Personality Disorders Support Group

Personality disorders form a class of mental disorders that are characterized by long-lasting rigid patterns of thought and behaviour. Personality disorders are seen by the American Psychiatric Association as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the culture of the individual who exhibits it.

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nickyj18022002 10/03/2010

I just started a day program at my local mental health unit. I started seeing a new psychiatrist there.

He has added mood stabilizers to my medication as he said that they dampen down the electrical impulses in the brain and this means that my reactions to things will not be as big. That makes sense to me and I have heard that they are effective.

However I have seen on here comments that mood stabilizers don't work for BPD because it isnt causes by chemical imbalance.

I dont think something would need to be caused by chemical imbalance for supression of electrical impulses to work.

What are other people's thoughts/experience of this?

Thanks.

deleted_user 10/03/2010

I suffer from BP & BPD so I need to be on a mood stabilizer. I know SOME mood stabilizers can reduce anxiety which can be an issue for people with BPD. Perhaps, that is your pdoc's thinking?

lostmyselfsomewhere 10/03/2010

Yes my pdoc say mood stabilizers can help your bdp. It's my belief that they keep me from acting out at times.

deleted_user 10/15/2010

I'm on a mood stabalizer and it helps me. I mean I still struggle with things but its not as bad or if my mood is severely bad it doesnt happen nearly as often as if I wasnt on a mood stabalizer

deleted_user 10/15/2010

Mood stabilizers are effective for SOME people suffering from BPD.
I am on Lamictal and it has done wonders for me.

Maybe you can just try it and give it a chance? Good luck!

deleted_user 10/17/2010

I am defenltiy NOT an expert but I am on a mood stabilizor to control the intensity of my moods/emotions such a crying...sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. i am also staring a DBT program HOPEFULLY it should help...to soon to tell though.

deleted_user 10/21/2010

I haven't been taking them for very long, but I would love for them to work and I think its a very good idea for me to try them because the most unbearable parts or my mental state are the ups and downs of my emotions. They are very extreme and followed by a feeling of calmness and emptiness that really makes me regret my foolish behavior and thinking. If I could feel that 'calm' all the time I would be very grateful for my medication and to my doctor for prescribing it.

Trust your doctors, not the internet (:

deleted_user 10/21/2010

I've been taking Lamictal for a few months, and it seems to help with my problems.

deleted_user 11/19/2010

Yes, to lamictal. But don't play with it. Missing even one dose can send you into an emotional spiral. The spiral is temporary, but when I decided on my own to cut my dosage in half because I had been stable for 5 years, within 2 days it was hell. Stupid decision. Still working my way back to stable.

deleted_user 01/27/2011

The only thing I have to stay about Mood stabilizers is that they are horrible and make you fat. HATE THEM!!!

deleted_user 01/28/2011

I'm on seroquel which is a mood stabiliser. It works for my bi polar but does absolutely nothing for the bpd. You're right bpd isn't a chemical imbalance. There is no medication for bpd you are much better off getting into a DBT therapy programme. That does work.

nickyj18022002 01/28/2011

Thanks for all the replies. I have been on lamictal since I made this post but have had to stop taking it as it gave me a rash which apparently can get dangerous if it is left to get really bad.

My dr has now suggested pregablin as an alternative to deal with generalized anxiety and changes in mood.

Anyone have any experience with that?

Thanks

deleted_user 01/30/2011

nickyi180, mood stabilisers definitely help in borderline personality disorder impulsive type, the name itself suggests MOOD STABILISER , they do stabilise d mood and lessen impulsivity,
it is bad that u had to be taken off from lamictol, as it is a very good drug, but in ur case u suffered d rash which cd progress in to a fatal disorder stevens johnsen syndrome, d incidence of this rare side effect is very very low for lamotrigine but we hv to be cautious.
follow ur doctor's advice and take psychotherapy too, CBT with confrontation is one of d best methods employed. hope u find a good psychotherapist.

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