Abstract

This paper explores the process and efficacy of art therapy treatment with a person diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), who had attempted suicide. Personality disorders are separated from major mental disorders in both severity and classification. They are described as behaviours or traits that are characteristic of recent and long-term impaired social or occupational functioning which cause subjective distress. Clients with the diagnoses of BPD, those traditionally labelled as 'hard to handle' and 'unresponsive to therapy', are included in the Cluster B category of personality disorders which also includes antisocial, histrionic and narcissistic personality disorders. There are a number of typical criteria which appear to be due to a combination of biopsychosocial factors, and include, but are not limited to, affective instability, inappropriate intense anger and poor ego boundaries. The hypothesis of this paper is that some people are likely to suppress (act-in) rather than act-out their anger; the affective instability presents as suicidal intent. It is further hypothesised that the use of art as a transitional and holding space can contribute to ego development and subsequent emotion regulation. In this case, eight months of art therapy was the primary treatment modality, and there have been indications of changes in this person's lifestyle and coping behaviours