Further Labeling Within the Category of Disability Due to Chemical Dependency Disorder

This paper raises issues of validity and consequences of appending the label Borderline Personality Disorder to chemically dependent women who are adult survivors of child sexual abuse. Parallels between documented sequelae of childhood sexual abuse and DSM-III-R delineated characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder are noted as is the DSM-III-R insertion of "No information" with respect to Predisposing factors. This clinician suggests that the label Borderline Personality Disorder and its accompanying assumptions function to generate negative expectations regarding both the course and direction of the therapy process. By failing to consider the impact of childhood abuse this label provides neither appropriate diagnosis nor therapeutic directionfor women with a diagnosis of chemical dependency who are adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.