Borderline personality disorders diagnosis

Widiger TA, Frances AJ. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and comorbidity of borderline personality disorder. In Tasman A, Hales RE, Frances AJ, eds. Review of psychiatry, Vol 8. Washington, DC American Psychiatric Press, 1989 8. 

Barbara M., 35, was admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit after she developed suicidal ideas and incidents in which she repeatedly sliced the inside of her calf. Her admitting diagnosis was major depression and borderline personality disorder. The borderline diagnosis was based on the rather bizarre self-mutilation. The treating psychiatrist informed the patient s family that her acute depression could indeed be treated, but that the apparent personality disorder would likely be a serious, ongoing problem and the prognosis was more guarded. 

Some data indicate that those who make multiple attempts (i.e., greater than five) are different from those who will die from suicide. Multiple suicide attempters tend to be younger and to have a diagnosis other than a depressive disorder (e.g., antisocial, histrionic, or borderline personality). Although they are likely to make future attempts, they do not constitute a substantial proportion of those who die of suicide. 

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