NOTE TO READER

Most books on health follow a number of style guidelines (for example, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ) that are designed to minimize the stigma of disease and to employ politically correct gender designations. Specifically, referring to an individual by an illness (for example, “the schizophrenic usually has . . .”) is discouraged; instead, reference is made to an individual who expresses symptoms of the disease (for example, “the patient diagnosed as a schizophrenic usually has . . .”). Also, gender-specific pronouns are avoided; instead, sentences are structured in a passive syntax or use “he/she, him/her” constructions.

Though laudable in some respects, these recommendations complicate the communication of information. Although we abhor the implied disrespect and dehumanization of referring to people by their medical conditions (“Check on the gallbladder in the next room!”), we have nevertheless chosen, for the sake of clarity and efficiency, to sometimes refer to individuals by their diagnosis. For example, we use the term “borderline(s)” as a kind of shorthand to represent the more precise designation, “human being(s) who exhibit(s) symptoms consistent with the diagnosis Borderline Personality Disorder, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR).” For the same reason, we alternate pronouns throughout, rather than burden the reader with the “he/she, him/her” construction. We trust that the reader will grant us this liberty to streamline the text.