No one believed me-- Complex PTSD and BPD

The therapeutic relationship is built on trust, we come to therapy expecting that we are going to be heard and believed.

Jeanine wasn't believed-- about her childhood sexual assaults, or the emerging psychotic symptoms, or her intractable suicidality....even after many near fatal attempts and over 40 inpatient stays.

This episode looks at how and why we believe some people and discount others.  It turns out that the way people tell us their stories matters just as much as the actual words they choose. And, unfortunately, certain clinical presentations make patients/clients much less likely to be heard and believed.

A heads up-- this episode includes descriptions of childhood sexual abuse, self-harm, and suicide attempts.


Dopamine, saliency, and the onset of paranoia
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-020-00912-4

Borderline personality diagnosis leads to demedicalization and poor treatment
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4870819/

Inappropriate affect
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/personality-disorders/inappropriate-affect-symptoms-and-signs/

Dr. H/BFTA
https://www.craigheacockmd.com