

[Ligottian]

Everyone should have the right to euthanasia.

 

[Deadly_Intention]

Yeah I have bpd and I totally agree with you.
I have ruined the lives of others and my own.

Sorry to hear that I really feel for people who get effected by our BPD but it seems no one looks how badly it affects us on a daily basis... people we harm will one day forget us and have better lives. As for us, it doesn't seem like it gets much better even when we learn to "manage" our symptoms which I honestly feel is not for many is us

I agree. I have done DBT, CBT, etc etc. I have BOD and bipolar 2 and I just don't know how to fight anymore. I am so SO tired. Nothing has helped. At all. I am apparently resistant to all medications so the last 2 years of trying to find one that works has been pointless. I have accepted nothing will ever change.

Agreed! Meds worked for a few weeks on me until it didn't... then we spent ages trying different ones and the side affects were not fun at all. CBT and DBT seem to only be effective with those who don't have all of the symptoms or somehow it just works, maybe the comorbid disorders aren't present or I don't know cos it's done nothing for me. And don't even get me started on therapy... sad part is you get these people telling you stuff like "the change can only happen if you want it bad enough and put in enough work"
So I guess that means that I choose to be this monster who inflicts pain on people and then hurts myself cos it's fun right? Or that waking up everyday and trying my hardest of every second of every day to not be explosive or impulsive or over-the-top and failing every single time is not hard enough work? Ugh.

I'd be curious as to where you saw that. Personality disorders begin with a genetic component that becomes maladaptively active in a suitable (unsuitable) environment. Usually trauma very early on is involved. Obviously it's way more complicated than that.

And yes, there are structural differences in a BPD brain, from excessive amygdala function, issues with the hippocampus, etc. These have been measured through MRI, bla bla bla.

Yes I have also seen the studies on the physical brain structure being different and working differently in people who have BPD.
But to be fair, I have heard of this "learned behaviour" thing... most likely cos the maladaptive behaviors we revert to are something we teach ourselves or are taught through the trauma experiences... but just tackling that part and forgetting that our brains are literally differently wired is a recipe to fail

My understand of BPD is that it is a learned behaviour pattern, not a structural issue in the brain, it is possible to recover and no longer meet the diagnosis criteria. There are many studies about it, including some I linked. It is possible to recover, maybe not for everyone, but for a good portion (maybe over 50% if you believe my studies).

Guess I fall in the other 50% who don't recover cos I've been at "recovery" for years... while some things like impulsive behaviors are a bit better, the ruining people's lives part isn't. And that's really the issue.
Wish they could just like have a test or something to identify if we are good candidates for recovery and if not then just to let us get euthanased to be over with it.... wishful thinking

 

[RememberingSunday]

I have BPD. I have been open about my struggles and how BPD manifest and affect my daily life. It was stimulated due to horrific child abuse. bullying, continued trauma well into my adulthood. I am left with one mindset: suicide. That all my problems can be dealt with effectively by suicide. This seems to be an irrational thought. And it is. But it feels right to me. Some days the trauma and memories of what was robbed of me leave so traumatized that I actively research how to die. I genuinely feel that I will not be able to live a normal life in spite of my trauma and the pain is paramount. Though I am in therapy, I wish that the option of euthanasia was legal where I live. I fear one day acting impulsively and I may not be able to stop myself in the moment. I had a big scare 3 days ago and I feel I am slowly inching closer to dying

I also want to note that I do believe that one should give recovery a chance. Be it therapy, medication, DBT, CBT, etc. However, that should also be comorbid with euthenasia

Totally agree with you. BPD patients have been proven to suffer from the worst emotional pain possible, and although I think euthanasia should be available for everyone who wants a way out, people with BPD and other severe mental illnesses deserve to be free of suffering, just as much as a cancer patient does.

 

[RetroChaos]

I'd just like to give my opinion on this if I may?
It's true that all mental illnesses are a suffering to both the person who has it and those around that person.
But as a person with BPD, I can say that I have seen and caused so much suffering to other people that those people even question if their lives are worth living. You see, as a person with BPD I can tell you that we don't just make life hard for others we physically ruin their lives. Don't believe me? Just go look for the countless websites that are aimed at helping people who have known people who have BPD. I am the monster everyone hates, and I can't do much about it besides totally stepping away from society and life itself. Yes, there are cases of people with BPD living as normal as possible lives but the carnage they have inflicted up until that point is just unreal. People who know us get broken on a deep level. I always think my purpose in life was to destroy people cos that's all I've done. And I've hated it.

This sums up my feelings. My ex hates me because of my actions towards her. I didn't know at the time. I tried explaining multiple times and all that resulted in was getting arrested by the police for non-threatening harassment. I'm so hurt and broken by it and I really don't want to keep hurting others so I'd rather just take my self out of the equation. It'll be better for everyone if I wasn't alive and I'm sure she feels the same way

Since BPD is a mood intensity/regulation personality disorder there are treatments that help you manage to some extent, but that's about it. So your moods may level out some, your impulsivity may be blunted, but you still have no stable sense of self, no meaningful way to connect with ppl in a lasting way. You still can't ever quite trust anything you feel or think.

And that's if you're lucky enough to happen into treatment without having screwed your life up with various addictions or running afoul of law enforcement. And your first attempts at treatment aren't ever successful either—thanks to misdiagnosis and/or treatment-resistant behaviour.

Lastly, it's always comorbid with a host of other issues, just for kicks. BPD is a killer. Should there be an exit pill for folks who have it & want out? Hell ya.

That second paragraph rings too painfully true.