If You Label Me, Go with Your Therapy Somewhere! Borderline Personality Disorder and Stigma

Abstract

Introduction

Borderline personality disorder is associated with numerous symptoms that interfere with interpersonal relationships. Both mental health professionals and the general population often think negatively about patients suffering from this disorder, which may worsen the creation and maintenance of the supporting therapeutic relationship.

Method

Research and review articles were identified using the Web of Science, Medline and Scopus. Keywords were represented byterms 'borderline”, 'stigma”, 'internalized stigma”, 'therapy”, 'treatment”, 'psychotherapy” and 'psychosocial treatment”.

Results

Psychiatric staff´s opinions on the patients with personality disorders are strongly judgemental and stereotypic. Mental healthprofessionals stigmatize the patients with borderline personality disorder even more frequently than the general population does. The rule is that there is a conviction about incurability of the disorder, manipulative nature of self-mutilation or other symptoms, and thestrong traits of the patient are overlooked. The considerable percentage of medics tries to avoid the contact with these patients. Thesereactions partly arise from the patient’s real maladaptive behaviour; however they are partly the result of prejudice, negative stereotypes and unprocessed countertransference. Negative attitudes of medics lead to the marginalization of patients with borderline personality disorder within the health care system.

Conclusion

The health professionals often negatively and stereotypically evaluate the patients with borderline personality disorder, which can lead to an increase of maladaptive symptoms and worsening of treatment effectiveness in these patients.