Q. You have a wonderful web site. I am a social worker and have worked with folks with the diagnosis of Borderline (although I wish they renamed it the DSM IV because the term does really apply in the 90's) Anyway I have a remark and a question. First I want to applaud you for being out there as a professional who does not let shame get in the way of being honest about who you are (all the parts). Second, I have a clinical question. Part of the work (I think) is being honest and human as a therapist. The downside to that is that many people with BPD get infuriated with their therapists for "failing" them. And when I say fail, it is usually those things clients without that diagnosis can usually tolerate. Do you have any advice, because sometimes I feel myself getting overly rigid because I am waiting for the blow up or insult. It is not a comfortable way for me to work.
Any thoughts you could share would be helpful. I have read "the books". But I believe to truly know how to work with a population of people best, you can't be afraid to ask questions.
A. I think there are two problems...
1) misinformation and preconception by the mental health community
2) inadequate medical treatment. I work very hard to get borderlines to understand they over-react and this can be controlled by non addicting medications on an "as needed" basis.