Marilyn Monroe and Borderline Personality Disorder

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Marilyn Monroe is a well-known legend and has been a public figure for several decades. Monroe was a distinguished model, actress, and singer, who quickly became known as a major sex symbol. Monroe starred in a large number of successful motion pictures during the late 1940s and early 1960s. She began her career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Throughout her career, Monroe's films grossed more than $200 million ("Marilyn Monroe Biography," 2013). Marilyn Monroe swiftly became more known to the public for her behavior and outlandish actions; she was eventually diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.
Background History
Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Monroe was originally given the name Norma Jeane Mortenson. The traumatic childhood of Marilyn Monroe is well document being that when she became famous she had no problem with telling her story. Monroe was the daughter of Gladys Monroe Baker Mortensen. Marilyn Monroe’s father has never been positively identified (Hendrickson, 2000). Monroe’s relationship with her mother was rocky and to say the least, lack thereof being that her mother was mentally unstable and eventually became institutionalized. This caused Marilyn to grow up in a succession of foster homes, orphanages, and guardianships, where she suffered abuse. At the age of two she was almost smothered to death. Monroe was also on several occasions sexually assaulted; she later said that she had been raped when she was 11 years old (“Marilyn Monroe Biography”, 2013). Marilyn Monroe’s personality as a child strongly reflected her traumatic upbringing. When she was ten, she would fall into fits of uncontrollable sobbing and despair at the slightest aggravation (Spoto, 1...

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Retrieved from http://www.bpdfamily.com/bpdresources/nk_a103.htm
Henriksen, M. (2000, Feb). American national biography online:monroe, marilyn . Retrieved from http://www.anb.org/articles/18/18-00856.html
Marilyn Monroe. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 07:50, Nov 07, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/marilyn-monroe-9412123 Schwarz, T. (2009, April 15). The myth of marilyn. Retrieved from http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/the-myth-of-marilyn/Content?oid=1564202 Siemaszko, C. (2010, October 01). Marilyn monroe diary revealing insecurities, suicidal thoughts in poems, letters set for new book. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/marilyn-monroe-diary-revealing- insecurities-suicidal-thoughts-poems-letters-set-new-book-article-1.191038
Spoto, D. (1993). Marilyn monroe: The biography. New York: Harper Collins.

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