A.’s Reviews > I Hate You—Don't Leave Me: Understanding the Borderline Personality > Status Update

Borderline are capable of performing well in a structured work or professional environment, but below the surface linger grave selfdoubts, suspicions, and fears. The internal thought processes of bordrlines may be surprisingly unsophisticated and primal, camouflaged by a stable facade of learned and rehearsed platitudes.

the term borderline was first coined by Adolph Stern in 1938 to describe a group of patients who did not seem to fit into the primary diagnostic classifications of neurosis and psychoses....they were more ill than neurotic patients yet they did not, like pshychotic patients, continually misinterpret the real world. though like neurotics, they displayed a wide range of anxiety symptoms..

the borderline's greatest obstacle to change is his tendency to evaluate in absolute extremes.

Unable to see his world through adult eyes, the borderline continues to experience life as a child with a child's intense emotions and perspective.

healing in the borderline requires placing just enough pressure by challenging himself to move forward.

He may live in a kind of a swamp, but it's his swamp; he knows where the alligators are...To leave his swamp means venturing into the unknown and perhaps falling into an even more dangerous swamp.

Change is real hard work...It requires conscious retreat from unhealthy situations and the will to build healthier foundations.It entails coping with drastic interruption of long established equilibrium

Improvement occurred with or without treatment, although treated patients achieved remission sooner

TFP (Transference Focused Psychotherapy) performed best in reducing irritability and verbal and physical assault.