QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I am so excited by your discoveries and the new name, Dyslimbia, that should be adopted in the next DSM (how can I help push for this change?!).
Question: Do women with Dyslimbia frequently have post-partum or post-abortion dysphoria (or post-miscarriage) that you are aware of? Are dyslimbic women likely to be very affected by changes in hormones?
I am the Director of Counseling at The Hope Clinic, a nationally renowned abortion provider in the Midwest. Abortion counseling has been and is my life’s work – in particular, post-abortion emotions and how women cope. For the past 5 years I have suspected that the subgroup of women who have extreme post-abortion reactions are those with the BPD (drugging & drinking, self-hatred, blaming others for the abortion, sleep disturbance and nightmares, self-destructive behaviors such as cutting themselves, indiscriminate sex, relationships with abusive men, obsessed with pregnant women and babies, screaming protests outside abortion clinics, eating disorders & self-mutilation and suicide ideation & attempts).
There is NO research yet on the possible link between dysphoria after abortion and the BPD, but a published researcher from Arizona is interested in exploring this with me. I am very interested in your experience with female dyslimbic patients and their descriptions of how they coped after an abortion, birth, or miscarriage.
ANSWER:
Individuals with BPD (I agree Dyslimbia is a better name, but I don’t know who to contact) are very much affected by hormone changes or imbalances. I agree that a high percentage of those with post partum or post abortion depression have the BPD. I’m not aware of any research. Borderlines commonly have low thyroid – and low thyroid has recently has been strongly linked to post partum depression. I think you’re on to something!