Borderline Personality Disorder (The Facts)

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a psychiatric condition that affects nearly 2% of the general population, predominantly women. Symptoms of BPD include impulsivity, mood swings, unstable intense relationships and feelings of chronic emptiness. Research on BPD has lagged behind that on other mental health conditions, such as depression and psychosis, primarily due to the lack of evidence of effective treatment but also due to the stigma historically associated with the condition. Fortunately this situation is changing, with improved treatments now available and improved clinician/organizational willingness to engage with those with a diagnosis of BPD.

This book provides people with BPD and their families and friends with an authoritative, user-friendly and easily-readable resource that is both informative about the condition and provides practical help in assisting improved outcomes. The authors draw from the latest research and decades of clinical experience to provide a compassionate understanding of BPD and treatments for the condition. Numerous case histories and patient perspectives have been included to help illustrate key points and bring the book alive for the reader. The book is balanced, integrated and respectful of patients, family and friends, and clinicians. In an area often associated with pessimism and negativity, this book provides patients and families with realistic hope.

Roy Krawitz is Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist with 25 years' experience in treating patients with borderline personality disorder as therapist, consultant, trainer, researcher and scientific author. Roy has provided borderline personality disorder therapy (DBT, psychodynamic and supportive psychotherapy) in a wide variety of healthcare settings. His published scientific research includes the effectiveness of therapy, the DBT program he leads and his borderline personality disorder training for professionals. This is Roy's fourth published book on borderline personality disorder, one of which (published by Oxford University Press) has also been translated and published in Dutch and Japanese.
Wendy Jackson is currently employed as a mental health promoter for a national mental health organization, and is a freelance health auditor, quality manager and consumer advisor. Wendy is an ex-consumer of services for people with borderline personality disorder, having benefited from treatment implemented across inpatient, community and crisis services, and now has a robust history of recovery from borderline personality disorder. In her role as consumer consultant, Wendy has been actively involved in the setting up and delivery of treatment plans, running skills training and support groups for clients with borderline personality disorder and delivering borderline personality disorder training to professionals.