LogFAQs > #964903129

bsp77 posted...

While I have been defending people with BPD, I think many of the examples are attributable to BPD. The descriptions do match the unchecked symptoms that can occur. We need to keep some perspective here.

My point is that not everyone with BPD is the same. There are officially nine potential symptom buckets (with 5 needed for diagnosis). There are also differences in severity, and also a BIG difference if someone is treating the symptoms through therapy and/or medication.

I don't think we should condemn someone with BPD before meeting them, but I think we can also state that the people who have had issues with others with BPD is at least partially because they have BPD.

Being in treatment should really be a bare minimum for people with severe or debilitating mental illnesses. You wouldnt recommend someone date an addict who is in the midst of a relapse, and you wouldnt recommend an addict in the midst of a relapse date anyone (in fact I think most treatment programs tell addicts to wait like a year from getting clean before they start new relationships). I think the same thing can apply to those with other potentially harmful mental illnesses. There are definitely realistic expectations that can be set without demonizing every single person who has an illness.