Borderline Personality Disorder in 'Girl, Interrupted'

Borderline Personality Disorder in 'Girl, Interrupted'

Introduction

The character which I have chosen to be discussed is of Susanna Kaysen from the movie, “Girl Interrupted”. In the movie, the girl was accused of committing suicide when she was taken to the hospital in a bad condition after having overdose of aspirin. However, she refused the accusation that she was not committing suicide; but, was having aspirin for some reason. On the other hand, by looking at her mental condition, she was admitted to the hospital for a long period. After some time, as there was no improvement seen in her behavior and attitude, she was again taken to another therapist to be analyzed once more. This time, she met the head psychiatrist who identified that the girl was suffering from borderline personality disorder.

In this paper, we will discuss the causes and effects of the borderline personality disorder in detail; as well as will look into the therapeutic interventions for the disease with respect to the movie, Girl, Interrupted and the character of Susanna.

Statement

Borderline Personality Disorder is a personality disorder which is briefly described as a disorder characterized by pervasive instability of mood, the interpersonal relations, self-image of identity and behavior, and a more general abnormality in the perception of sense of self.

Belief

The term borderline is first seen in its psychoanalytic sense in which the term refers to a type of organization of specific personality between "neurotic organization and psychotic organization.” It is based on the fear of object loss and results in a constant internal insecurity and attitudes of testing the incessant entourage. One of its defensive modes is the acting out of fear as a dump (Millon, 2006).

Opinion

By analyzing the character of the movie, we have come to the opinion that the patient needed psychotherapies since she was suffering from borderline personality disorder. She was having problems with her behavior as well.

Evidence

The doctors and therapists in the movie; when identified the borderline personality disorder in the patient, suggested some of the most significant and relevant therapeutic interventions for the treatment of the disease. After going through those therapeutic interventions; the main character of the movie, Susanna Kaysen, was released from the asylum to live a normal life. Those treatments were mainly psychoanalysis, and after that, they focused on the Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy and Dialectical behavior Psychotherapy.

Connection to the Therapy

The BPD is a disorder of the cognitive, behavioral and affective areas. The essential features of this disorder are a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, and marked impulsivity appeared in early adulthood and present in various contexts. This disorder is sometimes not identified by the patient himself and he wonders what is happening. He is unable to cure himself. This is exactly what happened to Susanna as she says in the movie, Susanna, “How am I supposed to recover when I don't even understand my disease?”

The characteristic of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder is also a general existential ...