Slide 1

BEAM’s logo at the top right corner which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. Background has a picture of a Black individual wearing a white sweatshirt who is sitting down with their hands on their face. To the right of this picture, the text reads: “Let’s Break the Stigma on…Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Created by L'Oréal McCollum, MSW, LSW, M.Ed., BEAM Black Mental Health Training Manager @lorealmccollum. 

Slide 2

BEAM’s logo at the top right corner which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. Background picture is of young Black mand and woman sitting on a green couch. 

Title reads, “What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?” At the center of the graphic, text reads, “BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) is a mental health condition often characterized by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, behavior, and functioning. For many folks with BPD, experiences with self-image distress, suicidality, and self-harm may be common. It is estimated that BPD affects around 1% of the population.”

Slide 3

BEAM’s logo is at the bottom right corner which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. Graphic background has a young Black man who is wearing a black top and reading glasses sitting at a desk reading a textbook. Title reads, “Common Myths About Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).” There are 6 text bubbles at the center of the page. Each bubble has a different text. Bubble 1: Only women have or get BPD. Bubble 2: BPD is a rare condition. Bubble 3: Folks living with BPD are always dangerous, attention-seeking, and manipulative. Bubble 4: Folks with BPD are all incapable of living independently. Bubble 5: Folks with BPD can't live satisfying lives. Bubble 6: BPD cannot be treated.

Slide 4

BEAM’s logo is at the top right corner which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. The title at the top of the page in white text with a gray background and reads, “How Is Borderline Personality Disorder Treated?” Beneath the title, the text is at the center. 

“While medication is a commonly sought first choice of treatment for folks diagnosed with mental health conditions, the most studied & effective treatment for BPD is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. 

This modality, also referred to as DBT, was developed in the 80s by psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan. Linehan created the modality after she discovered that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alone did not prove to be an effective treatment for folks living with BPD.

Though DBT has been proven effective for many folks living with BPD, the condition itself remains one of the most misunderstood, mistreated, & underdiagnosed mental health conditions.

This issue is further complicated for Black folks and marginalized communities who often go undiagnosed for BPD, despite significant evidence suggesting similar prevalence rates across races and genders.”

Slide 5

BEAM’s logo is at the bottom right corner which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. The background of the graphic has a picture of a young Black man sitting in front of a mirror with a garden in the background that has orange flowers. The title at the top of the page in white text reads, “Ways to Cope with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).” There are 6 text bubbles at the center of the page. Each bubble has a different text.

Bubble 1: Learn skills to support emotional regulation. Bubble 2: Practice and build up your affirming self-talk skills. Bubble 3: Seek peer support spaces with others living with BPD to learn and grow with them. Bubble 4: Read books that help you understand BPD. Bubble 5: Seek out therapy, yoga, and other healing practices that align with you. Try several of them to see what works. Bubble 6: Build up a community of folks who can help support you. Community care matters.

Slide 6

Tips for Supporting Someone Living with BPD

There is no standardized template for supporting someone living with BPD. However, here are a few tips that can mutually benefit your health and wellbeing:

Listen, empathize, and affirm your loved one's experience. 

Learn as much as you can about it. Knowledge is key!

Set, communicate, and enforce boundaries. Doing this creates safer and healthier relationships for all. 

Support your loved one in seeking the treatment with which they feel most comfortable. 

Join a support group! You don't have to do it alone.

Remember to take care of yourself. You can't "pour from an empty cup."  

Slide 7

BEAM’s logo is at the bottom of the graphic, which reads BEAM, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. Text at the center of the page is as follows: 

Yes, we've done our research, but it's important you do too!

Check our sources against yours, and always exercise discretion.

Sources

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/

https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/what-is-bpd/treating-bpd/

Choi-Kain, L. W., Finch, E. F., Masland, S. R., Jenkins, J. A., & Unruh, B. T. (2017). What Works in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. Current behavioral neuroscience reports, 4(1), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-017-0103-z.

Newhill, Christina & Eack, Shaun & Conner, Kyaien. (2009). Racial Differences Between African and White Americans in the Presentation of Borderline Personality Disorder. Race and Social Problems. 1. 87-96. 10.1007/s12552-009-9006-2. 

Ayre, K., Owen, G. S., & Moran, P. (2017). Mental capacity and borderline personality disorder. BJPsych bulletin, 41(1), 33–36. https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.bp.115.052753.

https://ca.ctrinstitute.com/blog/9-strategies-supporting-bpd/