It is not known how UK citizens are sufferers of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Some research suggest that it is as prevalent as one in five people and others have said that it is about one in every 20 people (NICE,2009). Talking therapies are found to be especially effective in the treatment of BPD (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2010). Some medications such as antipsychotics, in small doses, have also been found to be effective treatments. This can be seen as quite a controversial choice. The NICE guidelines recommend that talking therapies rather than medication are used as treatments and state that psychotropic medication should only be used in short term crisis or only with those who have dual-diagnosis with other mental health conditions.
Borderline Personality Disorder .
The term "borderline personality" was first coined by Adolph Stern in 1938. He described BPD as borderline because it did not fit into one of two categories but rather, bordered on other conditions (NICE, 2010). To be diagnosed with BPD a person needs to meet five or more diagnostic criteria from a list of seven and these symptoms need to be having a severe effect on a person's day to day life (MIND, 2013). BPD usually starts to develop in adolescence but is not usually diagnosed until early adulthood. BPD affects people's ability to establish and maintain relationships and regulate emotions. Other common features that people with this diagnosis have are fear of actual or perceived abandonment, identity crisis and constant feelings of emptiness (DSMIV, 2004). BPD also has high prevalence of comorbidity especially with eating disorders and depression. (Royal College Of Psychiatrists, 2010). There have been some problems identified with the way in which BPD is diagnosed. .
The validity of the diagnostic has come under criticism because it is all very subjective. It works with the assumption there is a "normal" personality.