Borderline Personality Disorder

1458 Words3 Pages

Personality disorders are very defined and recognized in today’s society. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association provides common language and standards classifying mental disorders. The DSM is used by many people in varying disciplines in the USA as well as many other countries. In times past, people with disorders may have been outcast from a community or even persecuted. However, in our current culture the pendulum has swung in the other direction. It almost seems that there is a trend to explain all behavior by a mental disorder. This results in needing to disprove that certain people are not displaying a disorder, rather acting within a normal human emotion or behavior. People are tricky creatures to study due to the complexity and magical way our brain works. Very little is known, even less is understood about how and why we work the way we do. One of the disorders identified in the DSM is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD was officially termed and recognized in 1980. BPD is a condition in which people display patterns of unstable or turbulent emotions, manifesting as feelings about themselves and others. These feelings can be positive but are more often recognized as negative. This inner turmoil can cause significant stress or hindrance in relationships and activities of daily living. A person with this disorder is often bright, intelligent, and appears friendly and competent. A stressful situation is often the catalyst to break down positive appearances of those who suffer from BPD. A romantic issue, death of someone close, or work trouble can wash aside developed coping ability, which may have taken years to build. With emotional or situat... ... middle of paper ... ...ne for help in determining appropriate action and strategies. Resources and agencies to assist those with and affected by BPD are very accessible and understanding of what help needs to be presented. As is the case with oft misunderstood conditions, there is a small but strong community of support ready to provide advice, strategies, and a listening ear. One of the larger BPD focused agencies is the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center in White Plains, NY (www.bpdresourcecenter.org). Further assistance and networking can be reached at the local district branch of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (www.psych.org) or the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) (www.aacap.org). When contacting the APA or AACAP, ask for referral to psychiatrists or other clinicians in your community who are skilled in handling borderline disorder.

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