Psychiatric treatment is plagued by budget cuts and bed shortages. For example, Indianapolis has only seven beds for emergency psychiatric care for the indigent. In this video, I talk about why federal and state budget cuts and bed shortages are harmful and even deadly to people with Borderline Personality Disorder and other mental illnesses.

Last week, I met Mel, the crisis counselor from the 10th level of the Nether Regions. Short version: a medication dosing error combined with hormones put me in the Crisis Intervention Unit. Mel's job was to talk to me--and I learned that sometimes counselors just don't get it. She nearly reduced me to tears and I seriously considered asking her to stop talking to me. I left feeling worse than when I went in.

Recently, I was in the psychiatric ward of a local hospital. While I was there, a young psychiatrist interviewed me. He asked me "What advice do you have for me regarding treating borderline personality disorder (BPD)?" I was caught off-guard because nobody ever asked me that. Yet he genuinely wanted my opinion, so I shared it. Then I figured that other psychiatrists might want to know, so here's the advice I have.

The recent heat wave should be of concern to anyone on psychiatric medications because some of them interfere with the body's ability to sweat. More Than Borderline's, Becky Oberg, discusses how to stay safe in the heat.

Psychotropic medications are life-savers, but how can the pharmaceutical companies make a good thing even better?  More Than Borderline's, Becky Oberg, talks about possible improvements.

While a personality disorder such as BPD in itself can not be medicated, its co-occuring illnesses and symptoms can. But what it medication is not available during a sudden flare-up of symptoms? Or what if the medication on its own is ineffective? There are three herbs you should know about: yerba mate, kava kava, and valerian.

An underlying premise of schema therapy is that people with borderline personality disorder operate in different modes, including Abandoned Child mode. In this video, I talk about the Abandoned Child mode and how to cope with it.

You have nothing to lose by facing your traumatic memories; you can always go back to what you were doing before. But you have peace to gain. It's hard work, but it's worth it.

So how should we cope with the loss of a negative coping skill? We should build, maintain and rely on a support system; we should understand and accept that we are grieving a loss; and we should concentrate on taking care of ourselves.

So that's what I wish I'd known, and would say to anyone facing their first hospitalization. The hospital is not a punisment. You are a member of the treatment team. Staff will not hurt you.