This book provides people with borderline personality disorder and their families and friends with a user friendly but authoritative guide to the condition. The book not only includes information about the disorder and how it is diagnosed, but also looks in depth at treatment and recovery strategies.

Borderline Personality Disorder 1. History 2. How many people have borderline personality disorder? 3. What is borderline personality disorder? 4. Understanding borderline personality disorder 5. Other problems or diagnoses found in association with borderline personality disorder 6. What causes borderline personality disorder? 7. Understanding self-harm 8. Prognosis: do people with borderline personality disorder get better? 9. Is treatment effective? Recovery frameworks 10. Change 11. Psychological treatments 12. What to expect from the treatment 13. First contact with health professionals 14. Choosing a therapist 15. Developing a therapy agreement 16. Support network 17. Assessment 18. Treatment goals and treatment plan 19. Therapy relationship 20. Taking charge of your recovery 21. Power struggles and beyond 22. Prioritising your therapy focus 23. Preparation for crises 24. Medication 25. Hospitalisation Recovery specifics 26. Is it our awareness that makes a difference? 27. Is it what we do that makes a difference? 28. Is it what we think that makes a difference? 29. Is it what we feel that makes a difference? 30. Is it what we do with emotions of anger, guilt and regret that makes a difference? 31. Is it what we do with impulsive urges that makes a difference? 32. Is it taking charge of our personal boundaries that makes a difference? 33. Is it how we clarify our values and identity that makes a difference? 34. Is it how we relate to ourselves that makes a difference? 35. Is it how we relate to others that makes a difference? 36. Is it how we create pleasure that makes a difference? 37. Is it how we deal with 'flashbacks' that makes a difference? 38. Is it how we deal with crises that makes a difference? 39. Is it how we deal with our physical health that makes a difference? 40. Is it how we deal with something 'larger than ourselves' that makes a difference? 41. Notes to family and friends 42. Concluding comments

Roy Krawitz, Psychiatrist, therapist and consultant in the area of borderline personality disorder, Waikato District Health Board and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Auckland University, Wendy Jackson, Mental health promoter, Mental Health Foundation, Australia, Roy Krawitz , Psychiatrist, therapist and consultant in the area of borderline personality disorder, Waikato District Health Board and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Auckland University, Wendy Jackson , Mental health promoter, Mental Health Foundation, Australia