What does Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) mean?
What does Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) mean?
Overview
- Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) refers to the needs experienced by people who may have received a ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis or live with comparable symptoms and difficulties.
- Diagnosis of a personality disorder requires a mental health professional to evaluate long-term patterns of functioning and symptoms.
- There are different categories of personality disorders and symptoms vary depending on the type of personality disorder.
- There is no clear, or single, cause for developing personality difficulties or disorders. It is likely to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
- People living with complex emotional needs often experience other health problems.
- There are some treatments available in the NHS that can support some of the symptoms felt by those with PD, or help them learn to manage the extreme emotions and challenges they are feeling. These include Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and some SSRI medications.
- There are lots of positive things we can do to support someone with complex emotional needs and make a difference.
What is Complex Emotional Needs (CEN)?
‘Complex Needs’ or ‘Complex Emotional Needs’ (CEN) refers to the needs experienced by people who may have received a “personality disorder” diagnosis, or live with comparable symptoms and difficulties that would meet, or are within the threshold to meet, diagnostic criteria for personality disorder.
Personality disorders
Our thoughts, behaviours and feelings are all unique and shape our personality. It influences how we relate to other people and experience life and the world around us.
We all have parts of our personality which can cause difficulties at times. The difficulties range from mil and moderate that most of us feel to severe which is very uncommon for most of us, but if you have a PD then this is the end of the spectrum that you inhabit mostly. This is the context where the generic term ‘Personality Disorder’ is diagnosable.
In general in the UK 8% of the population would meet the criteria for a diagnosis of personality disorder (1 in 12 people). This means this is quite common.
What causes personality disorders?
Personality disorders can be rooted in trauma, negative childhood environments, pre-disposing biological factors or a combination of factors. This can include having difficulties with self-image and confidence, impulsive behaviour, unstable moods, behaviour that is harmful to self, and instability in personal relationships – all of which can be distressing when you are experiencing them.
Complex emotional needs vs personality disorders
Guideposts utilises the term umbrella term Complex Emotional Needs instead of Personality Disorder for two reasons:
- We do not need a diagnosis of PD to offer support, if someone has a collection of symptoms that align with our criteria, but do not have a diagnosis, then we will still consider accepting the referral.
- As with many diagnostic terms, in time a level of stigma can become apparent, and this is the case with the term PD. We have therefore chosen the more commonly accepted term Complex emotional needs as it is a literal explanation of what people live with rather than a diagnostic label.
