Experiences and needs of family members of someone with BPD

The experience of caregivers has been well studied across a range of medical and mental illnesses; however, there have been few studies that have explored the experiences of family members of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and no in depth studies have investigated caregiver burden for these individuals. This study examined the needs and experiences of family members of someone with BPD using in depth interviews. While respondents indicated common experiences and needs, particularly in encounters with professionals and services in both the mental health and medical fields, and in their caregiving experience, they formed distinctive groups in how they coped with caring for their BPD relative. The results confirm that family members of someone with BPD often become caregivers involuntarily, and that their needs are not currently being met in the mental health or medical systems. (Author abstract, edited