The families of borderlines often balk at treatment for several reasons. They may feel guilt over the patient’s problems and fear being blamed for them. Also the bonds in borderline family systems are often very rigid; family members are often suspicious of outsiders and fearful of change. Though family members may be colluding in the perpetuation of the patient’s behaviors (consciously or unconsciously), the attitude of the family is often “Make him better, but don’t blame us, don’t involve us, and most of all, don’t change us.”
