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After being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder at the age of 21, Jessica Matthews experienced various forms of stigma, including being turned down for life insurance, mistreatment in hospitals, and discrimination in society. A personality disorder is a condition that affects how someone’s mood and ability to interact with others. According to the NHS, those with personality disorders possess significant differences in perception, thought processes, and their ability to interact with others when compared to those without the disorder. Matthews was struggling with her mental health while studying nursing at university when she received her diagnosis.
Matthews viewed her diagnosis as a reason for obtaining the necessary help to overcome her troubles, but she quickly discovered it also became a source of shame and negativity. Hospital staff withheld medication from her and disregarded her anguish, telling her she was “manipulative,” “attention-seeking,” and had no explanation for feeling suicidal. Matthews has also been denied life insurance and has struggled with opening up about her mental health due to her fear of society’s reaction to her diagnosis. In response, Mind, the leading mental health charity in the UK, is pushing for a review of the use of personality disorders, highlighting potential misuses and potential its harmful effects.
Platfform, another charity campaigning for social change and mental health, argues that personality disorders are often diagnosed for exclusion purposes and consequently may lead to the misdiagnosis of other conditions, such as autism. Dr. Jen Daffin, a clinical psychologist with Platfform, believes that those with personality disorders become “stuck” in a system that does not understand their diagnosis. Earlier this year, former Health Minister Sir Norman Lamb and hundreds of medical professionals wrote an open letter to the health secretary calling for the abandonment of personality disorder diagnoses for children. At present, Matthews has had her diagnosis removed and is awaiting an autism assessment.
The Welsh Government has recently consulted on a mental health and well-being strategy to provide trauma-informed, person-centred, and evidence-based mental health support over the next ten years. The government expects to publish its strategy later this year. The suggested reform comes from concerns about the stigmatization and exclusion common with personality disorders. These issues can exacerbate a condition for affected individuals and discourage them from discussing their needs with others. The hope is that the reform of mental health systems will provide the necessary support for a more understanding and less discriminating social and governmental environment
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