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A review by avrilhj
The Buddha & the Borderline: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder Through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, & Online Dating by Kiera Van Gelder
3.0
Wow. I'm stunned by the author's courage in being honest about her neediness and self-centredness. I knew very little about BPD before reading this book; now I think it must be one of the most difficult mental illnesses around, for both the sufferer and those who care for them. I hope that having read this book about what's happening 'inside' someone with BPD will help me to be more compassionate with people who seem to me to simply be narcissistic and needy.
I did hope for a bit more about how Buddhism helped the author in her recovery, given the title of this book, and I'm not sure that I saw much evidence that the author's practices had helped her to develop compassion for others rather than simply for herself, but maybe her writing this book to give a window into the BPD mindset was that act of compassion.
Fascinating read, but I'm not sure it's one that I'd recommend for those who have suffered deeply from having someone with BPD in the family. Did anyone reassure the author's mother that she was a 'good enough' mother and that her daughter's illness wasn't her fault?
I did hope for a bit more about how Buddhism helped the author in her recovery, given the title of this book, and I'm not sure that I saw much evidence that the author's practices had helped her to develop compassion for others rather than simply for herself, but maybe her writing this book to give a window into the BPD mindset was that act of compassion.
Fascinating read, but I'm not sure it's one that I'd recommend for those who have suffered deeply from having someone with BPD in the family. Did anyone reassure the author's mother that she was a 'good enough' mother and that her daughter's illness wasn't her fault?