Sometimes I Act Crazy: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (Hardcover)

by Jerold J. Kreisman M.D. (Author), Hal Straus (Author) "Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the most personality disorder seen in clinical settings, is excruciatingly painful to live with-both for the sufferer and those closest to..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

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.
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Product 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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471222860
• ISBN-13: 978-0471222866
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #85,919 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent New Book, March 2, 2004

By A Customer

For months, my wife was searching frantically for a book that explains what BPD is and what the treatment options are. She found exactly what she was looking for in Sometimes I Act Crazy.

She actually bought a few other books first, but they were just too dry. What sets this one apart is that it contains accounts of real people that let you experience what it's like to have BPD. She was able to identify with these people, and it helped her so much to know that she's not alone. The book also explains the causes and the reasons for the various symptoms, so you can really understand what's behind them.

Once she got started, she couldn't put it down, and then made it required reading for me. I also identified with people in the case studies, the husbands and wives, and friends, moms, and dads, of borderlines, who are also suffering. I know now that I'm not alone and this has made it easier for me.

Most important, the book gives valuable practical advice on how to cope with this excruciating mental illness and how to go about seeking help step-by-step. We probably saved ten times the cost of the book just by reading the chapter on what to look for in a therapist! We had no idea this kind of help is available.

73 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Episode II - A New Hope, March 12, 2004

By	Kin Hylton (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The reader gets to experience the patient's stories just like a psychologist would, with patient stories in bite-sized portions. The explanations are unusually good. The index at the back of the book is more thorough than the first book; I looked to see if Woody Allen's movie "Zelig" was listed in this index, since it was mentioned in both books, and there it was! The book was reader friendly. It was also thoughtfully written, so that a person with a short attention span and unlikely to read the whole text would be able to get the important message that there is a "cure." I was surprized at the sexuality in some of the stories, but I was grateful for these examples because they were necessary to understand the thinking of the BPD patients. The authors presented astonishing evidence of successful treatment methods. The book mentioned many of the illnesses that are similar to BPD and what exactly the defining symptoms were. What BPD was, how to identify it, and how to respond when a person with this disease exhibits its symptoms, is the focus of the book - A new hope for a future without BPD! It may take ten years, but for the ones suffering, it is something - Satisfying to read.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Approachable and Engaging, December 3, 2005

By	surcingles (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I've read more academic books (and think those are important, too. For that, I recommend "Demystifying Borderline Personality Disorder"), but this one was accessible and engaging, and had useful and practical advice for people with the illness and those around them. Because of that, the book gives the reader a sense of hope. In this field, that can be rare. There is some sexual content, and I can understand why some people would find that offensive. I personally didn't. Any misgivings I have about the book are offset by my enthusiasm about its readability and its usefulness to the people for whom it is written: borderlines and their families.