BPD Community recommends books for those at the early stage of learning about the disorder. This list is just a small sample of what is available. It is helpful to understand that as we learn about BPD, our need for up to date and reliable information increases.
Books are usually targeted at the general population and are often easier to read than the research articles which provide us with more up to date information.
The enthusiastic learner will begin with books and then advance to more complex forms of learning, balanced out with some easy to absorb video clips.
“NHMRC 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Borderline Personality Disorder”
The Australian guideline seeks to improve understanding and recognition of BPD in health services and the community and will assist health professionals to diagnose, treat and manage BPD in adolescents and adults. This is not an easy read, but is designed for clinicians who treat people with BPD. It is however an invaluable resource with relatively up to date information. Guidelines may be downloaded or a printed copy ordered by clicking the link.
“The Buddha and the Borderline: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, and Online Dating” Kiera Van Gelder, 2010
Kiera Van Gelder’s first suicide attempt at the age of twelve marked the onset of her struggles with drug addiction, depression, post-traumatic stress, self-harm, and chaotic romantic relationships-all of which eventually led to doctors’ belated diagnosis of borderline personality disorder twenty years later. Kiera’s story sheds light on the private struggle to transform suffering into compassion for herself and others.
Try your library, local bookshop or online purchasing.
“Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder: A Family guide for Healing and CHange” Vakerie Porr, MA, Oxford University Press, USA
Valerie Porr cites cutting-edge science to show that BPD is a true neurobiological disorder and not, as many come to believe, a character flaw or the result of bad parenting. Porr then clearly and accessibly explains what BPD is, which therapies have proven effective, and how to rise above the weighty stigma associated with the disorder. Valerie Porr is the founder of the TARA centre based in New York.
“Borderline Personality Disorder - Towards Effective Treatment” Beatson, Rao & Watson, 2010
This is a comprehensive text on borderline personality disorder for health professionals. It provides an overview of aetiology, treatment and service system issues.
This book is available online from Spectrum, following the link
“The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder New Tools and Techniques to Stop Walking on Eggshells” Randi Kreger, 2008
This book is for family members of a person with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Ms Kreger discusses five tools to make home life more manageable for family members and more constructive for the person affected with BPD
“Wise Choices: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Groups for People with Borderline Personality Disorder” J. Morton & L. Shaw 2012
Wise Choices’ is a group treatment manual for borderline personality disorder which is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The manual includes a CD with electronic copies of 70 participant handouts.
“A BPD Brief: An Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder – Diagnosis, Origins, Course and Treatment” John Gunderson, 2011
The title above says it all. It is available online or as a pdf booklet
Click on the link to obtain your copy.
“The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide” Chapman, Alex and Gratz, Kim; New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Oakland, CA, 2007
The book opens as a series of answers to questions common to BPD sufferers and gives an overview of what we currently know about BPD. Later chapters cover common treatment approaches to BPD: dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mentalization-based therapy (MBT), and medical treatment using psychoactive drugs. The last sections of the book is about day-to-day coping skills that can help moderate the symptoms of BPD.
“Borderline Personality Disorder: Meeting the Challenges to Successful Treatment” Hoffman, PD, and Steiner-Grossman, P.; Haworth Press, Philadelphia, PA., 2008
Practical, useable ideas for the betterment of those affected by Borderline Personality Disorder, this book is a valuable resource for social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors, as well as students, researchers, and academics in the mental health field, as well as family members, loved ones, and those directly affected by BPD.
“Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder” Shari Y. Manning, Ph.D.; The Guilford Press, 1 edition, 2011
People with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be compassionate, caring, smart, and funny, but they are also prone to difficult emotional outbursts and self-destructive acts. Shari Manning helps overwhelmed loved ones understand why their loved on acts they way they do and she teaches how to respond constructively.
See her on UTube by clicking the link (2hrs 19mins)