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I have been successfully treating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for many years
and have found a multivariate approach using multiple therapies i
including dialectical cognitive behavioral, psychodynamic,
medical, addictive and somatic therapies to be most effective.
Essentially this is what we use to call a biopsychosocial situation
that calls for a good assessment process, treatment plan,
\and caring perspective and case management.
Over the years in treating BPD or PTSD I have observed a syndrome
that my fellow clinicians now refer to as the "Bellman Syndrome"
a title I modestly (sic) accept.
It is simply stated thus; chronic pain and medication addiction
are directly associated with Borderline Personality Disorder
or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a complex interaction.
In treating many patients both in-patient
and out-patient over the years,
I noticed that many people had become addicted
to pain medication for chronic pain,
as I treated these clients over time it became clear that;
- these were mostly middle class housewives
without a "standard" profile for drug addiction
that therapy in most cases disclosed to a BPD-like symptomatology
of early child abuse, mood swings, dissociate states etc.
2. successful treatment resulted from a team approach
of easing the pain with meds, acupuncture etc.
recovering from addiction and therapy for the abuse,
and to address the needs of the client with cognitive
and psychodynamic treatment for moods and develop
appropriate support systems.
This success with clients confirmed my "person in a situation" training
and the importance of case management.
But it also sparked my interest in research,
so I became a Diplomat in the American Academy of Pain Management,
there the research has focused on the ways that pain escalates
the need for pain medication and that pain medication
then escalates the pain in a vicious interactive cycle,
which also changes physiology in the brain,
research themes that affords the academy credit.
I believe that the etiology of the initial painful injury
goes back to early childhood abuse;
that in a state of rage or disassociation
the client twisted their back pulling the vacuum cleaner
or doing laundry, or so it is often reported
although this may be a "doing everything for them" metaphor.
Pain-addiction-emotional trauma thus causes brain
and personality change in a complex interaction
is the very treatable syndrome.
Eric Bellman LCSW
32129 Lindero Cyn. Rd. #108E
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone;805-493-2492
email;westlakedr@aol.com
updated on 10/17/2022
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