1. Health

Review of Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies

Is Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies a Reliable Resource?

About.com Rating 4 Star Rating
Be the first to write a review

From , former About.com Guide

Updated September 30, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of this book; Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies isn't exactly a title that suggests expert advice with a solid research foundation. But the book, written by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and Laura L. Smith, PhD, was a very pleasant surprise.

A real strength of this book is breadth. Whether you have BPD or care about someone who does, this book has valuable information and advice for you. The book has seven major sections, with topics ranging from understanding the symptoms of BPD, to choosing treatments for BPD, to advice for loved ones of sufferers. Nothing is left out.

Another strength of the book is its readability. There are plenty of resources out there that have reliable information on BPD, but I find that they are written in a difficult style and are hard to digest. Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies, however, is written in plain language. The authors have done an excellent job of communicating abstract concepts (e.g., identity problems in BPD) clearly.

Finally, Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies provides excellent resources both for people with BPD and their families. In addition to sections on overcoming obstacles to change, seeking treatment, implementing healthier coping strategies, cultivating empathy, and managing a loved one's symptoms, the appendices provide a wealth of information on available BPD resources.

If I were pressed to highlight a flaw in the book, I'd say that the section of the book evaluating psychotherapies for BPD is quite brief and could be covered in more depth. But this flaw is minor.

If you are searching for a one-stop source for lots of information on BPD, Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies is an excellent place to start. Even experts can learn something new from this very useful tome.

  1. About.com
  2. Health
  3. Borderline Personality
  4. Resources
  5. Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies - An Expert Review of Borderline Personality Disorder for Dummies

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.

We comply with the HONcode standard
for trustworthy health
information: verify here.