Borderline Personality Disorder: New Perspectives on a Stigmatizing and Overused Diagnosis (Practical and Applied Psychology)

The patterns of behavior of those with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are often frustrating and mystifying to both clinicians and family members, despite several decades of study and research on this form of distress. __Borderline Personality Disorder: New Perspectives on a Stigmatizing and Overused Diagnosis__ presents a thorough critical and historical review of the diagnosis of BPD and explores—through academic and clinical narratives—the different processes that occur in borderline behavior patterns. The authors offer new perspectives that emphasize the whole person rather than a diagnosis, addressing the emotional storms and mood instability of BPD, providing guidance on managing emotional chaos in the therapeutic relationship, and explaining how to use one's own feelings as a clinical tool. Their approach gives an intimate experiential feel for the interpersonal processes that occur in psychotherapy for both the patient and therapist. The result: readers will better understand who the person behind the diagnosis is, and comprehend what it really feels like to be someone struggling with these difficult interpersonal patterns. This book is an ideal resource for general readers who want a clear understanding of people suffering with chaotic emotions, and for clinicians treating patients for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The patterns of behavior of those with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are often frustrating and mystifying to both clinicians and family members, despite several decades of study and research on this form of distress. Borderline Personality Disorder: New Perspectives on a Stigmatizing and Overused Diagnosis presents a thorough critical and historical review of the diagnosis of BPD and explores-through academic and clinical narratives-the different processes that occur in borderline behavior patterns. The authors offer new perspectives that emphasize the whole person rather than a diagnosis, addressing the emotional storms and mood instability of BPD, providing guidance on managing emotional chaos in the therapeutic relationship, and explaining how to use one's own feelings as a clinical tool. Their approach gives an intimate experiential feel for the interpersonal processes that occur in psychotherapy for both the patient and therapist. The result: readers will better understand who the person behind the diagnosis is, and comprehend what it really feels like to be someone struggling with these difficult interpersonal patterns. Features Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Series Foreword 8 1: Introduction: The Borderline Personality Personified 12 The Scarlet Label 14 Mary 14 Andria 16 2: A Historical Anatomy of a Social Construction: “Wandering Womb,” Hysteria, Psychiatric Disease 20 Antiquity: Maladies of the Feminine and the Feminine as Malady 21 Middle Ages: From Uterus as Endoparasite to Demonic Possession 27 Modernity: From Bedevilment to Brain Disease: Orgasm Therapy and the Rise of the Respected Physician 31 Deliteralizing the Feminine: Dynamic, Developmental, and Social Contextualisms 35 Contextualism Abandoned and BPD's Formal Entry into the Psychiatric “Bible” 38 3: The “Borderline” as a Human Person: Contemporary Perspectives 42 “Borderline” Is to Psychiatry as Psychiatry Is to Medicine 43 Contexts of Agony 45 An Experientialist Description of Being with “Borderline Personality Disorder” 52 4: Chewed Up—Spat Out: Jane’s Story 60 5: Emotional Jungle Gym: Melanie’s Story 76 6: The Permeable Frame: Ethan’s Story 92 7: Watering Flowers: The Stories of Caroline, Violet, and Charley 108 8: Conclusion: Reflections, New Directions 120 References 126 Appendix: Wellness and Recovery Resources 132 Index 168 About the Authors 172 About the Series 174 About the Series Editor 174 Introduction : The borderline personality personified : The scarlet label ; Mary ; Andria A historical anatomy of a social construction: "wandering womb," hysteria, psychiatric disease : Antiquity: maladies of the feminine and the feminine as malady ; Middle ages: from uterus as endoparasite to demonic possession ; Modernity: from bedevilment to brain disease: orgasm therapy and the rise of the respected physician ; Deliteralizing the feminine: dynamic, developmental, and social contextualisms ; Contextualism abandoned and BPD's formal entry into the psychiatric "bible" The "borderline" as a human person: contemporary perspectives : "Borderline" is to psychiatry as psychiatry is to medicine ; Contexts of agony ; An experimentalist description of being with "borderline personality disorder" Chewed up, spat out: Jane's story Emotional jungle gym: Melanie's story The permeable frame: Ethan's story Watering flowers: the stories of Caroline, Violet, and Charley Conclusion : Reflections, new directions Appendix : Wellness and recovery resources. Presents a thorough critical and historical review of the diagnosis of BPD and explores--through academic and clinical narratives--the different process that occur in borderline behavior patterns. The authors offer new perspectives that emphasize the whole person rather than a diagnosis, addressing the emotional storms and mood instability of BPD, providing guidance on managing emotional chaos in the therapeutic relationship, and explaining how to use one's own feelings as a clinical tool.--From jacket.