Experts Argue That Borderline Personality Disorder Should Be Shifted to Axis I
Thursday October 16, 2008
In a recent paper published in Biological Psychiatry, Dr. Antonia New and her colleagues at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Bronx VA Medical Center argue the case for shifting borderline personality disorder (BPD) from Axis I to Axis II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
In the most current, fourth edition of the DSM, BPD is diagnosed on Axis II, which is reserved for "longstanding disorders," such as personality disorders. In their paper, Dr. New and her colleagues argue that research has not supported the distinction between BPD and Axis I disorders, and that moving BPD to Axis I will spur new research on this serious condition.
Source:
New, A, Triebwasser, J, & Charney, DS. "The Case for Shifting Borderline Personality Disorder to Axis I." Biological Psychiatry, 64:653-659, 2008.
Comments
The difference between a “mental illness” on Axis I and a “personality disorder” on Axis II can be understood as the difference between “what I do” and “who I am”. Further, while Axis II generally occur in the context of a relationship interaction, Axis II can occur on a desert island. This, as well as the biological research, indicates that BPD is best left where it is.
How wrong your are Theresa and you offer a very superficial argument as to why BPD should be left as an Axis I. People with bipolar disorder often say “they are bipolar”. There moods affect their thinking and creativity and also affects their quality of interpersonal relationships, as it would with someone with BPD.
um actually borderline personality disorder is pretty rare. i dont know where you’re getting your information, but it is completely wrong and even just LOOKING at the newest DSM will tell you that. no personality disorder is “common”.
please do your research before you misinform people.
Actually, epidemiological research shows that BPD occurs in between 2% of the population. That means that about 4 million people have BPD in the U.S. alone. BPD is more common that very well known disorders like schizophrenia and autism (the latter disorder is so prevalent that some have called in an epidemic). Granted, the word “common” is subjective, but I would argue that BPD is much more common than most people think.
What I do and who I am….you make it sound so easy to distinguish between the two. It’s not.
You sound a bit confused yourself – I imagine that you meant to say that Axis I can occur on a desert island! I once spent five years apart from “civilization” – no phone,no town nearby, etc. I can assure you that the suffering was the same, the insomnia incurable, the dysphoria (a Molotov cocktail of self loathing, guilt, fear, shame,hopelessness, despair,and yes at times anger – though mostly turned against yourself contrary to all the stereotyping out there) even worse at times. Because as far as the latter goes, although other people can exacerbate my condition, they can also help to distract me, amd keep me from spiralling down through the 10 circles of hell.
There are two radically different attachment problems that are both found in BPD – fearful avoidant and fearful ambivalent. So about half of us isolate as much as we can – and it does not make us feel any better.