Borderline Personality Disorder and The Media

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) remains largely misunderstood and is surrounded by stigma. This stigma comes from misinformation and a lack of understanding on the part of media and many professionals.

Witness the endless speculation about the late Princess Diana. Speculation that seems without purpose. Just as with Marilyn Monroe - what good does it do for the living, breathing, average borderline to have the media focus on such famous people who are no longer with us? What can we possibly learn from this focus? Isn't this focus just taking the attention, away, as always, from the heart and soul of what BPD is and of what happens to both those with it and those in the lives of borderlines?

Where are the talk-shows? They like to focus on sour relationships, sensationalistic sex scandals, spirituality, self-awarenss, other disorders, but not one of them has touched the issue of BPD.

The film, "Girl Interrupted", such a wonderful meaningful title wasted in a meager attempt to portray the life of and the healing of a borderline, was not at all realistic nor did it explain or portray many of the characteristics of BPD.

It was more of a romp through the cracks that exist in the institutional system. It was more of a look at the limitations of therapy than it was about what it means, feels like or is like to be borderline or to overcome BPD.

Mainstream media is all but ignoring Borderline Personality Disorder. Why? The only times I've seen it reported at all in the media, sadly, are times when someone diagnosed with it has either committed a crime or killed themselves. This one-sided negative representation just continues to fuel the stigma that remains attached to BPD.

There are many responsible books and articles being written about BPD. However, are they being adequately promoted? Are they enough? Are they providing society with an adequate enough chance to be both educated and informed about BPD?

Quite a part from the responsible books being published, there are people, online and in the book business who are just using BPD to make a name for themselves. Crusaders on self-indulgent crusades while attempting to claim to serve those who are truly suffering while all the while doing such a dis-service and such harm in the long-run.

If you agree with me, here, that there just isn't enough accurate focus on BPD in the media why not respond by sharing your thoughts the discussion on our message board? Do you have any ideas as to how we can bring BPD to light more often and accurately without further stigmatizing it?

Being borderline is not about being crazy. It is a