Pultizer Prize-winning American columnist Jimmy Breslin wrote a front page feature story on Melanie Cane the author of Poisoned Love. Click on the icon to read Jimmy Breslin's cover story:
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
While most people have heard of Borderline Personality Disorder, if you ask them what is borderline personality disorder, few can define it. The term “borderline” was used to describe people on the border of neurosis and psychosis. A wastebasket term, it did little to elucidate a disease psychiatrists say is not only the most misunderstood, but also one of the most devastating. It’s estimated that 6-10 million Americans have Borderline personality disorder (1%-3% of the general population)-making it more prevalent than Bipolar Disease or Schizophrenia. That’s why it’s important for people to know what is borderline personality disorder. My book, Poisoned Love, describes my struggles to define for myself what is borderline disorder.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder? It is a personality disorder with at least five of the following symptoms.
-Make frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
-Have a pattern of difficult relationships caused by alternating between extremes of intense admiration and hatred of others (idealization/devaluation).
-Have an unstable self-image or are unsure of his or her identity.
-Act impulsively in ways that are self-damaging, such as extravagant spending, promiscuity, substance abuse, binge eating, or reckless driving.
-Have recurring suicidal thoughts, make repeated suicide attempts, or cause self-injury through mutilation such as cutting, or burning herself.
-Have frequent emotional overreactions or intense mood swings, including feeling depressed, irritable, incensed, or anxious. These intense moods usually only last a few hours at a time. In rare cases, they may last a day or two.
-Have long-term feelings of emptiness.
-Have inappropriate, fierce anger or problems controlling anger. The person may often display temper tantrums or get into physical fights.
-Have temporary episodes of feeling suspicious of others without reason (paranoia) or losing a sense of reality.
Not everyone who has five or more of these symptoms has BPD. For a person to be diagnosed with any personality disorder, the symptoms must be severe enough and go on long enough to cause significant emotional distress or problems functioning in relationships or at work.
Other mental health conditions commonly occur with Borderline personality disorder (co-morbidity) and need treatment also. These additional conditions can make it hard to distinguish what is Borderline personality disorder and can complicate treatment. Conditions that commonly occur with Borderline personality disorder are:
-Depression or other mood disorders.
-Eating disorders, especially bulimia nervosa.
-Substance abuse problems.
-Bipolar disorder.
-Panic attacks or panic disorder.
-Attention Deficit Disorder.
When treating Borderline Personality Disorder, it is important to know what is Borderline personality disorder and what is a complicating illness. In my book, Poisoned Love, I struggle to differentiate between what is borderline personality disorder and my other diagnoses of major depressive disorder and anorexia nervosa.
What is borderline personality disorder? Get your copy of Poisoned Love today to find out!
