Vicissitudes of life have led me to learn more about psychiatric topics, particularly Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The most stigmatized and misunderstood disorder troubled many patients who are undiagnosed and untreated. Many case studies also pointed out that BPD patients were often misdiagnosed as sufferers of depression or bipolar disorder.
I delve into the topic by reading the books written by American researchers and listening to audio clips produced by BPD sufferers and researchers in US, UK and Australia. As I learn more, sometimes my heart is crying out, for the disorder is unbearable for the patients and their loved ones.
Every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes. The reading of psychiatric literature allows me to rethink how I can help my friends who suffer from mental health problems. Far from being pessimistic, I am glad to have opened my eyes to the world of psychiatry, for it was previously unthinkable that a literary studies graduate like me could understand psychiatric books written by top mental health writers in US and apply the knowledge in real life.
人生的因緣際會讓我有機會認識精神科課題，尤其是邊緣型人格障礙。這個飽受誣衊與誤解的精神疾病困擾著好多未就醫、未診斷的病人。與此同時，多個過往案例顯示，邊緣型人格障礙患者常常被誤以為患上憂鬱症或躁鬱症。
為了研究這個課題，我研讀美國學者作家的專書，亦在優管網站上追蹤美國、英國、澳洲的邊緣型人格障礙患者與研究員的清談節目。當我瞭解得愈多，我有時覺得心中淌著淚，因為這個精神疾病確實折磨著患者與身邊愛護他們的人。
英語俗話說：「烏雲背後有一線光明。」面對精神健康受到困擾的一些朋友，閱讀精神科書籍讓我可以重新思考如何協助他們。我早已忘卻了悲觀情緒，反而很慶幸自己可以靠閱讀認識精神科的世界。文學院畢業生如我，以往從來沒有想過自己讀得懂美國最頂尖的精神健康專家學者撰寫的專書，更不要說嘗試將他們傳授的知識運用在現實生活中。
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