Borderline Personality Disorder Essay

Psychological abnormality revolves around conditions regarding an individual’s mental health. These conditions are deemed deviant from society’s ideology of proper functioning, pertaining to behaviour and thought processes. These processes condone distress and dysfunction, as well as increase the likelihood of danger to oneself and others. Diana Miller, or better known as Disco Di, has had a history of episodes which led to concerns on the nature of her mental stability. She has been hospitalized on numerous occasions, and had been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder as well as Borderline Personality Disorder. Both disorders are ultimately life changing and ensue learned helplessness, a theory introduced by Martin Seligman (1975).
I will also touch base on the cultural, gender, and social roles which shape her diagnosis as well as paradigms in conjunction with potential treatment methods. With an accurate diagnosis and an accompanying treatment, Disco Di can live a fundamentally motivating, fulfilling and productive life absent from self-destruction. Disco Di was diagnosed on her seventh psychiatric hospitalization with Borderline Personality Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, which can manifest themselves in many ways. According to the DSM IV, BPD holds constant to a pattern of instability. Since adolescence, she emulated the diagnostic features of unstable interpersonal relationships which she described as violent, but passionate. Specifically she felt these feelings towards men, as well as the relationships she held with her parents, which alternated between extremes of neediness and isolation. Along with her instability within relationships, she experienced instabilities with mood shifts from giddy euphoria to tearfulness and depression. These are often followed by aggressive and rebellious behaviour. Disco Di demonstrated extreme impulsiveness and erratic behaviour which was evident in her promiscuous nature and
Her interest,and pleasure, involving her ideals significantly decreased, having no idea what she wanted to do with her life. She recalls having a difficult childhood which was worsened by the death of her sister at age 11, the only person she relied on for companionship and safety. Her state of mind only grew more lonely and she supported that notion by developing agoraphobic tendencies. These self-destructive mannerisms led her to what the DSM IV also features as criteria under Borderline Personality Disorder; recurring suicidal behaviour. She has unsuccessfully attempted suicide countless times and engaged in self-mutilation. Disco Di follows the theory of learned helplessness where she believes regardless of what she does there will be no avail. Her preoccupation with suicide and substance abuse are the only ways she can find potential escapes. It is noted that 90% of individuals who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder, and 75% of people with Borderline Personality Disorder attempt suicide once in their lifetime with 10% deemed successful (Gunderson,