Self-Injury Support Group
Whether you or someone you know or love struggles with self-injury, this is the community to discuss your experience, find support, meet others going through the same, and get advice on how to stop. Working together, we can help find alternative coping skills to reduce the urge to self-harm.
Hi,
My wife has diagnosis of Bipolar, Borderline Personality Disorder and Anxiety disorder. Since last Thursday she has hit a major depressive period and we are having big issues bringing her out of it. Finally after a lot of fighting getting some support. She was being given Lorazepam to try and help keep her calm, but this has been switched today to Diazepam as it wasn't working.
Since before last Thursday she started self-harming again, but since last Thursday it has become a major issue. She is taking her hands and fists and poudning her head with them, she is also using any hard surfaces to hit her head against.
The concern I have and hence the question is how much can the brain take before she will start doing some injury to it. She is very sleepy today, don't know if that is the result of hitting her head so much, the medication, or just the depression - not being able to be bothered to do anything. She is complaining of headaches (surprise surprise).
Thing is despite the headaches etc she isn't stopping doing it. The only way to stop her is if I'm around to restrain her.
Any advice would be appreciated. She saw a CPN on Friday and another one coming around on Sunday, but all the suggestions they have made of things to do instead of self-harming isn't working.
Thanks
My wife has diagnosis of Bipolar, Borderline Personality Disorder and Anxiety disorder. Since last Thursday she has hit a major depressive period and we are having big issues bringing her out of it. Finally after a lot of fighting getting some support. She was being given Lorazepam to try and help keep her calm, but this has been switched today to Diazepam as it wasn't working.
Since before last Thursday she started self-harming again, but since last Thursday it has become a major issue. She is taking her hands and fists and poudning her head with them, she is also using any hard surfaces to hit her head against.
The concern I have and hence the question is how much can the brain take before she will start doing some injury to it. She is very sleepy today, don't know if that is the result of hitting her head so much, the medication, or just the depression - not being able to be bothered to do anything. She is complaining of headaches (surprise surprise).
Thing is despite the headaches etc she isn't stopping doing it. The only way to stop her is if I'm around to restrain her.
Any advice would be appreciated. She saw a CPN on Friday and another one coming around on Sunday, but all the suggestions they have made of things to do instead of self-harming isn't working.
Thanks
if its really out of control and she is hitting herself to the point of concussion, she may need to be hospitalized... the concern is that if she does have swelling in her brain which would be a result of it hitting the inside of her skull, if she keeps doing it, its gonna get more swelling and could even be potentially fatal... the hard sufaces seem more of a risk than her hands hitting her head... idk... have you concidered getting some soft restraints for your home? cause thats pretty much what they will do in the hospital
if she stays at home, i would be checking her constantly for signs of brain injury which includes signs of stroke, anyurism, nose bleeds, popped blood vessels in eyes and mouth also on chest and eyelids, uneven pupil size... i would google concussion symptoms and other brain injury symptoms because things can become very serious very quickly
im sorry you two are having such a hard time
im no doctor but i do have quite a bit of experience with head injuries, anxiety and bpd so feel free to ask me any questions
hugs
I have a personality disorder, schizoid, its an isolation preference and lack of feeling. Sort of an inner hell with few emotions on the surface. So I understand personality disorders cause serious problems with relationships and dont go away on their own.
It must be horrible seeing the person you love destroy themselves like that. The doctors need to know how bad the self harm is, and perhaps they need to try a few different meds or treatments such as pychotherapy before one is found to work.
In the mean time, do whatever you have to, to stop the self head injury. I've cut before, many times, but i was always in control, your wife needs serious help and intervention of some kind, the borderline pd is probably causing the problems as it is very destructive.
Sorry I'm not much good at helping people but i decided to reply after i saw there were no respones, its always dissappointing when there is such a weak response to a difficult situation.
I'm really sorry you are going through all of this! It's a lot to deal with!!