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Borderline Personality disorder is a mental illness that causes difficulty regulating emotions, controlling impulsive behaviours, and constantly feeling unstable. The frequent shift in poor self-image and intense emotional stressors can lead to self-harm towards an individual. The symptoms and signs are more likely to appear during adolescence and adulthood. The severity is also prone to become more intense over the years. With this mental illness, eating disorders, depression, anxiety and substance abuse are often conditions that follow.

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The main focus of this facility is to improve the lives of those that have been greatly affected by mental health and addiction while simultaneously promoting those to speak and find ways to deal with any mental adversities they may be challenging.

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Yes, I believe we should all work on our mental health as a part of our daily lives. As a student-athlete, it is important to always maintain and take care of my physical goals. I feel this should be the same concept as our mental health. An athlete is never ashamed to attend physiotherapy;  I don’t think they should be when attending a therapy session. Being open to practicing mental health, allows strategies to be found. Further helping to manage our feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Resilience is needed to push through the hardships created by mental illnesses such as BPD. Without this helpful tool, it can be easy to fall off the path with our passions and motives, affecting our journey.

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In this facility, patients are given different effective forms of therapy such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Clients will learn how to better manage and find different techniques for their BPD over a span from 24 weeks to 12 months.

The client's families can schedule visits for them within the visitation hours

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CAMH is intended for those 18-65 that meet the criteria for BPD. However they will still provide support to minors.

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CAMH has many facilities around the province. The one shown in the picture is their facility located in Toronto 1001 Queen St W. It is a hospital that treats those struggling with addiction, BPD and many other illnesses. They provide healthy treatment and support groups to help the recovery process.

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Intended For

Individuals between the ages of 18-65 who meet criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder.

Additional Referral Details

The Borderline Personality Disorder Clinic is currently closed to new referrals.

When the next opening date of our wait list available, it will be posted here.
Referral forms are only accepted on specific intake dates when the Clinic is open to new referrals.
Please note, that there are two forms that will need to be completed and should only be submitted on specific intake days.

If there is no date listed, we are closed and will not accept referrals that are submitted.

Services Offered As:

Outpatient

Program Duration:

24 weeks to 12 months

Location:

Queen Street Site - 60 White Squirrel Way

Contact Phone Number:

416 535-8501 ext. 32437

More Contact Details:

Questions can be answered by the BPD Intake and Information line at ext. 32437 (press 5 to leave a message for the intake coordinator). General Information about CAMH services: Access CAMH 416 535-8501 press 2

Types of Treatment and Services Offered

Outpatient Services:

Program Overview

CAMH's Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Clinic offers group treatment in dialectical behaviour therapy to help people who have BPD make positive changes in their lives. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioural therapy. It is used to treat a range of behaviour problems. DBT draws on Western cognitive behaviour techniques and Eastern Zen philosophies.

CAMH's Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Clinic offers comprehensive treatment in dialectical behavior therapy to help people who have BPD make positive changes in their lives.

It teaches clients how to:

Become more aware of their thoughts and actions

Tolerate distress

Manage their emotions

Improve their relationships with other people

The clinic will continue to offer a 24-week skills groups (two hours, once weekly). To be eligible for this treatment, you must have a therapist in the community who you are seeing at a minimum every few weeks, who agrees to provide support to you during the group treatment. Individuals first attend an assessment meeting to confirm the group treatment will be helpful for their individual needs.
What is the DBT Skills Group?
The skills group is like taking a course in school. Every week you will start by reviewing homework from the last week, and then you will learn about new skills. Four main modules will be taught:

Mindfulness: how to focus your attention on the present moment

Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to get what you want from people in a way that makes them want to give it to you

Distress Tolerance: how to survive crises and get through really painful moments, without making them worse

Emotion Regulation: how to get more control over your emotions, and how to get more positive and less negative emotions in your life.

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Intended For Individuals between the ages of 18-65 who meet criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder. Additional Referral Details The Borderline Personality Disorder Clinic is currently closed to new referrals. When the next opening date of our wait list available, it will be posted here.

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Where can someone go to get help in your community for BPD?

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Where can someone go to get help in your community for BPD?

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In my community, those struggling with BPD can turn to Chapters Counseling. An appointment can be booked with psychotherapists that specialize in BPD. They also offer treatment options such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), etc. \

An alternative way to get help is through mental health organizations that allow anonymous calls such as Good2Talk (1-888-925-5454), Kids Help Phone (​​1-800-668-6868) and McLean (877-372-3068).

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What are some ways you can help or support someone with BPD?

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What are some ways you can help or support someone with BPD?

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1. Learn more about BPD

By being more educated on Borderline personality disorder, the symptoms/signs, stressors, etc.

one is able to understand how to better react to an episode or emotional rollercoaster.

2. Be respectful and patient

An individual with BPD will have trouble regarding themselves and feeling supported. By learning ways to healthily approach the relationship (as a friend or intimately),  it is important to encourage trust and always be open to ways you can help.

3. Encourage Professional Help

Talking to your loved one with BPD about support groups, or mental health professionals can benefit them in the long term.

4. Remind them of positive traits and strengths

Those with BPD struggle with self-image and seeing themselves in a positive light. By helping them identify their positive qualities, you can help them recognize not everyone sees them in a negative way.

5. Keep the relationship fun

While BPD is highly demanding and can cause hardships through relationships, it is important to engage in self-soothing activities. Including walks, movies, adventures, concerts, etc.

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How does BPD affect a person emotionally?

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How does BPD affect a person emotionally?

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Those that have BPD tend to feel an intense range of emotions and act out of impulse when distressed. These high-stress levels and lack of self-control can cause one to become reckless and angry. The rollercoaster of emotions jeopardizes relationships with others. As well as an internal relationship with an individual's thoughts and beliefs.

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 Common signs and symptoms that accompany this mental illness are 

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 Common signs and symptoms that accompany this mental illness are 

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Fear of abandonment from those involved in daily life

Prone to unstable relationships with intense highs and lows. Shifting from a headspace of “I love them” to “I hate them” in a short amount of time.

Impulsive and reckless behaviour. This includes binge eating, shoplifting, irresponsible with drugs or alcohol, unprotected sexual activities, etc.

Self-harm and Suicidal thoughts/attempts

Intense emotional mood swings occur and can be set off by little things. It lasts minutes or hours and passes quickly. Depression or anxiety is also commonly seen.

A feeling of emptiness or “numb” as if there is an empty void filled within oneself

Uncontrollable anger with a short temper.

Dissociation with life and feeling out of touch with reality.

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Social, Environmental or Physical Causes or Precursors   

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Social, Environmental or Physical Causes or Precursors   

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If there is a history of BPD in your family, studies have shown you are at a higher risk to develop this illness. This includes having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, brother, etc) as you share 50% of your genes with these members.

Trauma and Abuse within an individual's environment can also be a precursor for BPD to develop. Growing up with an absent, separated or neglected parent is a stressor. Having a physically or sexually abusive childhood is alternative factors that trigger the development of BPD.

From a neurological perspective, BPD can be developed due to the brain's lack of communication to portions that control emotions, decision making and judgment. Due to this, it is believed those suffering from BPD have a decreased amount of serotonin. Further leading to destructive tendencies, depression and aggravation.

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How does it affect an individual physically?

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How does it affect an individual physically?

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With BPD comes the constant shift in self-image. An individual can think very highly of themselves, then instantly feel hatred. When this occurs, it is common to engage in self-mutilation and inflict pain on oneself. These include cutting, burning, scratching, stabbing with needles, etc. Some of these actions are not with the intent of suicide. Instead,  a way to self-sabotage or release anger. However, those suffering from BPD may also be suicidal and have attempted in the past

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How does it affect an individual socially?

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How does it affect an individual socially?

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Not only can BPD attack an individual physically and mentally, but can also be a threat to relationships with loved ones. Due to the intense highs and lows experienced through BPD, it settles confusion and frustration with partners, family or friends. The constant fear of abandonment within a BPD individual leads to reckless outbreaks towards loved ones. Such as unnecessary fights, clinging, stalking and physically blocking the loved one from leaving. This rollercoaster of inconsistent actions can drive those (such as an intimate partner) away.