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The topic of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) was a main focus at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting this past May. Mental health professionals have long been perplexed by this diagnosis and at a loss for good treatment options. The diagnosis itself has taken on a profoundly negative connotation over the years and just the name conjures up images of unpleasant fictional characters portrayed in the media. In many cases people with this disorder have gotten a bad rap. It was recently revealed, based on a study done by the federal government of over 24,000 adults, that the prevalence of this disorder is about 6%. The disorder is equally present in men and women. This number is far greater than previously thought.

A patient presenting with symptoms of BPD is typically seen as extremely challenging for most clinicians. Many patients go undiagnosed for years and instead are given many other diagnoses that seem to fit only part of their unique disorder. The misdiagnosis then leads to improper or inferior treatment. Borderline Personality Disorder has previously been classified as the result of childhood abuse. In this way it has been somewhat misunderstood. Recent research has shown that there is in fact a biological predisposition to the basic symptoms of the disorder. Abuse will increase a person’s chances for developing the disorder but not everyone with BPD has a history of abuse. One of the things that this distinction hopes to clear up is the belief that the person with BPD is being deliberately manipulative and combative. These beliefs have made it more difficult for sufferers of BPD to get unbiased treatment from clinicians and understanding from loved ones.

In addition to redefining the nature of the disorder, the attention it has received lately has helped educate family and friends of people afflicted with BPD. This is a critical step in the healing process for these individuals because a consistency in relationships is crucial to these individuals. There has been a movement towards more family and patient advocacy and providing better treatment and referral services. According to a Los Angeles Times report, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, a well-known patient advocacy group, has placed BPD on its list of “priority populations” for public policy efforts. This increased awareness and focus on the disorder is very good news for those who have lived with this diagnosis and for the people who love them.