A typical scenario for modern social relationships is a pattern of overlapping lovers, sometimes referred to as shingling—establishing a new romance before severing a current one. BPD exemplifies this constant need for partnership: As she climbs the jungle gym of relationships, she cannot let go of the lower bar until she has firmly grasped the next one. Typically, she will not leave her current abusive spouse until a new “white knight” is at least visible on the horizon.
