Borderline Personality Disorder & Safety
Borderline personality disorder is linked to increased suicide rates and self-harm. Self-harm, such as cutting and burning, is prevalent in individuals with BPD, with over 75% engaging in these behaviors. These actions, known as "non-suicidal self-injury" or "parasuicidal" behaviors, can become addictive for those with BPD.
A safety plan is an essential component of treating borderline personality disorder (BPD), as individuals with BPD are highly susceptible to suicidal tendencies and risky behaviors. Without a safety plan, there is a heightened risk of self-harm or harm towards others. By having a safety plan in place, the likelihood of making impulsive decisions with severe consequences is significantly reduced.
Safety Planning
1. Evaluate your behaviors. Evaluate your potential risks and behaviors. These can include suicidal ideation (thoughts, plan, actions), urges to harm yourself or actively engaging in self harm, thoughts of harming others, and issues with violence and/or anger.
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2. Identify triggers. Make a list of people, words, songs, places, smells, or items that tend to trigger suicidality, an extreme depressive state, or thoughts of harming yourself or others.
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3. Identify healthy coping skills and support. Make a list of as many positive coping skills you can think of that help self soothe and de-escalate you when you are in a state of distress. Additionally, create a list in your plan of people you can trust, your therapist and/or psychiatrist's number, emergency contact, nearby hospitals, and emergency service numbers, including the national suicide hotline and your local county crisis contact.
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4. Document your safety plan. Identify the triggers for each risk behavior and list them down. Then, determine the coping responses you can use when faced with these triggers. In case the coping responses fail to work and an emergency situation arises, establish a plan of action. Repeat this process for all the risk behaviors you have identified to create a comprehensive safety plan.
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5. Make a safety plan commitment. To ensure your safety, the final step involves making a firm commitment to your safety plan. This entails promising yourself that you will adhere to the plan whenever necessary, and openly expressing this commitment to another person.