David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
BPD Myths: Men v. Women
Florida Borderline Personality Disorder Association
December 7, 2008
When people aren?t educated about borderline personality disorder and self-injury, myths and inaccuracies prevail throughout social services, medicine, and the general population.
Throughout the next week, we?ll look at several myths about BPD and sift through to find the facts. Now let?s look for the one prevalent myth:
Myth: Most persons who can be diagnosed with BPD are women
Fact: In April 2008, a large study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry revealed that men and women experience BPD at an equal 50/50 rate. However, women are usually more likely to be given a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. The reasons for this may vary but the general thought is that BPD is really a women?s illness. Cultural stereotypes found in films such as Fatal Attraction, Girl Interrupted, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar reinforce the idea of the emotionally-charged and out-of-control borderline patient. Examples of men with BPD in pop culture are much more difficult to identify.
John Gunderson, MD?in a recent APA Conference?said that he has observed that men with BPD are more likely to have treatment focused around drug and alcohol addiction.
If you would like a copy of Prevalence, Correlates, Disability, and Comorbidity of DSM-IV Borderline Personality Disorder: Results From the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, please contact us at amanda.smith@fbpda.org.
Florida Borderline Personality Disorder Association
December 7, 2008
When people aren?t educated about borderline personality disorder and self-injury, myths and inaccuracies prevail throughout social services, medicine, and the general population.
Throughout the next week, we?ll look at several myths about BPD and sift through to find the facts. Now let?s look for the one prevalent myth:
Myth: Most persons who can be diagnosed with BPD are women
Fact: In April 2008, a large study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry revealed that men and women experience BPD at an equal 50/50 rate. However, women are usually more likely to be given a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. The reasons for this may vary but the general thought is that BPD is really a women?s illness. Cultural stereotypes found in films such as Fatal Attraction, Girl Interrupted, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar reinforce the idea of the emotionally-charged and out-of-control borderline patient. Examples of men with BPD in pop culture are much more difficult to identify.
John Gunderson, MD?in a recent APA Conference?said that he has observed that men with BPD are more likely to have treatment focused around drug and alcohol addiction.
If you would like a copy of Prevalence, Correlates, Disability, and Comorbidity of DSM-IV Borderline Personality Disorder: Results From the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, please contact us at amanda.smith@fbpda.org.
