QUESTION:

Borderline Personality Disorder: Is it a character disorder?

DR. HELLER'S ANSWER:

Absolutely not. It's a tragedy that individuals with character disorder who also have the BPD are the most difficult patients, and are the most likely to be hospitalized and get attention. They have given mental health practitioners, academicians, and administrative people the incorrect impression that the BPD is a character disorder. It's not. I have many, many borderlines in my practice who are honorable, honest people who are genuinely suffering from their neurological problems.

Lying, lack of integrity, willingness to hurt other people, stealing, lack of gratitude, immoral behavior, and cheating are all signs of character problems.

While dysphoric the individual becomes psychotic - and misinterprets reality. These incorrect interpretations are often "remembered" as real and this can cause huge problems as well, particularly regarding false accusations. While borderlines can usually trust their good memories, their bad memories are suspect. Some may be true, many aren't - and it's very difficult to interpret which are which.

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