What does the borderline diagnosis mean to me as a doctor?
When I work with a patient with BPD, I expect that my experience will be
emotionally intense and the task challenging. Perhaps the essence of the
experience is being taught by my patients what it feels like to be them,
since I inevitably and involuntarily find myself in their shoes as they play
out the roles of others from their past who have often brought them pain. I
am also aware that while I may often occupy a favored place in my patients'
hearts, this privileged status is always fragile and may give way at any
moment to unbridled rage when I inevitably disappoint them. At least one such
crisis can be expected as part of the process of healing. Even knowing this
in advance and understanding its meaning, I cannot entirely avoid suffering.
I therefore consider carefully the state of my inner resources whenever I
contemplate taking on a new patient and, if accepted, I approach the task
with awe.
© Dr. Richard Moskovitz
What is the difference between Dialectical Behavior Therapy and "regular" therapy?
By A.J. Mahari © 2005-2007
