Do you know someone who is struggling with intense emotions, rage or anger, emotional lability, interpersonal conflict, unstable social or family relationships, and poor self-image? If so, perhaps you are dealing with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD is a mental health condition that affects all facets of a sufferer’s life. Sadly, although BPD has become less stigmatized over time (especially with Dr. Marsha Linehan and many other experts educating society, families, caregivers, and sufferers to what BPD actually is), it is still hard for people to accept. But as a mental health therapist I have evaluated, talked to, and counseled adolescent girls who stayed in multiple abusive and emotionally unstable relationships for the simple fact that “I cannot live without him. I will die.” These intense emotions led to a cascade of other behaviors that were disturbing such as stalking, obsession, begging, and even sexual immorality. The intensity of the emotions of someone suffering from BPD may be disproportionate to the actual situation. My experience with clients has been that a diagnosis of BPD is like a death sentence due to stigma. This article will explain what a diagnosis of BPD can lead to and how to view the diagnosis in a healthier way.

As a therapist there are times when I have trouble sharing a diagnosis with a client. Why? Because so many of the mental health diagnoses that society talks about (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissism, psychotic disorders, and sociopaths) are all stigmatized and confused by hearsay, incorrect information on the Internet or in society, and hidden by those too embarrassed to discuss it. It’s no wonder so many people would rather not see mental health professionals. Receiving a mental health diagnosis or personality disorder diagnosis can change your life forever. Not just change the course of your life due to symptoms, but also change your social, work, and familial relationships in addition to how you view yourself. Self-esteem is often at the core of someone’s difficulty in accepting a mental health diagnosis. It’s bad enough that many of us struggle with self-esteem and incorrect perceptions of ourselves, much less trying to function confidently in the world with a mental health or personality diagnosis.