Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a unique form of therapy that has become very popular as the main treatment offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as the WHO for PTSD in particular.
This is an alternative to traditional talk therapy, where an individual simply recalls in detail their traumatic experiences while following eye movements led by the therapist.
Simple and easy, it is often a more comfortable alternative to having to share details of a traumatic experience in person, and it works more effectively by helping the brain properly store those memories. But is EMDR for borderline personality disorder an option?
What is EMDR?
Under normal circumstances, your brain stores memories and moves them from short-term to long-term memory storage, where they can then be retrieved.
Unfortunately, when trauma happens, the brain shifts the way that trauma memory gets stored and allows it to be integrated the way every other memory is. This process is particularly effective because the reprocessing of the traumatic experience means any associated physical sensations or negative emotions are also reprocessed.
The result is that these negative emotions and physical sensations that were previously something easily triggered decrease in their intensity and allow an individual to successfully process that trauma and move on in a happier, healthier way.
EMDR for Borderline Personality Disorder: Does it Work?
Borderline personality disorder is a complex personality disorder that can be caused by things like:
- Genetics, especially if other members of the family have BPD
- Environmental factors, including exposure to adversity and chronic stress
- Childhood trauma, unstable family relationships early in life, childhood abuse, or neglect
- Changes in brain structure and function related to impulse control or emotional regulation
- Early attachment problems
- Substance abuse
- Mental health conditions like anxiety or depressive disorders
This means that for some people, EMDR for borderline personality disorder is effective if one of the contributing factors to their BPD is childhood trauma.
EMDR for Borderline Personality Disorder: What to Expect
If you have traumatic experiences that have contributed to your borderline personality disorder symptoms, EMDR can help you identify and recall those memories, change the emotional distress that you have with them, and subsequently develop healthier coping mechanisms through ongoing therapy.
During a session, you can expect the same type of therapy as anyone treating trauma or PTSD:
- You’ll be asked to focus on the traumatic event (so you’ll need to know what it is)
- You will use eye movements with bilateral stimulation while you are actively thinking of that event
- You will reprocess that event with continual sessions until the distress and emotional intensity have been reduced
Studies indicate that EMDR for BPD can help reduce certain symptoms, particularly emotional instability and impulsivity. It has also been shown to improve self-esteem, reduce anxiety or depression, and increase emotional resilience.
That said, EMDR for borderline personality disorder is not a cure.
It is, however, a valuable tool that can help improve your quality of life and reduce the severity of your symptoms. EMDR should be administered by a qualified and experienced therapist, presumably one who has experience working with BPD and trauma in particular.
You can increase the efficacy of your EMDR experience by sometimes combining it with other treatments like DBT and medication.
Finding Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder in Southern California
We have provided luxury private home treatment for the last 8 years, spanning three locations in Southern California, all of which feature private rooms, an executive chef, and a safe place for you to deal with any mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder.
We maintain an expert psychiatric team to provide compassionate, highly effective care grounded in the most current, scientifically proven research. With Cutting Edge therapy, we help individuals overcome mental health struggles through open conversations, integrity, transparency, and meeting both clinical and personal needs.
The right personality disorder treatment might include EMDR for borderline personality disorder, especially if there is any underlying trauma, but it can also extend to holistic care, DBT, and other forms of talk therapy. Therapy can improve the efficacy of medication as well, depending on your circumstances.
Our facility strives to meet those who are dealing with borderline personality disorder at whatever level of care is best. To that end, we offer residential treatment at our luxury facility as well as outpatient care, virtual services, and transitional living so that you are able to step down from our center and back to your daily life with as much support as possible.
Don’t wait to get help. Call us at 877-565-3144 to learn about EMDR for borderline personality disorder.
