ABSTRACT
Borderlines are extraordinarily vulnerable, with V-spots exploding everywhere. The borderline has a defective sense of self, suffers from early trauma in the maternal attachment bond, and is often a product of abandonment by parents who were absent, alcoholic, abusive, or physically/emotionally unavailable. The narcissist often chooses as an object a borderline personality type, one who exhibits an exquisite false self or “as if” personality; however, this is short lived. The pathological borderline is primarily dominated by such primitive defenses as splitting, projective identification, omnipotent denial, magical thinking, and self-defaming. Control, domination, envy, cruelty, and the drive to destroy the object are the most common defenses of the malignant borderline. Antisocial borderlines and sociopaths share many similar dynamics. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder prey on their victims and will do anything to gain money or power. In society, obsessive–compulsive borderlines are actually high functioning and often extremely accomplished and successful people, including doctors, lawyers, and scientists.
