How the experience of being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder affects relations with others and one’s self-perception - an existential phenomenological study

Having worked as a psychologist in both the UK and Lima, Peru, working with patients who present a variety of conditions ranging from a depression to severe cases of schizophrenia, I became concerned by the way in which patients reacted to their diagnoses and in particular by the negative response of patients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). I also perceived that the lack of a clear and accepted diagnosis caused significant confusion regarding the condition for patients, carers and professionals. This led me to question the value of the diagnoses in the process of understanding and helping people with emotional distress or psychological problems. This study is a response to my experience and the experience participants expressed through me