What Can You Do to Fight Stigma?
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a diagnosis with a bad rap. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with the disorder is not a thing of the past, and it's not just a problem in the general public; there are even some mental health professionals who are not fully educated about BPD. Case in point - today I read an advice column written by a clinical psychologist describing people with BPD. In the column the psychologist states that people with BPD do not have a mental illness. This is not accurate -- BPD is a legitimate psychological disorder recognized in the DSM-IV; it is an Axis II disorder (rather than an Axis I disorder, like major depression or panic disorder), but that doesn't make it any less of a legitimate condition.
Unfortunately, this sort of misinformation is all over the internet. What can you do about the stigma associated with BPD? Learn more about the disorder, and share your knowledge with other people. People need to understand that BPD is a mental health condition and not "a personality problem."
Comments
Actually, Axis II Disorders are not necessarily considered mental illnesses. It comes down to the difference between mental illnesses and disorders. It is a diagnosed DSM-IV disorder but is not considered a chemical imbalance in the brain the way mood disorders or anxiety disorders are. Axis II disorders are usually behavioral, rather than chemical disorders. This is why cognitive-behavioral therapy is intended for Axis II Disorders. They can commonly be thought of as the culmination of a long road of unhealthy defense mechanisms the person has set up.