Borderline personality disorder, like all other personality disorders is a learned behavior pattern that is deeply ingrained and ongoing. It manifests as an inappropriate deviation from social norms and it is a stable behavioural pattern. Social performance is impeded by the subjective distress the person tends to experience.

People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) may to alternate between the extremes of devaluation and idealization, and form unstable but intense relationships. They may make frantic attempts to avoid imagined or real abandonment. There are two types of borderline personality disorders; the impulsive BPD is prone to emotional instability and poor impulse control.

Borderline personality disorder sufferers may tend to act impulsively, without paying attention to the consequences and they have a tendency to experience emotional outbursts and be quarrelsome.

Therapy can be beneficial for people with borderline personality disorder and there are some powerful approaches developed recently that bring great hope to those who would be diagnosed with this disorder. Unlike most family members and friends, a psychologist or counsellor has the appropriate training, as well as patience, to withstand the emotional crises the patient will experience over the course of the relationship. These episodes can cause tremendous damage to a person's interpersonal relationships, but a therapist has the skills to remain even tempered and optimistic and knows how to teach better coping skills. It is important to help the person with borderline personality disorder to develop helpful communication skills as well as the capacity to self-regulate emotions.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers therapy to address your borderline personality disorder issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Dissociative disorders are common reactions, or defenses, to traumatic or stressful situations. It is normal for someone who has experienced a severe isolated trauma, or repeated traumas, such as abuse or domestic violence, to develop a dissociative disorders.

The main symptom of dissociative disorders is the fact that it alters a person's sense of identity, consciousness or memory. These symptoms are no less common than depression or anxiety, yet many individuals with dissociative disorders are frequently misdiagnosed. It could take years for the correct diagnosis to be made, and therefore, effective treatment is often delayed. During this time, they are often treated for headaches, psychotic symptoms, hearing voices, temper outbursts, poor concentration, memory lapses, mood swings, substance abuse, temper outbursts and more. Common misdiagnosis for dissociative disorders include Bipolar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and substance abuse.

Experienced mental health professionals know how to spot the hidden symptoms of dissociative disorders. They use scientifically proven diagnostic tests to arrive at the conclusion of dissociative disorders.

A wide range of therapies are used for dissociative disorders. It involves the client talking to the therapist about his or her  condition and related issues. The therapist will help the client understand the causes of the condition and finding coping strategies to cope with stressful situations. In some cases, hypnotherapy can help the client understand what triggered the dissociative disorder.

Some of the other treatment options that have been proven to help dissociative disorders, include creative art therapy and cognitive therapy. Applied by a qualified therapist, these methods can help you change your thinking and find beneficial behaviours that will improve your life.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers dissociative disorders therapy to address your symptoms, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Eating disorders comprise a range of attitudes and behaviors relating to food and body-image. The three main eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and ED NOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). These conditions manifest to different degrees in different people and can sometimes be mistakenly judged as poor eating habits, or a lack of willpower.

People with eating disorders don't eat in harmony with their bodies' needs, instead, people with Anorexia Nervosa eat much less than they need, while Bulimia sufferers binge and then induce vomiting. They may also do other things to compensate for overeating, including exercising or fasting. ED NOS combines any combination of the other two conditions.

Apart from the physical symptoms and behaviors above, someone with an eating disorder will generally also have poor self-esteem and obsessively research or talk about food, dieting or exercise. Poor body image will cause them to either wear clothes that cover up every inch of their bodies, or flaunt  in order to attract attention. They will find it hard to accept criticism and compliments.

Therapy for eating disorders depend on the patient. While some people respond well to short term outpatient treatment, others respond better to long-term inpatient treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy are long term treatments that have been proven to be effective, while group therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapies and feminist therapies work for people who will respond well to short term therapy.

Family therapy is often advised for children and adolescents who are experiencing eating disorders. Research has also shown dialectical behavioral therapy to be effective.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses eating disorders, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that usually starts within the three months of a traumatic incident. It has been reported that in rare cases, PTSD symptoms may only occur after a number of years.

Three groups of symptoms are present in people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Increased anxiety / emotional arousal includes anger or irritability, overwhelming shame or guilt, sleeplessness and self-destructive behaviour. The second group of symptoms, known as intrusive memories, causes flashbacks to the traumatic event and upsetting dreams. The third group of symptoms that a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patient may experience, includes emotional numbing or avoidance. This group of symptoms includes memory problems, poor concentration, feeling emotionally numb, a sense of hopelessness, and an avoidance of activities that the person used to find enjoyable.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms may be present for a while, disappear and then return again. General stress may increase the symptoms, as can reminders of the traumatic incident.

Therapists who address  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder generally use one, or a combination of trauma therapies to treat it. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is commonly used and can help a person to change their reactions to traumatic memories.

Exposure therapy can help a person reduce the amount of fear related to the feelings and thoughts associated with past traumatic events. Cognitive therapy helps a person to change the way he or she thinks about the event and the aftermath of a traumatic incident. It will help a person to identify thoughts that cause fear and anger, and learn ways to replace those thoughts with less stressful and more empowering thoughts.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.