Borderline Personality Disorder: New Perspectives on a Stigmatizing and Overused Diagnosis

by Jacqueline Simon Gunn, Brent Potter

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 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 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.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Health, Mental Health

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Jacqueline Simon Gunn is an award-winning writer and Manhattan-based clinical psychologist. She is the author of both fiction and non-fiction books as well as many articles, both scholarly and mainstream. With her academic and clinical experience in psychology, Gunn’s novels tend to be psychological and thought-provoking. Always in search of truth, fiction writing, like psychology, is a way for her to explore human nature – motivation, emotions, relationships.

In addition to her clinical work and writing, Gunn is an avid runner, swimmer, yogi and reader, a serious cat lover and coffee connoisseur.

Reviews

[Aimee]

Not sure who the target audience is for this book. There are too many sections that were inaccessible to the layman for it to be for anybody likewise too many sections contained basic information that professionals would not find beneficial. To top it off chapter 2 seems to be geared toward erudite historians and it fell flat. The book had two authors and that may be the reason for the very different writing styles which unfortunately did not mix well. Due to that, I am rating each chapter individually:

• Chapter 1—this chapter is a medley of all that is wrong and right with the book. I did love that they spoke to the negative labeling effect BPD has.
• Chapter 2—1 star is generous for this chapter. The author’s promise to the readers, “These symptoms began being documented about 4,00 years ago. No, this is not a joke, and do not worry; we will not give you a dissertation-like account of what transpired during that time.” Quite simply they lied. In the course of this chapter they repeated in some form the meaning “malodorous and acrid substances near the woman’s mouth and nostrils or scented ones near her vagina” in order to move the “wandering uterus” back to its appropriate location at least 15 times (I lost count). This chapter would have detracted less from the book if it had not been so repetitive. It does not tie in well or make the point they are trying to prove. It only succeeds in frustrating the reader.
• Chapter 3—3 stars. There are a lot of great gems in this chapter that were very meaningful insights regarding the individual’s maladaptive response to untreated trauma, causes for suicide, etc. I would have loved to have given this chapter 5 stars but it unfortunately rambles on in a very verbose and pejorative manner about the American Psychological Association and the DSM. I get it, I am not a fan either but the opinions could have been stated more succinctly and productively.
• Chapter 4-7—5 stars. These chapters deal with case studies and are written for the layman. They do a really good job of conveying the many way BPD presents and the difficulty psychotherapist encounter when trying to treat the condition.
• Chapter 8—1 stars—my problem with this chapter is similar to chapter two. It is rambling, repetitive, and sites stats that don’t really have much to do with the main purpose. For example, “53% of women report having used a vibrator in their lives. Fifty-one percent of women are married, which means that women are more likely to have a vibrator than a husband. Interestingly, 45% of men report having used a vibrator as well (Live Science, 2009)”. While I agree that is interesting, it really doesn’t tie in that well with BPD. I reread the entire section several times to figure out why they were citing that.

While this is a largely negative review, there was a lot of great information in the book. What I loved about this book is that people with BPD diagnosis are treated as human beings. I don’t agree that it is sexist that the majority of BPD diagnosis are given to females. There are many diagnoses that tend to be diagnosed to one gender or the other more (depression—female or antisocial—male, etc.) For my purposes the book spent too much time on auxiliary arguments that really weren't cohesive.

[Kristen]

I experience the traits version of "borderline personality disorder" but I related to so much in this book. The authors approach to "BPD" is very refreshing and I would say, is exactly right. I feel validated as someone who has had to deal with the label and feel I have more confidence in understanding why I am the way I am (which is awesome!).

[Gv]

General review: why not. Some interesting bits, nothing too dumb, not life-changing.
Pros:
-The case studies were interesting, though did not feel really useful within the argument of the book, I found myself repeatedly wondering "okay, and...??" waiting for a conclusion that did not come
- Easy to read, with a "different" point of view about a popular topic
Cons:
- A bit more... combative/argumentative than scientific. For example, the authors insist that the DSM cannot be quoted (and present it as evidence that it should not be trusted) and.... I am almost sure I have seen it quoted in a billion other books (with permission, which can have its own issues, but it felt more like an angry stab at the APA than constructive criticism).
- it feels more like an essay/pamphlet than a scientific book, dumbing down other people's research in order to make their point (for example: the big "BPD is a result of trauma/circumstances and not just chemical imbalances! And nobody knows".... mmm... actually it is pretty well known and acknowledged?
=> so a nice short read that reminds the reader to question all sorts of knowledge, but does not bring much to the table in terms of actual arguments/facts/theories

[Lee]

This book needed a heavy dose of editing...lots of repetition and typos.

[Steph]

The beginning with the history was a a little hard to get in to. The case studies were really interesting. I really liked how the authors talked about how "borderline personality disorder" is just a label of those that have endured trauma that they haven't been able to deal with.