Author Description

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness that centers on the inability to manage emotions effectively. The disorder occurs in the context of relationships: sometimes all relationships are affected, sometimes only one. It usually begins during adolescence or early adulthood. This book provides answers to many of the questions you might have about BPD: - What is BPD? - How long does it last? - What other problems co-occur with BPD? While some persons with BPD are high functioning in certain settings, their private lives may be in turmoil. Most people who have BPD suffer from problems regulating their emotions and thoughts, impulsive and sometimes reckless behavior, and unstable relationships. The diagnosis of BPD is frequently missed and a misdiagnosis of BPD has been shown to delay and/or prevent recovery. Bipolar disorder is one example of a misdiagnosis as it also includes mood instability. There are important differences between these conditions but both involve unstable moods. For the person with bipolar disorder, the mood changes exist for weeks or even months. The mood changes in BPD are much shorter and can even occur within the day. Incidence * BPD affects 5.9% of adults (about 14 million Americans) at some time in their life * BPD affects 50% more people than Alzheimer's disease and nearly as many as schizophrenia and bipolar combined (2.25%). * BPD affects 20% of patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals * BPD affects 10% of people in outpatient mental health treatment This book gives you the tools to take your life back and is a must-have for sufferers and their loved ones alike.