Borderline Arts

We are excited to announce that Borderline Arts has a new website!📣

This rebrand has been made possible by our incredible team of volunteer website managers, copywriter and graphic designer and we can't wait for you to see!😍

The website features an online art gallery, vital resources and information on BPD and the latest articles, news and events. Soon we will also introduce a music gallery and expand our existing art gallery. Find out more here➡️ https://www.borderlinearts.org/

We believe that the people who use NHS mental health services have an invaluable voice in shaping the care that can be provided. This includes people who have a diagnosis of BPD/EUPD.

For this reason, Sarah (Borderline Arts Founder) is part of the EQUAL Feedback Network. This gives Sarah the opportunity to raise any themes that have been cropping up amongst the feedback she's received from people with BPD in relation to their experiences accessing NHS mental health services.

If you have a diagnosis of BPD/EUPD and access any NHS mental health, learning disabilities, addictions services run by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS, we'd love to hear from you.

Please feel free to fill in this form with any feedback/ideas you have and Sarah will collate this and raise any common themes at the next EQUAL meeting. The feedback is anonymous - we will not have your name or contact details.

Your shared knowledge is hugely valuable in improving the healthcare for the people of Derbyshire. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQOK3xxT1vs5wrb90kXrNpuSNNA8UwU_xXO7JExhInLdsIrQ/viewform?pli=1

* Please note that the purpose of this is to gather a feel of THEMES, which are occurring for people with a diagnosis of BPD/EUPD whilst accessing mental health services in Derbyshire.

This is NOT the place to raise individual, complex situations nor to raise imminent concerns about someone's care/safety. (If you are in either of those situations, please head to PALS ( https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/patient-advice-and-liaison-service-pals/ ) for information/signposting on who can help you. Alternatively contact emergency services if someone is in immediate danger).

Feedback on accessing Derbyshire NHS Mental Health Services for Borderline Personality Disorder We believe that the people who use NHS mental health services have an invaluable voice in shaping the care that can be provided. This includes people who have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – also known as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD). For this reason, Sar...

Here at Borderline Arts, we have the following exciting volunteer opportunities available:

- Events/Activities Coordinator (Must be able to come into our Derby office)
https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/event-coordinator-6

In return, we are offering volunteers the experience of working within a growing and dynamic mental health and arts organisation and within a very welcoming team. Borderline Arts will provide ongoing support and a reference to help your future career.

We are looking for people who can commit 3-4 hours per week and who have had previous experience in similar roles.

If you are interested, please head to www.borderlinearts.org/volunteer to find out more about us and the volunteer roles - you can also apply online from there.

Alternatively, you can email our volunteer coordinator, Paul at [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you!

Increasing understanding & decreasing stigma is a huge part of our mission at Borderline Arts!

To kick off 2024, we wanted to reintroduce you to our current team!

'Manifestation' by Amber. See more of Amber's work: https://bit.ly/3tuaoaZ

"The vibe I’m trying to convey with this mixed media collage is that, even when you have encountered struggles, like those of us with BPD do, you can still bounce back, new and improved, full of resilience, powerful, and armed with the skills required to take over the world. Don’t let anything hold you back." - Amber

'The Artist's Duty' by Natasha. We're so grateful for the artists who share their experience of living with BPD with us. Read more of Natasha's work here: https://bit.ly/4alkSu1

'Taking care of your own wellbeing isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. As the saying goes, "You can't pour from an empty cup." By regularly practising self-care, you're not only supporting your own mental health, but you're also ensuring that you’re better equipped to support the person you're caring.'

Read more:

Supporting your Own Mental Health when Caring for Someone with BPD. How to support your own mental health when caring for someone with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

More info on our current voluntary opportunity!

Happy to our team & anyone engaging in voluntary work!

On that note, we are looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to join our team of volunteers at Borderline Arts.

💫 Your role will include generating voluntary opportunities, responding to email enquiries, reviewing applications & holding interviews
💫 You will need experience coordinating a team
💫 Approx. 3hrs per week
💫 Min. 12 month commitment

Please share or get in touch with us via email [email protected] if you'd like to know more!

OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN BPD RESEARCH IN PREP FOR A PLAY....

This is not a Borderline Arts project, but we are sharing it incase any of you are interested in getting involved or in finding out more. Please ensure you feel safe enough to talk about your experiences in this capacity and that you have support around you before you decide to participate :D ....

Hello, we're Lucy and Giverny and we're writing a play about borderline personality disorder. We're looking to interview people with the diagnosis as part of the research for our production. As two women with BPD, we're doing this project to challenge the negative stereotypes of the disorder whilst humanising those that have it by honestly representing the ups and downs of living with the diagnosis.

If you are interested, please email us at [email protected], and we will send you the questions and more information.

Read about what we've been up to and what we have coming up, including about our exciting film project...

OUR LATEST NEWS... Welcome! If you'd like to know about the exciting things we've been up to and what we've got coming up, you've come to the right place! It's been a long time since our last update (apologies!), so this newsletter is a little long! But feel free to skip to the sections that interest you most rather t...

‘On The Borderline’ is a series of three short dramatised documentary films. The film is a collaborative project, directed by Doug Smith and produced by Borderline Arts....The film is set in a Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) group with eight members who share a diagnosis of BPD. Dramatised flashbacks are used to show the situations they are disclosing to group as they learn to manage their symptoms on a daily basis.

We follow the characters as they work hard to manage their BPD symptoms. But we also see their unique qualities and their achievements despite the difficulties they face. We see the friendships that develop and their strength – both as individuals and as a group – in not letting BPD win.

You can read this exciting update on Mind's website by going to the link below!

On the Borderline ‘On The Borderline’ is a series of three short dramatised documentary films. The film is a collaborative project, directed by Doug Smith and produced by Borderline Arts, the only charity in the UK that specialises in BPD.

This month is BPD Awareness Month and this week is also Mental Health Awareness Week. This year's theme is 'isolation and loneliness felt by people living with mental illness'.

Isolation and loneliness can feel debilitating, but there are things we can do! For example, cuddling my cats can be a huge help to me.

We all find different things helpful, but sharing what helps us is a good reminder to ourselves and can also inspire others.

What are some of the things that help you to reduce the sense of isolation and loneliness you feel? Feel free to share what helps you in the comments below.

Here at Borderline Arts, we have the following exciting volunteer opportunities available:

- Social Media Manager
https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/social-media-coordinator-35

- Administrator https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/administrator-29

- Events/Activities Coordinator (Must be able to come into our Derby office)
https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/opp/event-coordinator-6

In return, we are offering volunteers the experience of working within a growing and dynamic mental health and arts organisation and within a very welcoming team. Borderline Arts will provide ongoing support and a reference to help your future career.

We are looking for people who can commit 3-4 hours per week and who have had previous experience in similar roles.

If you are interested, please head to www.borderlinearts.org/volunteer to find out more about us and the volunteer roles - you can also apply online from there.

Alternatively, you can email our volunteer coordinator, Paul at [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sometimes, the bravest thing to do is to let yourself cry!

Sarah Ikhtabi is a Ph.D. student at University College London (UCL), Division of Psychiatry, and is conducting a qualitative study to explore the experience of loneliness and factors that worsen or reduce loneliness among people with a 'personality disorder'.

She is particularly interested in using the findings from this study to inform a future psychosocial intervention targeting loneliness and promoting a sense of belonging.

Participation is entirely voluntary and the research has been approved by UCL's Research Ethics Committee (Ethics ID number: 23645/001).

I have attached a flyer with some more information.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/research/epidemiology-and-applied-clinical-research-department/loneliness-and-complex-emotional

Georgie Jones, (a final year Trainee Clinical Psychologist with the University of Surrey) is currently researching the impact of the Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis on males (both cis and trans males).

Men are often excluded from research on BPD as this diagnosis tends to be primarily given to females, and it remains a heavily stigmatised diagnosis. Georgie is passionate about hearing the voices of those often overlooked, breaking the stigma on this diagnosis and believes part of this is to understand the personal impact of receiving a diagnosis on males and spreading awareness through research.

She is inviting men with a diagnosis of BPD (including both cis-men and trans-men) to interview about their experiences of receiving the diagnosis.

If you are interested in taking part or simply want to find out more, please email Georgie directly at [email protected]

Jenn is doing a Snowdonia Marathon to raise money for us! We are so impressed - it's really quite a feat!

Here is why she's taking on this challenge:

"For the last 2 1/2 years I have been working on a pathway to help people who have a mental health condition called Borderline Personality Disorder. It is a serious mental health problem that is often results from the extensive trauma people have experienced. I am really passionate about this role and it is amazing to be able to help people on their recovery journey. I'm raising money for Borderline Arts, a charity that raises awareness of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) & tackles the surrounding stigma. Tragically as many as 1 in 10 people with BPD die from su***de. Borderline Arts work to prevent this happening to others through creative arts groups, exhibitions, training and much more. They do great work for a condition which is often not recognised and supported. Any donations will be really appreciated". (Jenn)

Please wish Jenn lots of luck and feel free to donate if you wish to and are able to :)

Jenn's Snowdonia Marathon Jennifer is raising funds for Borderline Arts on Localgiving. Add your support and donate now!

Opportunity to take part in research about experiences of Perinatal Mental Health Services:

The research is exploring how mothers and pregnant people (with and without personality disorders), experience Mental Health support during their pregnancy and the first year after giving birth (Perinatal Mental Health Services).

This research is being conducted at University College London (UCL) - ethics approval number is: 22885/001.

The researchers hope that capturing a large sample of people’s experiences of Perinatal Mental Health services, will inform the development of future NHS mental health services to better support mothers and families in need.
Also, more generally, little attention in research has focused on how people experience Perinatal Mental Health Services and the support they offer (E.g. what they find helpful and less helpful) which this project will also focus on.
They have had an amazing response from over 650 mothers and birthing people about their experience of mental health services during the perinatal period. They are keen to continue to capture experiences from mothers and birthing people across lots of different communities.

Further information about the study as well as a link to the online survey can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/supporting-mums.

We had lots of fun at the Art Group this afternoon!! 🦔🐿🍁⛄️

All set for tomorrow- though I might have to leave the pumpkins at home, as it may be tricky carrying them on the bus along with everything else! 🎃

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow's workshop is Arts and Crafts using materials from nature (including pumpkin carving!), with Sarah.

I've attached images of just a few ideas of the kind of things you could have a go at, but the options are endless!

It's an opportunity to get creative with bits and bobs you can find all around you. It's a friendly atmosphere and a lot of fun.

Anyone with a BPD diagnosis is welcome, please let us know beforehand if you can attend or not, this just helps us get an idea of numbers. Hope to see you there!

Sarah is running our free Art Group this Friday, October 28th, from 1.30 to 3.30 pm. Come along and have fun seeing what creations you can make with all natural materials. We would love to see you there.

Our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts have been disabled - we are looking into why and trying to get them back up and running. You can still access our Creative Groups group though, for information on our Art Group and Writing Group - click on the link below.

Also, don’t forget that our Writing Group is running tomorrow (Thursday 6th October). We’d love to see you there!!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/342060409661102

Our lovely volunteer Hana contributed to this article in Marie Claire about BPD.
Her section is right at the end of the article. The article mentions su***de/self harm, so please only read the whole article if you're able to manage reading it safely.

Part of Hana's section is pasted below:
...Now Hana is able to communicate with those closest to her so that they understand her needs, which prevents things from escalating. But she’s told very few people in her personal life about her diagnosis.

“People will judge you for what you’re doing rather than help you out,” says Hana. “They think it’s the same as multiple personality disorder, or that you’re just attention seeking, or just being clingy.”

She continues: “‘I’ve felt so, so alone with having my diagnosis, because no one talks about personality disorders unless they have something horrible to say. It was so difficult to find anyone who understood me.”

Hana found solace in Borderline Arts, a Derby-based charity that runs various art and writing workshops for people with BPD. “They just help you with finding who you are outside of the BPD label,” says Hana. “I am a whole human being, I just have BPD as well.”

“We need to move away from stigma and blaming these people,” says Dr Rajkumar. “We are all shaped by our life experiences. And if people have negative life experiences, they will have difficulties and vulnerabilities.”

www.Marie Claire.co.uk/life/health-fitness/borderline-personality-disorder-792706

Our lovely volunteer Hana contributed to this article in Marie Claire about BPD. Her section is right at the end of the article. The article mentions su***de/self harm, so please only read the whole article if you're able to manage reading it safely.

Part of Hana's section is pasted below:..Now Hana is able to communicate with those closest to her so that they understand her needs, which prevents things from escalating. But she’s told very few people in her personal life about her diagnosis.

“People will judge you for what you’re doing rather than help you out,” says Hana. “They think it’s the same as multiple personality disorder, or that you’re just attention seeking, or just being clingy.”

She continues: “‘I’ve felt so, so alone with having my diagnosis, because no one talks about personality disorders unless they have something horrible to say. It was so difficult to find anyone who understood me.”

Hana found solace in Borderline Arts, a Derby-based charity that runs various art and writing workshops for people with BPD. “They just help you with finding who you are outside of the BPD label,” says Hana. “I am a whole human being, I just have BPD as well.”

“We need to move away from stigma and blaming these people,” says Dr Rajkumar. “We are all shaped by our life experiences. And if people have negative life experiences, they will have difficulties and vulnerabilities.”

Borderline personality disorder: so, how do you know if you have it? Borderline personality disorder is poorly understood. Here, our doctors explain what borderline personality disorder is, the symptoms and what it feels like

Like most people, I usually keep smiling and try to keep plodding on, even when life is overwhelming. But today I was actually honest with our team that I’m hugely overwhelmed with all the Borderline Arts work I have on my plate.

I asked for help for a team member to sit with me and to make a plan of how to manage the load and where to delegate. I automatically feel less stressed. The workload has not lessened, but I’m not facing it alone.

It is a strong thing to be honest and to ask for help, not a weakness!

On that note, I want to also apologise for the lack of posts etc recently and slow replies to emails etc. I’ve been working hard in the background to try to recruit more volunteers, and hopefully soon we will have some new (much needed) members of our team!

Until then, please bear with us as we attempt to keep on going as best we can!

Many thanks, Sarah x

Don't forget it's our art group this afternoon! Hope you can make it!! 😁