Top 10 things you can do to help your loved one with BPD -- Introduction -- Basics Of Borderline Personality Disorder: -- Some characteristics of BPD -- Personality disorder basics -- What are some causes of personality disorders? -- Borderline personality disorder facts -- Borderline personality disorder in different forms -- Borderline Personality Disorder And The Brain: -- Biology of BPD -- How does the brain affect personality? -- How identity develops -- Personality disorders and the brain -- Thought processes -- How someone with BPD thinks -- How do I Know If Someone Has BPD?:-- Mistaking borderline personality disorder for "normal" -- General warning signs -- Thoughts and behaviors -- Symptoms that confuse -- Can it be more than one? -- Comparing BPD To Other Personality Disorders: -- Schizoid personality disorder -- Histrionic personality disorder -- Avoidant personality disorder -- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder -- Dependent personality disorder -- Some Causes Related To Borderline Personality Disorder: -- Personal experiences -- Trauma -- Heredity -- Presence of other disorders -- Combination of causes -- Who Has Borderline Personality Disorder?: -- Important factors -- Famous people who have BPD -- Aren't we all a little different? -- Facing The Disorder: -- When parents have the disorder -- Social relationships -- Professional relationships -- Romantic relationships -- Why are you in this relationship? -- Family And Borderline Personality Disorder: -- Characteristics of the family system -- Setting boundaries -- Trust -- Acceptance -- Decision making -- Why Is Abandonment An Issue?: -- What fear of abandonment means to relationships -- Dealing with self-image -- Behaviors that follow fear of abandonment -- When will I be loved? -- Where the anger comes from -- Borderline Personality Disorder And Instability: -- Why is there instability? -- Self-damaging impulsivity -- Mood instability -- Self-harm thoughts and behaviors -- Feeling empty -- Borderline Personality Disorder And Reality: -- Self-esteem described -- Identity disturbance and what it means -- Paranoia and dissociation -- How common are these symptoms? -- What might happen? -- Communicating Through Borderline Personality Disorder: -- What to expect -- Are we talking about the same thing? -- Learning to find the true meaning behind the message -- Dealing with the swings in thought and word -- Ensuring your own safety-above all else -- Gender And Age: -- Females with borderline personality disorder -- Males with borderline personality disorder -- What about teenagers? -- Can a child be diagnosed with BPD? -- Borderline Personality Disorder Paired With Other Disorders: -- Borderline personality disorder and substance abuse -- Borderline personality disorder and mood disorders -- Borderline personality disorder and anxiety disorders -- Borderline personality disorder and abuse -- Special issues with BPD and other disorders -- Early Signs: -- Early signs that might lead to BPD -- Identity problems -- Emotional instability -- Conflict with sexual orientation -- Alarming behaviors -- If Someone You Know Has Borderline Personality Disorder: -- When to intervene -- Expressing your concerns -- Dealing with denial and confusion -- What should you say? -- What should you do? -- Treatment: -- When is treatment necessary? -- Where to go for help -- Finding information -- Sifting through information -- Is it working? -- Therapy Options: -- Origin in psychoanalysis -- Drug therapy -- Cognitive behavior therapy -- Dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness -- Schema therapy -- Counseling/psychotherapy -- Group support -- Evolving Knowledge Of Borderline Personality Disorder: -- How serious is BPD? -- Support for you -- Allowing yourself to feel -- Getting angry -- Becoming too invested in someone else --Making their problem your problem -- Where Do You Go From Here?: -- Ending the unstable pattern -- Easing the destructive impact -- Stepping away from over-responsibility -- Learning to cope -- Appendix A: Symptoms checklist -- Appendix B: Additional resources -- Index.