Looking for some interesting reading while you’re relaxing by the pool? If you or someone you’re close to has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it’s a good time to do some summer reading that can give you more insight into and information on this psychiatric disorder. Here are some of our picks for books, both fiction and non-fiction, related to Borderline Personality Disorder:

I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me: Understanding the Borderline Personality, by Jerold J. Kreisman and Hal Straus

This is a definitive guide on Borderline Personality Disorder. Released in 1991, I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me was one of the first books to take a comprehensive look at BPD. Kreisman and Straus delve into the various factors that can lead to the development of BPD. Besides busting myths that are most often associated with the psychiatric disorder, the authors have devoted an entire section to people who have loved ones with BPD. The new and improved 2010 version also details the cognitive and behavioral treatment options available for BPD.

Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder, by Rachel Reiland

In Get Me Out of Here, Rachel Reiland weaves a first-person account of her struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder. From being diagnosed with BPD and anorexia to achieving a fulfilling life, she takes us on a roller coaster ride filled with some typical symptoms of BPD, including severe mood swings, suicide attempts, promiscuity, episodes of anxiety, and depression. A gripping, yet informative tale.

Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder, by Richard Moskovitz

Richard Moskovitz, MD, provides interesting accounts of BPD patients he has treated in Lost in the Mirror. Based on actual medical case studies, Moskovitz provides important insights into the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. He describes the psychiatric disorder through everyday analogies, making the book accessible to the general reader. Moskovitz understands the borderline personality, and makes borderlines feel “understood” too. Lost in the Mirrors offers hope, not just education.

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

In Girl, Interrupted, Susanna Kaysen narrates her experiences as an inpatient resident in a mental hospital. Kaysen was admitted into a psychiatric facility at the age of 18 after she was diagnosed with BPD following a suicide attempt. She recounts her experiences with the fellow wards, exploring the nature of their individual illnesses. The book transports us into the mind of someone with Borderline Personality Disorder. It can be, along with other reference guides, a good companion text for families who are dealing with BPD.

Breaking Free from Boomerang Love: Getting Unhooked from Borderline Personality Disorder Relationships, by Lynn Melville

People getting into a relationship with someone with Borderline Personality Disorder don’t often realize there’s anything wrong with their partner. People with BPD can be charming, intense, and passionate. It’s only after a while that inconsistencies in their behavior become apparent and start rocking the relationship. People with BPD can make for volatile partners and can be a constant source of stress for the other person. Breaking Free from Boomerang Love is written for the partners of people with BPD. It can be hard to detach yourself from your partner with BPD, despite the pain they might be inflicting on you, because their good, loving side keeps returning. However, Lynn Melville explains how you can detach yourself from your partner and create a happier life for yourself.

The Buddha & the Borderline: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder Through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, & Online Dating, by Kiera Van Gelder

Kiera Van Gelder’s memoir provides an honest look at her ongoing recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. The Buddha & The Borderline follows Van Gelder from her first suicide attempt at the age of 12 to her diagnosis of BPD 20 years later to her recovery through Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Buddhism, and other methods. An insightful look into the daily struggles of someone with BPD and the hope that recovery can bring.

If you have any other books on Borderline Personality Disorder to add to our summer reading list, please share them below.