Robert O. Friedel - Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified

Wonderful! A doctors doctor speaks clearly and compassionately about a disorder hes spent his career treating and studying. The stigma of borderline personality disorder is countered by hope and advocacy. Readers will be enlightened and inspired.

J OHN G. G UNDERSON , MD, Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Senior Advisor, Borderline Services at McLean Hospital

Dr. Friedels enthusiasm and life-long experience treating patients with BPD are evident on every page. This book is a well-balanced mixture of necessary information for patients and families and up-to-date overviews of relevant fields, from neurobiology to treatment.

C HRISTIAN S CHMAHL , MD, Professor and Director of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health (Mannheim, Germany)

Dr. Friedel is my go-to expert for the best and the most up-to-date information on borderline personality disorder. His passion and his understanding of the disorder makes this book a must-have for diagnosed patients and their family members.

R ANDI K REGER , coauthor of Stop Walking on Eggshells and the Stop Walking on Eggshells Workbook and owner of BPDCentral.com

This informative and compassionate book dispels myths and replaces misunderstanding with a wealth of knowledge so patients can get effective help. Clear, concise, and readable, Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified is helpful not only to those with BPD and their loved ones but also mental health professionals who want to know more about this disorder and what it is like to suffer from it.

J OHN L IVESLEY , MD, PhD

This book is a sensitively written, scientifically informed overview of borderline personality disorder. Both caring and authoritative, Dr. Friedel is a rare academician who combines a touching humanistic perspective on this challenging clinical syndrome with a deep and wide grasp of the rapidly growing relevant scientific literature.

K ENNETH S. K ENDLER , MD

This is an outstanding book. It is must reading for those with borderline personality disorder and must reading for those with loved ones with this disorder.

E MIL F. C OCCARO , MD, E.C. Manning Professor, University of Chicago Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience

Dr. Friedel provides a concise and nicely organized compendium of the latest, up-to-date information on everything you need to know about the medical causes and treatment of borderline personality disorder. This book is easy to read and filled with useful information and engaging vignettes.

L ARRY J. S IEVER , MD, professor of Psychiatry and director of the Mood and Personality Disorders Research Program at Mt. Sinai Medical School

Dr. Friedel has personally cared for patients with BPD, conducted significant pharmacological research with patients with the disorder, and organized numerous national symposia to teach others about this illness. As readers will discern as they move through this volume, Dr. Friedel has lived with the problem and brings it clearly to light.

S. C HARLES S CHULTZ , MD, Professor and head of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota

Help at last! People with borderline personality disorder, their families and friends can now easily understand this perplexing medical-neurobiological condition and how to find help for it. Dr. Friedel has condensed decades of research and clinical experience into this information-packed book. Readers will be delighted with chapters on diagnosis, possible causes, disturbed neural circuits, medications, psychotherapy, and a hopeful future.

B ERNARD D. B EITMAN , MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Missouri at Columbia

This book should be required reading for everyone with borderline personality disorder and for the families, spouses, friends, and mental health professionals who are involved with them.

K ENNETH R. S ILK , MD, professor and associate chair, Clinical and Administrative Affairs, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School

Dr. Friedels book uniquely demystifies the challenging clinical puzzle that is borderline personality disorder, resulting in a much-needed message for patients and their loved onesthere is hopeand the scientific data is emerging to back it up!

W ARREN T. J ACKSON , PhD, ABPP, Borderline Personality Disorder Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

This is a clinically rich and honest description of borderline personality disorder that allows us to experience the devastating effects of this illness on the lives of the people who have it as well as their families. It will help those with borderline personality disorder understand not only their illness, but themselves.

S TEVEN S ECUNDA , MD

Truly, as Dr. Friedel states, in dealing with this condition, knowledge is the edge. And knowledge is precisely what he has provided so well in this book.

D ON R. S CHULTE , MD

Borderline is a complex and heterogeneous disorder, but Dr. Friedel succeeds in weaving a coherent story that demystifies the disorder for the reader.

H AGOP S. A KISKAL , MD, Professor of Psychiatry and director of the International Mood Center, the University of California, at San Diego

This book is a great guide for patients and the people close to them. It will also help professionals working with these patients improve their knowledge of and therapeutic interventions for the disorder.