Borderline Personality Disorder Websites Reviewed by Sarah Geiger

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1 Borderline Personality Disorder Websites Reviewed by Sarah Geiger Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Borderline personality disorder. Mayo Clinic. This website included basic information such as symptoms, causes and treatments along with In-Depth and Expert Answers sections that provided more specific information for those who may be dealing with issues in addition to Borderline Personality Disorder. I would recommend this website to a client as a starting point if he or she desired to research Borderline Personality Disorder. The information provided is limited but clear, easy to understand and navigate, and presented with a caring tone. Similarly to the other sites, a definition and common symptoms are provided. The causes offered include genetics, environment, brain chemistry, or a combination of these. The primary medical advice is to seek treatment from a doctor or mental health provider. It s also suggested that those in the primary support group of one with this diagnosis seek therapy. One unique feature this site provided was a Preparing for your appointment section which included collecting specific background information to share with the counselor, questions that would be helpful to ask, as well as questions to expect. The DSM criteria are presented which may lead some to conclude their own diagnosis upon self-evaluation. However, it would be beneficial for the site to suggest seeking a diagnosis from a mental health professional. There were also some helpful resources provided by other websites that would have been helpful for visitors such as supporting research and helplines but materials such as these can be accessed through the resource links they provide. Including these may have taken from the fact that this information was very simple and basic, which is ideal for many people.

2 Grohol, J.M. (2010). Symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Psych Central. This website provides and introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder including characteristics, treatment, as well as interactive tools such as a blog and forum. I would recommend this website to clients who would benefit from an online community of support. One thing that this website stressed that was overlooked by others is that there is much individual variability for people diagnosed with this disorder. Also the Symptoms section not only lists the common symptoms but provides extended definitions with examples of each symptom to elaborate. Another unique feature of this site is the option to connect with others who have been diagnosed by commenting on the posted blogs, interacting via forums, or submitting a question to the Ask the Therapist section. One criticism of this website is that it does not connect visitors with many additional resources. There is a link to Psych Central but it is located in the Frequently Asked Questions section which is not an obvious place to look for such information. Here, one would also find a book directed to the loved ones of someone with this diagnosis but this is the only mention of the impact it has on others. Dryden-Edwards, R. (2009). Borderline personality disorder. MedicineNet. This website presents background about Borderline Personality Disorder including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment information as well as resources. However, I would not recommend this website to a client. The most positive feature of this website was the Glossary of Terms section which provides patients with definitions of related terminology since these may be common knowledge to medical and mental health professionals but could create confusion for patients. Also, the

3 resources listed offer phone contact information as well as websites for those who would be more comfortable speaking to someone than using the internet. The primary reason I would not recommend this website is that the information was directed more toward clinicians. However I would not necessarily suggest it for clinicians either because there is not enough detailed information for most purposes. In addition, the website was difficult to navigate because there were times one would have to go back to the previous page in order to get to the next section of information. There was also a lot of visual noise on each page that was actually distracting such as advertisements and information about other mental health topics including a slideshow of skin diseases. (2010). Borderline personality disorder. Mental Health America. The website provided by Mental Health America for those with Borderline Personality Disorder primarily links visitors to referrals for patient support but also presents a basic Factsheet briefly describing the disorder. I would recommend this website to a client as long as it was in addition to other sites that provided more background information. The first thing that stood out to me about this website was the fact that it repeatedly made available contact information for those in crisis throughout the site which is ideal based on the diagnostic description of Borderline Personality Disorder. The organization that created the website aims to advocate for those with mental health disorders through policy change, education, and connecting programs and services. This is apparent as the resources provided connect individuals with essential resources and there are affiliates throughout the country to link patients to local assistance. Helpful resources provide patients with contacts to arrange treatment such as individual therapy, support groups, inpatient centers, and links to clinical trials. Practical

4 issues were also taken into consideration with contacts who will offer medical information related to prescriptions and assistance for paying for medications. The website even offers patients with tools that will assist with reporting when they are dissatisfied with the mental health care they are receiving. While this could be taken advantage of by some with this disorder, if utilized correctly, it is a resource that protects clients. The website discusses the appropriate function of this option before providing the information. Another unique feature of this website is that there is a brief description associated with each additional resource suggested so that clients contact the agency that will provide the best assistance for their specific needs. My only criticism of this website is that other than the Factsheet, there is not much information provided to describe the disorder. However, if this website was suggested in conjunction with another that offered such information, it would be an extremely useful resource to individuals who would take advantage of the many services offered. Lubit, R.H. (2010). Borderline personality disorder. E-Medicine from WebMD. The E-Medicine website supported by WebMD offers information such as an overview, diagnosis, and treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. I would not necessarily suggest this website for clients; however, I would highly recommend it for those who are studying to work with clients who may have this diagnosis such as counselors in training, therapists, and other medical and/or mental health professionals. The website is very easy to navigate and essential information is provided in a clear manner that is easy to read and understand. The Overview section first offers background information followed by a case study as an example of someone with the diagnosis. A unique and very much appreciated feature of the website is that most facts are supported by a study in

5 the field so the information is credible. The Differential Diagnosis and Workup section gives clinicians additional insights into signs of the disorder that most websites did not offer. Also, the Treatment and Medication section not only described the common treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder such as DBT, but also included treatment suggestions for children and specific information about mediations that might be prescribed for symptom management. Once again, all treatments were supported by references to studies and articles. The Follow-up section contains some unique information such Patient Education that offers clinicians insights to addressing patients sensitively and suggests consideration of the family and support system as well a Medicolegal Pitfalls section which outlines how some characteristics those with the disorder may have that could negatively impact the patient and/or the relationship with the therapist. The links to References and definitions for keywords would also be very helpful for those researching this topic. The only downside to this website is that it is not necessarily appropriate for clients. It does however benefit them by educating the mental health and medical professionals who will be directly working with patients with Borderline Personality Disorder.