From Publishers Weekly
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 © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
A source of hope, expert advice, and guidance for people with borderline personality disorder and those who love them Do you experience frightening, often violent mood swings that make you fear for your sanity? Are you often depressed? Do you engage in self-destructive behaviors such as drug or alcohol abuse, anorexia, compulsive eating, self-cutting, and hair pulling? Do you feel empty inside, or as if you don’t know who you are? Do you dread being alone and fear abandonment? Do you have trouble finishing projects, keeping a job, or forming lasting relationships? If you or someone you love answered yes to the majority of these questions, there’s a good chance that you or that person suffers from borderline personality disorder, a commonly misunderstood and misdiagnosed psychological problem afflicting tens of millions of people. Princess Diana was one of the most well-known BPD sufferers. As a source of hope and practical advice for BPD sufferers and those who love them, this new book by Dr. Jerold J. Kreisman and Hal Straus, bestselling authors of I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, offers proven techniques that help you: Manage mood swings Develop lasting relationships Improve your self-esteem Keep negative thoughts at bay Control destructive impulses Understand your treatment options Find professional help

Download Description
A major new guide to a psychological condition that affects millions of North Americans Written by Dr. Jerold Kreisman, a top expert on Borderline Personality Disorder, this important, incisive book delivers the latest information on the disorder, which typically manifests itself through anger, abuse, addictions, and reckless impulsivity-behaviors that can have a devastating impact on family and friends. Rich with dramatic case studies of Kreisman's patients, the book describes and offers advice on today's most promising treatments along with practical coping strategies for the loved ones of BPD sufferers. Jerold J. Kreisman, MD (St. Louis, MO), is the author of the bestselling I Hate You-Don't Leave Me, which has sold more than 300,000 copies to date. He has appeared on Oprah and other shows. Hal Straus (Albany, CA) has written five books and articles for such magazines as Ladies' Home Journal, Men's Health, and Redbook

From the Inside Flap
Life with borderline personality disorder is a life out of control. Pulled apart by warring emotions and self-destructive impulses, tormented by fears of abandonment, those with BPD rarely know real satisfaction or inner peace. BPD sufferers’ emotions can drive them to acts of antisocial violence and destruction or to self-mutilation, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, compulsive gambling, or sexual compulsions. Living with someone with BPD is not easy either. Those with BPD can be charming and sympathetic, yet their violent mood swings, propensity for veering suddenly and inexplicably from adoration to hatred, and destructive impulsivity can make life with them like running an endless emotional gauntlet. If you or someone you care for has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, this book will be a source of healing. If you suspect that your child, mate, or other loved one has BPD, it can help you to understand why that person acts the way he or she does and will show you what you can do to help make his or her life–and your life–happier and more rewarding. Written by one of the most respected authorities on borderline personality disorder, Sometimes I Act Crazy is a source of wisdom and practical advice on living with the most common personality disorder. Dr. Jerold Kreisman refutes the misperception that BPD is untreatable, and he charts the enormous progress that has been made over the past decade by researchers in a variety of fields in understanding its causes and therapies. He also offers expert guidance on getting a proper diagnosis and understanding all the best treatment options currently available. Each chapter of Sometimes I Act Crazy centers on a riveting case story that takes you inside the life of a BPD sufferer at a crucial life moment. Dr. Kreisman explores the complex play of forces at work behind the symptom or behavior under discussion. And he provides simple action steps BPD sufferers or their loved ones can take to help keep things from boiling over into a full-fledged crisis. Wise, compassionate, and practical, Sometimes I Act Crazy offers new hope to people with borderline personality disorder and those closest to them.

From the Back Cover
A source of hope, expert advice, and guidance for people with borderline personality disorder and those who love them Do you experience frightening, often violent mood swings that make you fear for your sanity? Are you often depressed? Do you engage in self-destructive behaviors such as drug or alcohol abuse, anorexia, compulsive eating, self-cutting, and hair pulling? Do you feel empty inside, or as if you don’t know who you are? Do you dread being alone and fear abandonment? Do you have trouble finishing projects, keeping a job, or forming lasting relationships? If you or someone you love answered yes to the majority of these questions, there’s a good chance that you or that person suffers from borderline personality disorder, a commonly misunderstood and misdiagnosed psychological problem afflicting tens of millions of people. Princess Diana was one of the most well-known BPD sufferers. As a source of hope and practical advice for BPD sufferers and those who love them, this new book by Dr. Jerold J. Kreisman and Hal Straus, bestselling authors of I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, offers proven techniques that help you: Manage mood swings Develop lasting relationships Improve your self-esteem Keep negative thoughts at bay Control destructive impulses Understand your treatment options Find professional help

About the Author
JEROLD J. KREISMAN, M.D., is a psychiatrist and leading world expert on borderline personality disorder. His 1989 bestseller, I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, is considered a classic of both the popular and academic literature on BPD.
HAL STRAUS has written five books and numerous articles for such magazines as Ladies’ Home Journal, Men’s Health, and Redbook.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A source of hope, expert advice, and guidance for people with borderline personality disorder and those who love them

Do you experience frightening, often violent mood swings that make you fear for your sanity? Are you often depressed? Do you engage in self-destructive behaviors such as drug or alcohol abuse, anorexia, compulsive eating, self-cutting, and hair pulling? Do you feel empty inside, or as if you don’t know who you are? Do you dread being alone and fear abandonment? Do you have trouble finishing projects, keeping a job, or forming lasting relationships?

If you or someone you love answered yes to the majority of these questions, there’s a good chance that you or that person suffers from borderline personality disorder, a commonly misunderstood and misdiagnosed psychological problem afflicting tens of millions of people. Princess Diana was one of the most well-known BPD sufferers.

As a source of hope and practical advice for BPD sufferers and those who love them, this new book by Dr. Jerold J. Kreisman and Hal Straus, bestselling authors of I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, offers proven techniques that help you: Manage mood swings Develop lasting relationships Improve your self-esteem Keep negative thoughts at bay Control destructive impulses Understand your treatment options Find professional help

Author Biography: JEROLD J. KREISMAN, M.D., is a psychiatrist and leading world expert on borderline personality disorder. His 1989 bestseller, I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me, is considered a classic of both the popular and academic literature on BPD. HAL STRAUS has written five books and numerous articles for such magazines as Ladies’ Home Journal, Men’s Health, and Redbook.

SYNOPSIS

Life with borderline personality disorder is a life out of control. Pulled apart by warring emotions and self-destructive impulses, tormented by fears of abandonment, those with BPD rarely know real satisfaction or inner peace. BPD sufferers’ emotions can drive them to acts of antisocial violence and destruction or to self-mutilation, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, compulsive gambling, or sexual compulsions.

Living with someone with BPD is not easy either. Those with BPD can be charming and sympathetic, yet their violent mood swings, propensity for veering suddenly and inexplicably from adoration to hatred, and destructive impulsivity can make life with them like running an endless emotional gauntlet.

If you or someone you care for has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, this book will be a source of healing. If you suspect that your child, mate, or other loved one has BPD, it can help you to understand why that person acts the way he or she does and will show you what you can do to help make his or her life—and your life—happier and more rewarding.

Written by one of the most respected authorities on borderline personality disorder, Sometimes I Act Crazy is a source of wisdom and practical advice on living with the most common personality disorder. Dr. Jerold Kreisman refutes the misperception that BPD is untreatable, and he charts the enormous progress that has been made over the past decade by researchers in a variety of fields in understanding its causes and therapies. He also offers expert guidance on getting a proper diagnosis and understanding all the best treatment options currently available.

Each chapter of Sometimes I Act Crazy centers on a riveting case story that takes you inside the life of a BPD sufferer at a crucial life moment. Dr. Kreisman explores the complex play of forces at work behind the symptom or behavior under discussion. And he provides simple action steps BPD sufferers or their loved ones can take to help keep things from boiling over into a full-fledged crisis.