Being around for nearly a century, borderline personality disorder was only recently recognized and given a name. There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the symptoms and lessen the effects of borderline personality disorder. This mental health condition was initially known as the “garbage bin diagnosis” (Kreger, 2008). Mainly because it didn't originally fit into any already recognized category of mental illness. As a result, this left patients and their families desperate and psychiatrists discouraged. However, after a period of time this mental illness was eventually identified as “Borderline Personality Disorder”. Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition in which a person displays long-term patterns of unstable or sometimes chaotic emotions. Years of neglect have caused astronomical amounts of misdiagnosis, disability, premature suicide, and despair. According to documented research there are nine key symptoms that are used to identify whether or not a person has borderline personality disorder. To detect borderline personality disorder in a person, the individual's behaviors must be dangerous and long-term, in which the individual and others around him are affected. Indications elaborated below.• ​​Strongly affected by the fear of being abandoned, be it physical or a figment of one's imagination. They mistakenly perceive situations as abandonment. Subconsciously this person always fears a possible desertion. • A record number of troubled and unstable relationships in which one quickly goes from putting one's spouse on a pedestal to belittling him or her. It instantly attacks its unsuspecting companion. Becoming very demanding when it comes to friendship is meant to be...... middle of paper ......because therapists are qualified professionals trained to recognize and treat mental and behavioral disorders. Once these professionals address specific questions and treat existing symptoms, they are able to gradually help these patients cope and learn to live with their disability. It is very difficult to be with someone who has borderline personality disorder, but can you imagine being that person with borderline personality disorder? (Alexander L. Chapman and Kim L Gratz, 2013) (Dobbert, 2010) (Kreger, 2008) Works Cited Alexander L. Chapman, P.R., and Kim L Gratz, P. (2013). Borderline personality disorder. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. Dobbert, D. L. (2010). Understanding personality disorder. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.Kreger, R. (2008). The essential family guide to borderline personality disorder. Town centre: Hazelden.