Borderline Personality Disorder Explored in Girl Interrupted

Girl Interrupted is a 1999 film in which Susanna, a high school senior on the verge of graduating with her class in 1967, is rushed to the Emergency Room because she consumed a whole bottle of Aspirin, followed by a bottle of Vodka. After being treated, Susanna is seen by a friend of her fathers, who is a Psychiatrist who believes that her actions were an attempt at suicide. Susanna, of course denies this, instead stating that she was making an effort to rid herself of a headache. The Psychiatrist recommends that she stay at a mental hospital named Claymore for a rest. While there, Susanna meets a number of individuals with a diverse array of disorders. One individual in particular, Lisa essentially runs the group of girls because they either fear or confide in her. As we later find out, Lisa actually displays the symptoms of the borderline personality disorder, the disorder that Susanna is believed to have (Mangold).

Individuals with borderline personality must be at least 18 years old and display

shakiness in all social relationships and the way they see themselves and spontaneous thoughts

that must be noticeably disturbed by early adulthood. Strong, often out of the way attempts, at

avoiding any type of abandonment is a key element. Should an individual with borderline

personality disorder feel abandonment drawing near in their life, their thinking, behavior, and

self-image will change drastically. Five of the following nine statements must apply to an

individual for them to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. 1) Attempts to avoid

abandonment, whether it be real or not, 2) unstable relationships with people that are

unrealistically amplified to more, or devaluated to less, than what they...

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...ess and ways of thinking. This treatment makes sure to keep the bond between the client and therapist at the center so that no boundaries are crossed, giving it a hint of the humanistic psychodynamic approach. Clients who undergo this therapy tend to be able to handle stressful life situations better and mature in their social skills. Less suicides and hospital visits are also reported with those who receive DBT

(Comer).

Works Cited

"Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center." Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center. New York-Presbyterian The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, 2004. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

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Comer, Ronald J. "Personality Disorders." Abnormal Psychology. 7th ed. New York: Worth, 2010. 523-529. Print.

Mangold, James. Girl Interrupted. 08 Dec. 1999. Movie.