Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1005, a Resolution supporting the designation of May as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month. I want to thank my colleague Tom Davis for his leadership on an issue that is very important to many Americans.
Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental health illness that centers on the inability of people to manage their emotions effectively. Approximately four million Americans suffer from borderline personality disorder. Its symptoms include destructive impulsiveness, rage, marked shifts in mood, bodily self-harm, chaotic relationships, fears of abandonment, substance abuse, and unstable self-identity. Though it was officially recognized in 1980 by the psychiatric community, borderline personality disorder is at least two decades behind in research, treatment options, and education compared to other major mental illnesses.
Borderline personality disorder can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. While some persons with this disorder may be functioning normally in certain settings, their private lives are often in turmoil. Others are unable to work and require financial support. If Americans would like more information on borderline personality disorder, I encourage them to visit the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder website at www.neabpd.org or the National Alliance on Mental Illness website at www.nami.org.
Madam Speaker, this resolution acknowledges the pressing burden of those afflicted with borderline personality disorder and seeks to spread awareness of this under-recognized, and often misunderstood, mental illness. I urge my colleagues to support this Resolution.