2025/03/13 by Romany Murray, Victoria Clarke, Charlotte Flothmann · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Family Caregiving in Mental Illness #Family Support in Illness #Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/09638237.2025.2460124
openalex publication_date 2025/03/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/17
BACKGROUND: Informal caring is an increasingly common phenomenon. Experiences of mental health caring are not well-researched, and few studies focus on experiences of family carers supporting individuals with a Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis. AIMS: This research explores lived experiences of people in caring roles for family members diagnosed with BPD. METHODS: Seventy-two participants who identified as carers to a loved one diagnosed with BPD completed an online qualitative survey. Six of these participants took part in follow-up interviews, and three completed a follow-up survey. Survey responses and interviews were compiled and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two main themes were developed. "Labour of Love" involved experiences of burden and strain, and "Self as Secondary" incorporated feeling unheard and obliged to censor one's own behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this research broadens awareness of how a mental health diagnosis and a diagnosis of BPD specifically can have a broader, systemic impact on not only the individuals diagnosed, but their families and those providing support to them, and suggests that provision of support by healthcare providers to carers is necessary.