Posted by alexandra_k on July 25, 2005, at 4:35:14
In reply to Re: Is the psychosis in BPD real psychosis? » fairywings, posted by Deneb on July 24, 2005, at 23:25:26
People with borderline personality sometimes have 'transient' (that is to say relatively short lived) episodes of psychosis when under extreme stress. Usually paranoia. That means that yes, people with BPD can get a little bit psychotic when their emotions get a bit out of control. BPD is now being conceptualised as a mood disorder. A disorder of 'emotion regulation' which means people with BPD have trouble regulating intense emotional states (both good and bad).
The newer anti-psychotics (e.g., Seroquel, resperidone) are very different to take than the older anti-psychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine or injections of dipixol (?sp)).
The older ones are MUCH more sedating. They have a lot of other nasty side affects too. E.g., I needed to have an injection to counter my jaw locking up after having a dipixol injection. My eyes were all blurry for a good week or so. I couldn't read. I couldn't focus. I felt woozy and 'out of it'.
A low dose of one of the newer ones take a couple days to adjust to. For those first few days things can feel a little unreal (but no worse than I experience some other times at any rate!). They can help with sleep and anxiety (if taken before bed). They can help you feel a bit more generally relaxed. Not in a major way - but then if they did that they would be majorly addictive. I think... Because of the 'feeling a bit more generally relaxed' thing they help to minimise the times when your emotions get out of control. They can help you regulate your emotions. Not in a major way but they can help a bit.
Mood stabilisers (e.g., tegratol, epilim) can also have a similar effect.
Anti-psychotics aren't just prescribed for episodes of psychosis. I have known other people with BPD to take them. I have taken chlorpromazine as an alternative to a benzo when under extreme stress. I have used it as a tranqualiser sometimes too - to knock me out, basically when I was in hospital as an alternative to benzos. I used to take them with that dx. Now they say that a small amount of Seroquel might help with dissociation.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:532275
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050723/msgs/533154.html