Article 7: Supporting a Loved-one with Borderline Personality Disorder

To be in a relationship with an individual with Borderline Personality Disorder is complex and demanding - even self sacrificing - and requires a great deal strength. Patience, understanding and caring, even in the face of adversity, are important with these highly sensitive and emotionally immature (and sometimes abused) individuals.

Learning about Borderline Personality Disorder is very important as little is intuitive. For example, except in extreme circimstances, you should not protect the person affected by Borderline Personality Disorder from the natural consequences of their actions. According to Dr. John Gunderson, MD, it is important to allow them to learn about reality.

Defining limitations are important, too. You set them by stating them in advance and in clear, simple language. Too often, people assume that the BPD should know their expectations automatically. This is not a realitic assumption.

This five part guide was written by John G. Gunderson, MD, author of the clinical textbook Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders. This feature also includes an interview wirth Alan Fruzzetti, Ph.D., Director of Research for the NEA-BPD

... See this feature article