Praise for The Big Book on Borderline Personality Disorder
Shehrina Rooney has written a deeply compassionate and encouraging book about borderline personality disorder (BPD). This complete guide will help many individuals diagnosed with BPD and their families. Im exceptionally proud to recommend this book to my clients.
AMANDA L. SMITH, LCSW, author of The Borderline Personality Disorder Wellness Planner for Families and The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Wellness Planner
A lively and informative book about an often-confusing topic, by someone whos really been there. Borderline personality disorder is a widespread mental health problem affecting millions of people and their close family and friends. Everyone needs this information. Shehrina Rooney presents it in a very personal and yet highly-educational way, including taking you inside the thinking of someone with BPD and what she had to learn on the road to recovery. Her story shows that self-management skills CAN be learned and that there IS hope, despite all the frustrations and set-backs. Now shes helping others with this disorder, those around them, and even professionals, to learn what it takes to succeed.
BILL EDDY, therapist, lawyer and mediator; co-founder High Conflict Institute; developer of the New Ways for Families skills-training program; author of Its All Your Fault! 12 Tips for Managing People Who Blame Others for Everything
This is the book that the world has been waiting fora guide that people with borderline personality disorder have desperately needed, and this is the book that I feel can save lives, create understanding, and help us in the fight against stigmatizing this complicated and poorly understood illness. I tip my hat to Shehrina for being an inspiring trailblazer by writing an easy-to-read book full of aha moments for people with BPD, for their loved ones, and for professionals alike. It really is a complete A-Z guide for all. Im so excited to promote this book and much a much-needed change for BPD!
CORY HANNA, YouTube Channel The Borderline Life
Whether you have borderline personality disorder yourself or have someone in your life who struggles with it, Shehrina Rooneys Big Book on Borderline Personality Disorder provides a consumer to consumer comprehensive guide to understanding and coping with a wide range of situations in life created by the disorder. Follow these principles and help yourself or your loved one regulate emotions and take back your life!
JEFF RIGGENBACH, PhD, President of CBT Institute of OK; author of The BPD Toolbox: A Practical, Evidence Based Guide to Regulating Intense Emotions
I found The Big Book on Borderline Personality Disorder accessible, informative and realistic. For a long time now I have thought there should be a book written for people with lived experience that explains BPD in an honest, simple, clear manner. This is the book.
KAREN BAILEY, BPD Carer Advocate, Australia
The Big Book on Borderline Personality Disorder is a good mixture of personal experience and self-help. It is full of information on borderline personality disorder (BPD), aimed at people with the disorder, or those wanting to find out about it. It is easy-to-read and offers useful self-help techniques and advice for both sufferers and loved ones. People with traits of BPD might recognize many things about themselves that they had not previously understood. This book is a one-stop-shop for education and inspiration for those living with BPD and those who love them. Shehrina insightfully explains her diagnosis and the diagnosis of many, making the behaviors of the disorder understandable, and goes a step further providing practical applications of daily skills for recovering, even creating her own 10 steps of recovery.
FREDERIC BIEN, President, Personality Disorder Awareness Network, www.pdan.org
Publishers Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information about the subject matters covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher are rendering mental health, medical, legal or other professional services, either directly or indirectly. If expert assistance, counseling, medical or other assistance is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book.
Copyright 2018 by Shehrina Rooney
Unhooked Books, LLC
7701 E. Indian School Rd., Ste. F
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.unhookedbooks.com
ISBN: 978-1-936268-61-0
eISBN: 978-1-950057-00-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018961768
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, scanned, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, or distributed in any printed or electronic form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. Failure to comply with these terms may expose you to legal action and damages for copyright infringement.
Names and identifying information of private individuals have been changed to preserve anonymity.
Cover design by Julian Leon, The Missive
Interior layout by Jeffrey Fuller
Printed in the United States of America
A NOTE OF CAUTION TO THE READER
This book provides information about a serious mental health disorder. The information provided is intended to help you be more educated and aware of borderline personality disorder. Knowledge is power. However, this information can also be misused. Therefore, we caution you not to publicly label people who may or may not be diagnosed with this disorder, nor to use this information as a weapon. Before you go further, we ask that you make a commitment to use this information with caution, compassion, and respect. You are advised to seek the advice of a professional like a therapist or other mental health professional when warranted. The author and publisher are not responsible for any decisions or actions you take as a result of reading this book.
Throughout this book I have chosen to reference the DSM-IV-TR (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) instead of the more recent DSM-5. I have nothing against the DSM-5, but when I was first diagnosed, and throughout my recovery, it was the DSM-IV-TR that I turned to when trying to understand my disorder. I found its structure easy to understand, and it helped me make sense of why I was the way that I was. (My YouTube videos are also based on the DSM-IV-TR.)
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to my Mum, the most amazing woman I know, and to my children who fill my heart with love, joy and gratitude every single day.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The butterfly goes through a period of darkness before it grows its wings and flies.
Deborah Stamp
C hances are, you bought this book for one of the following reasons:
A. You have borderline personality disorder, think you may have BPD, or believe that you have some of the BPD traits but not enough for a diagnosis.
B. You have a loved one or know someone who suffers with BPD.