The positive affects of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) have been highlighted in a national newspaper by Dr Emily Fox, Director of Psychological Therapies at St Andrew's Healthcare.

The piece, which was published on Sunday, June 4, 2023 focused on social media influencer and model Sydney Lima, who has recently been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

BPD is a mental illness that severely impacts a person's ability to manage their emotions and can sometimes lead to impulsive behaviour and unstable relationships.

Sydney shared her story on what the diagnosis has meant for her and how she is learning to manage her condition, telling the readers that she "lives in a constant state of anxiety, anger and fear". 

Dr Fox was interviewed to give her expert opinion on BPD, where she explained that the part of the brain that regulates emotions, impulse control and decision making is not as robust as someone's brain who does not have the condition. She said that BPD brains tend to "spark more".

She added: "Not only do they have fight or flight sparking much more, they also don't have the brakes to stop them from sparking". 

Dr Fox said the best way to control these sparks is to undergo DBT therapy.

She said: "We need to enhances people's capabilities around regulating emotions, tolerating distress and being more mindful of what's going on." 

 To read the article, click here.