A Deconstruction of Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

BPD is a disorder of many aspects, levels, meanings, presenting symptoms and issues. It demands deconstruction so that the blueprint of its development can provide a model for its treatment. Deconstruction can only be accomplished theoretically. This paper attempts to provide a theoretical perspective on both the development of the syndrome and a possible view of its treatment. The paper reviews the theories of BLPD and the steady reification of the diagnosis in order to provide a phenomenological alternative and a compassionate method of treatment.

Share and Cite:

Barclay, M. (2015) A Deconstruction of Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychology, 6, 1187-1198. doi: 10.4236/psych.2015.69117.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision, 4th ed.). American Psychiatric Publications.
[2] Barclay, M. W. (1997a). The Metaphoric Foundation of Literal Language: Towards a Theory of the Reification and Meaning of Psychological Constructs. Theory & Psychology, 7, 355-372.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959354397073004
[3] Barclay, M. W. (1997b). Metaphoric Truth and Narrative Structure: Implications for Understanding and Treating Patients Exhibiting Dissociative Phenomena. In S. Krippner, & S. Powers (Eds.), Broken Images, Broken Selves: Dissociative Narratives in Clinical Practice. New York: Bruner-Mazel.
[4] Barclay, M. W., & Kee, M. (2001). Towards a Semiotic Psychotherapy: Semiotic Objects and Semiotic Selves. Theory & Psychology, 11, 671-686. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959354301115005
[5] Damasio, A. (2005). Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain (Revised Penguin ed.). New York: Penguin.
[6] Damasio, A. (2003). Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
[7] Gergen, K. (1985). The Social Constructionist Movement in Modern Psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 266-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.40.3.266
[8] Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
[9] Mahler, M., Pine, F., & Bergman, A. (1975). The Psychological Birth of the Human Infant. New York: Basic Books.
[10] Masterson, J. F. (1976). Psychotherapy of the Borderline Adult. New York: Bruner/Mazel Inc.
[11] Masterson, J. F. (1981). The Narcissistic and Borderline Disorders. New York: Bruner/Mazel Inc.
[12] Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). Phenomenology of Perception. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul; New York: Humanities Press.
[13] Merleau-Ponty, M. (1963). The Structure of Behavior. Boston: Beacon Press.
[14] Merleau-Ponty, M. (1971). The Primacy of Perception. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press.
[15] Sapolsky, R. (2004). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers (3rd ed.). New York: Holt/Owl.
[16] Van der Kolk, B., McFarlane, A. C., & Weisaeth, L. (2007). Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body and Society. New York and London: Guilford Press.

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.