The Bottom Line
Written by the writers of I Hate You, Don't Leave Me, this is their second book on borderline personality disorder (BPD). Sometimes I Act Crazy: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder is written for both those with BPD and those who care about them.
- Gives a comprehensive overview of borderline personality disorder.
- Provides detailed examples and explanations of the symptoms of BPD.
- Gives action steps for dealing with the symptom discussed in each chapter.
- Discusses the SET approach of communication
- Generally written in clear language.
- May promote inappropriate labeling of people as BPD.
- Detailed vingettes at the beginning of each chapter can be a bit distracting.
Description
- Authors: Jerold J. Kreisman, MD & Hal Straus
- Publisher: Wiley
- ISBN: 0-471-22286-0
Guide Review - Sometimes I Act Crazy
The authors start by describing Diana, the Princess of Wales, as a brief introduction to someone living with BPD. This is followed by a concise description of BPD, what has happened in the 15 years since their previous book, and "action steps" that include a checklist of possible clues to BPD. The next several chapters address each individual symptom, and provide an engaging story of a BP exhibiting the symptom described. This is followed up with discussion of treatment strategies, communication techniques, prognosis, and future research directions.
Sometimes I Act Crazy is a good starting point for those who want to better understand BPD. The authors wrote one of the first books on BPD for the lay person, and continue to focus on making the information accessible to most readers.
I did find the anecdotes to be engrossing, but distracting in their detail. For some, the details, such as names of locales or music artists, included could limit their connection with the story. For instance, would everyone in Kentucky be able to identify with a woman stuck in the rush hour traffic on the "405" in Los Angeles? Or would someone who has never heard of Alicia Keys relate to a character playing her CD to relax?
The authors provide an effective communication tool for communicating with a person with BPD: SET (support, empathy, truth). A description and examples of SET in practice are provided, which can assist readers in incorporating this into their regular communication with a BP.
In addition, readers should be careful regarding the BPD checklist. Only one or two examples of each list item is given, and these alone do not indicate the presence of any personality disorder or other pathology. In addition, it should be with great caution that anyone use the label of BPD on someone, including public figures.
