Order The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook by Dr. Fox: https://goo.gl/LQEgy1

Loneliness worksheet: https://www.drdfox.com/worksheets

Loneliness is a hard thing for many people to deal with, and particularly for individuals along the BPD spectrum. In this video we will examine loneliness, its impact, and how to manage it. I have create a worksheet to help you not only identify issues of loneliness, but also help you identify whom you can connect to to challenge those loneliness feelings.

Loneliness is on the rise, but we are connected to each other more and more today than ever before. Loneliness is a lack of affection in social relationships, this includes in person or online. Loneliness is not actually due to being alone, but being without a sense of being needed or wanted in relationships, a loss of feeling connected. Loneliness has been found to lead to various psychiatric disorders like depression, alcohol abuse, child abuse, sleep problems, personality disorders and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Individuals with BPD are more likely to experience periods of loneliness and many individuals with BPD have an intolerance for being alone and may reach a level of desperation where they will do almost anything to get rid of it. This can be getting into unhealthy relationships, using drugs and alcohol, or foregoing personal values to have someone, anyone, in your life, for example.

You can counter and challenge those feelings of loneliness. It may very well be a core content issue, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it. In the worksheet I’ve created for this video, see comments section for link, you will identify instances that remind you of when you felt lonely and alone within various age ranges, 5-10, 11-15, 16-17. I chose adolescence because many foundational experiences, such as loneliness, are first cemented at these ages. You can add information in any box for any age you like. In the final box, list what makes you feel connected to others now and with whom. This is really important. For example, do you feel connected to family or friends, what makes you feel connected, perhaps they ask how you’re doing, how your day was, they want to spend time with you, etc. Some people don’t have anyone they feel connected to, and in these cases I want you to try and establish social connections to others. This can be through meet-ups or other resources that get you out there. Staying put, staying on your phone doesn’t help. Social networks give you a shot of dopamine but not the same physical and neurological click we all need with physical presence and connection.

Daniel J. Fox, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in Texas, international speaker, and a multi-award winning author. He has been specializing in the treatment and assessment of individuals with personality disorders for over 15 years in the state and federal prison system, universities, and in private practice. His specialty areas include personality disorders, ethics, burnout prevention, and emotional intelligence.

He has published several articles in these areas and is the author of:

The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook: An Integrative Program to Understand and Manage Your BPD. Available at: https://goo.gl/LQEgy1

Antisocial, Borderline, Narcissistic and Histrionic Workbook: Treatment Strategies for Cluster B Personality Disorders (IPBA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award Winner): https://goo.gl/BLRkFy

Narcissistic Personality Disorder Toolbox: 55 Practical Treatment Techniques for Clients, Their Parents & Their Children: https://goo.gl/sZYhym

The Clinician’s Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Personality Disorders: https://goo.gl/ZAVe9v

Dr. Fox has given numerous workshops and seminars on ethics and personality disorders, personality disorders and crime, treatment solutions for treating clients along the antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality spectrum, emotional intelligence, managing mental health within the prison system, and others. Dr. Fox maintains a website of various treatment interventions focused on working with and attenuating the symptomatology related to individuals along the antisocial, borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality spectrum (www.drdfox.com).

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrDanielFox
Dr. Fox’s website: http://www.drdfox.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/appliedpsychservices/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrDanielJFox1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdfox/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdfox
Amazon Author’s Page: amazon.com/author/drfox

Thank you for your attention and I hope you enjoy my videos and find them helpful and subscribe. I always welcome topic suggestions and comments.