ABSTRACT
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex Axis II phenomenon that is categorized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder—Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) as a Cluster B disorder (i.e., dramatic, erratic characteristics). Most affected individuals sustain a remarkably intact (albeit transient) social façade, which appears in stark contrast to their long-standing self-regulation difficulties and self-harm behavior, chaotic interpersonal relationships, and chronic dysphoria. This polar combination of features (intact façade, internal chaos) is intriguing and has been the inspiration for several movies, including Play Misty for Me, Fatal Attraction, Misery, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, The Crush, and Single White Female.
