Sometimes I Act Crazy

February 23, 2004
Kreisman's I Hate You, Don't Leave Me, a rigorous but informal introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder, was published in 1989, and has sold 300,000 copies since. This follow-up volume incorporates advances in the understanding of BPD that have been made in the last 15 years, as well as new case studies and anecdotes (the book begins with a patient named"Diana" who turns out be the late UK princess) and a less gloomy prognosis. Most of the 12 chapters begin with a particular patient, detailing specific symptoms and behaviors in a pulpy prose style, often including first person narrative ("Doc, you probably want to hear how horrible my mom and dad were") and reconstructed dialogue ("'Fine,' Patty bites off, impatiently shifting her weight to one hip. 'Anything else?'"). While these narrative descriptions are a little hokey, they are packed with behaviors that Kreisman then proceeds to take up and unfold, all the while gently introducing technical terms as needed, and making suggestions for how to cope, verbally or otherwise, with a host of Borderline behaviors in family, lover or friend. The case studies occasionally have a lurid quality (particularly since BPD often involves acting out sexually) that is completely undercut by Kreisman's patient analyses, making the book feel a little split. But even at its most garish, the book sticks close to the facts, and Kreisman's commentary is expert and imperturbable.

February 9, 2004
Kreisman's I Hate You, Don't Leave Me, a rigorous but informal introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder, was published in 1989, and has sold 300,000 copies since. This follow-up volume incorporates advances in the understanding of BPD that have been made in the last 15 years, as well as new case studies and anecdotes (the book begins with a patient named"Diana" who turns out be the late UK princess) and a less gloomy prognosis. Most of the 12 chapters begin with a particular patient, detailing specific symptoms and behaviors in a pulpy prose style, often including first person narrative ("Doc, you probably want to hear how horrible my mom and dad were") and reconstructed dialogue ("'Fine,' Patty bites off, impatiently shifting her weight to one hip. 'Anything else?'"). While these narrative descriptions are a little hokey, they are packed with behaviors that Kreisman then proceeds to take up and unfold, all the while gently introducing technical terms as needed, and making suggestions for how to cope, verbally or otherwise, with a host of Borderline behaviors in family, lover or friend. The case studies occasionally have a lurid quality (particularly since BPD often involves acting out sexually) that is completely undercut by Kreisman's patient analyses, making the book feel a little split. But even at its most garish, the book sticks close to the facts, and Kreisman's commentary is expert and imperturbable.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.