Looking back, Deb can see that she was self-medicating mental health problems with alcohol. When she entered a partial hospitalization program to assess and treat her symptoms of anxiety and depression, it was necessary to address the issue of alcohol use disorder that had developed as a result.

She describes quitting alcohol as 'low hanging fruit' that made way for prescription drugs and therapy to work more effectively. Deb's diagosis is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), sometimes called 'emotional hypersensitivity.' She says that with BPD, "every emotion feels like a knife to the chest."  

(To hear another Bubble Hour interview about BPD, check out "Michelle's Story" Season 5, Episode 5)

For links to resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Host Jean McCarthy's books and blog can be linked to through her website www.jeanmcarthy.ca