People with BPD are currently the most stigmatized in the mental health system. A number of myths contribute to this problem including:
MYTH: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a permanent condition that cannot be treated or improve.
FACT: Research shows that people with BPD can recover with effective treatment. Recent reports state that up to 88% of people with the disorder experience significant improvement over time.
MYTH: People with Borderline Personality Disorder are attention seeking and manipulative.
FACT: The phrases “attention seeking” and “manipulative” imply that conscious and deliberate thought and planning is involved but most BPD behavior is not a deliberate attempt to manipulate people or get attention. It is an attempt to get needs met.
MYTH: People with BPD have a flawed personality.
FACT: BPD is caused by a combination of environmental and neuro-biological factors, not a personality flaw.
MYTH: The term “Borderline Personality Disorder” is based on up-to-date research reflecting the true nature of the disorder.
FACT: The term “borderline” was developed in the early 1900’s when psychoanalysts realized that BPD did not fit into their oversimplified way of categorizing mental illness – either as neurotic or psychotic. BPD was thought to be on the “borderline”. There is currently a move to have the name changed to something similar to Emotional Processing Disorder or Emotional Regulation Disorder in the next edition of the DSM.
Currently the following changes are being proposed:
DSM 5 Proposed Revision to Borderline Personality Disorder
You can get in on the debate. What do you think BPD should be called?
