Understanding Borderline Trauma: Debra Shulkes

First Aired: 10-01-2013 -- 3 comments | Add comment

Why are so many trauma survivors, especially women, diagnosed “borderline?” Is the label useful — or sexist and degrading? How can people who live through intergenerational violence be understood and supported — instead of discounted and silenced?

Rita Marshall, human rights activist and former psychiatric inmate from a family of Holocaust survivors, examines the social and political context for the controversial “Borderline Personality Disorder” diagnosis.

Note – this is an interview with psych survivor activist Debra Shulkes, who asked at the time that her name be disguised. Debra recently passed away from an illness, and her friends agreed to reveal her name on her interview.

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3 comments on “Understanding Borderline Trauma: Debra Shulkes

  1. This was the richest, most helpful conversation I’ve heard that addresses the effects of the BPD diagnosis. I have listened to it several times and expect to continue to refer to it in the future. Every time I hear it something new resonates with me and helps deepen my understanding of trauma and its effects, as well as the harm that can so often occur as a result of this diagnosis. Thank you for this worthwhile contribution.

    Reply
    1. “This was the richest, most helpful conversation I’ve heard that addresses the effects of the BPD diagnosis. I have listened to it several times and expect to continue to refer to it in the future. Every time I hear it something new resonates with me and helps deepen my understanding of trauma and its effects, as well as the harm that can so often occur as a result of this diagnosis. Thank you for this worthwhile contribution.”

      yes to this
      i also think the ruta mazellis interview is fantastic: http://www.madnessradio.net/madness-radio-ruta-mazelis-cutting-edge-self-injury-9-27-06/

      it cannot be measured what effect it has on anyone (mostly women!) to tell them: you have “bpd”. it is totally like being told you’re a child molester. you are not a person. you stop treating yourself as a person.

      i completely stopped having contacts and friendships of any sort to protect others from me. i still feel that my mere presence is incredibly awful to anyone. the so-called “diagnosis” fit well with harassment i was experiencing (about being fat and therefore ugly). now i had “scientific proof” that the harrassers were right.
      well done, psychiatry!

      listen to paula caplan: do away with this harmful bullshit!!

      Reply
  2. “i completely stopped having contacts and friendships of any sort to protect others from me.”
    ^^^^ THIS
    I have been struggling with this since I first discovered the “Borderline” label. it is so harmful, and so awful, and just…terrible. 🙁
    To all the borderline-diagnosed folks out there – love yourselves. you are not evil. you are not wrong. your being is not sick. remember that.

    Reply
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