Regular marked price: $13.95Discount Price: $11.16
Cost Savings: $2.79 (20%)Price fluctuation possible.
How soon does it ship: Normal ship time within one day
Shipping? Absolutely FREE if you qualify for Super Saver Shipping.
Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 616.858520092
EAN num: 9781592850990
ISBN number: 1592850995
Label: Hazelden
Manufacturer: Hazelden
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 350
Printing Date: September 01, 2004
Publishing house: Hazelden
Sale Popularity Level: 16207
Studio: Hazelden
Other books you might be interested in perusing:
Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Borderline Personality Disorder. 'What the hell was that?' raged Rachel Reiland when she read the diagnosis written in her medical chart. As the 29-year old accountant, wife, and mother of young children would soon discover, it was the diagnosis that finally explained her explosive anger, manipulative behaviors, and self-destructive episodes- including bouts of anorexia, substance abuse, and sexual promiscuity. With astonishing honesty, Reiland's memoir reveals what mental illness feels like and looks like from the inside, and how healing from such a devastating disease is possible through intensive therapy and the support of loved ones.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
-
First of all, I have a background and graduate education in psychology and I'm well read in the borderline personality disorder arena. I have also seen people close to me struggle with this disorder. Therefore, I am always excited to see something fresh that sheds light on this often neglected disorder whatever name you want to put to it.
What is MOST valuable about this book is that it gives an INSIDE perspective on BPD. Most of what is written on the subject describes it from the OUTSIDE. This is invaluable for anyone confronting this problem, living with someone who has BPD tendencies and especially the average psychotherapist. In short, it's an extremely vulnerable and intimate account that sheds light on the type of distorted thinking, feeling and meaning making that can occur. Among other things, this must have taken incredible courage and I can't even imagine anyone would right a book like this except out of extreme compassion.
This is a rather long book, but I honestly couldn't put it down. It takes the reader inside the head and heart of the BPD sufferer. It uses story like good fiction to illustrate situations and important points and in this sense it's like good fiction except it's real! If you are confused about what goes on inside the mind of someone with BPD... this is a very good starting point for understanding the overwhelming feelings of emptiness, impulsiveness, etc. It also develops the consequences of acting out, the different dilemmas that arise as fallout, etc.
I can't praise this book enough, I'm so glad someone took the time to write it. If you are suffering from BPD or a loved one is.... it's a MUST own book. It will also inspire you and show you what the path forward looks like. While it's true BPD is a stubborn problem, it is also true that we have never known more about it than we do now and there really are effective therapies and medication out there. However, I think the most important ingredient is love and above all this is a story of great love and commitment from key people in the patient's life.
There are other excellent BPD resources available on Amazon. If you are reading this review, I'm sure you would also want to own Sometimes I Act Crazy: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder. This is the best SINGLE book on the topic that I am aware of. Also, if you are a therapist, consider... Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder. This is a good starting point for clients, therapists and family alike.
In the past BPD was considered hopeless or virtually so. Now, however, we know a lot more about the brain, treating this disorder, etc. However, not every therapist is talented at working with it. You need to find someone who is effective. Therefore, doing your homework is essential. If you are a concerned family member stuck in the middle, then you may find Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Your Life Back When Someone You Care about Has Borderline Personality Disorder and Breaking Free from Boomerang Love: Getting Unhooked from Borderline Personality Disorder Relationships. The latter of these two focuses on intimate relationships. It's tone is a bit sarcastic at times, but you will learn a lot too.
Finally, I would recommend the following: Lost in the Mirror, 2nd Edition: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder. This is another VERY GOOD and concise inside look at BPD with more structure. It is written with compassion and would definitely be something you might enjoy reading along with this book or after it. I also like The Narcissistic and Borderline Disorders: An Integrated Developmental Approach as one potential developmental model for therapists. In general, psychodynamic and dialectical behavioral approaches seem to work the best. I also like Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Of Borderline Patients. There are also many new books out there that you are probably aware of, but these older ones still have much to offer in terms of providing a broad perspective.
Rated by buyers -
Earlier this year I ended a relationship with a woman who likely has BPD. Our friendship would swing between fierce affection and rage. It was clearly unhealthy and addictive. I realized I needed to pull away from her. When I did, abandonment was triggered and the abuse escalated, to the point where I had no choice but to completely "amputate" our friendship. It was like a bad dream.
It felt horrible to reject her, but it felt just as bad to be the recipient of her rage and hostility - and then be forced to walk away with no closure and no apologies. I had trusted her so much. I've been struggling to sort out feelings of bitterness, betrayal and anger towards her.
In the book Rachel's therapist Dr. Padgett is the person who most 'matches' me. He's helping her with her process and he listens to her and understands her and she is addictively and insatiably drawn to him. She thinks about him constantly and looks forward earnestly to every subsequent session.
But many times she verbally rips him to shreds and demonizes him. Then she flips back the other way and she's affectionate and remorseful.
Either way, he doesn't take it personally and he patiently plays the role of facilitator. He's very careful about his boundaries and asserts his authority whenever he needs to. The book helped me begin to mentally assume the same posture as Dr. Padgett. It helps me not take the verbal abuse personally anymore. Helps me re-frame it, understand the world she lives in, and have hope that if my former friend seeks help, she too can find a healing journey.
The book is very well written and strikes a proper balance between empathy for the source of a dysfunction yet not accepting it as an excuse. Rachel takes responsibility for her behavior and finds her way out. I'm thankful for Rachel Reiland for giving me a chance to be "inside the mind" of a BPD person for awhile.
Rated by buyers -
Rachel Reiland's book is a heart-wrenching account of a misunderstood mental disorder. Several months ago I attempted to read it, and put it down after 50 pages, dismissing it, saying, "that's not me!" Then, a few weeks ago, I picked it up and read the additional 400 pages in 2 days and was glued, because I did identify with it. From the hysteria and the many hospitalizations, to the "tough-girl" attitude to cover up the pain, the endless therapy, the violent, angry outbursts; it was too close for comfort. I had read a few reviews that insisted that the therapy sessions were too long and laborious for the readers to endure, but as a person suffering from this disorder, the therapy is laborious, mainly because of the denial and the pain we have to uncover. I started to highlight a few points and gave up because I began to identify with so much of her experience. Thankfully, I had a therapist, like hers, who was an "angel"; patient and tolerant. I strongly recommend this book to people who suffer from this frightening and frustrating illness and to the families and friends who stand by us. Although the medical profession still stigmatizes us and says we are hopeless, positive examples like Rachel's reminds us that with a lot of hard work and understanding, we can recover and lead fairly normal lives. The work never really ends, but at least we have tools to cope.
A+++++!!!
Rated by buyers -
I find this book to be beneficial to anyone with BPD or a loved one who has BPD. I could relate to almost every page and would recommend it to anyone.
Rated by buyers -
I'm the wife of a BPD spouse and after reading every book I can on the subject as well as belonging to support groups, trying therapy, this book, for me was the most helpful. It has enabled me to have a better understanding and to see more clearly what's really going on when an episode begins. I am much more aware of using S.E.T. I read this book in three days and I know I will read it again before I go back to S.W.O.E. again. I think this book should be a must read for any partner or relative of someone with BPD.
Find other books like this one:
