Borderline Personality Disorders Case Study

Mr. Hunting was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD; 301.83 [F60.3]), comorbid with avoidant personality disorder (301.82 [F60.6]) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 309.81 [F43.10]; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In addition to his diagnoses, Mr. Hunting reported several other conditions of clinical significance, listed in table 1. Davies (2011) notes that adults with histories of unresolved childhood abuse may be fearful about loss and use defensive processes such as alternating between global devaluation of and need for closeness to attachment figures, similar to the criterion for unstable relationships in BPD.

As a child, Mr. Hunting experienced abusive foster care after he was abandoned by his parents

Hunting, including repeated physical assaults, deceitfulness, failing to conform to lawful social norms, reckless behavior, irresponsibility, and rationalizing behavior that hurts others. However, a diagnosis of BPD better explains these symptoms because of his emotional instability and pattern of unstable relationships. When asked if Mr. Hunting was manipulative in order to gain profit or material gratification, both his mentor and his best friend stated that he did not seek profit or material gain from his antisocial behavior. Mr. Hunting’s antisocial behavior does not serve the purpose of profit but is a protective mechanism which shields him from vulnerability in interpersonal interactions, and he shows no signs of antisocial behavior outside of symptoms explained by

Mr. Hunting’s behaviors to cope with these feelings include acting out in inappropriate manners but also include avoiding social situations out of fear of rejection. He insists upon solo occupational activities, is unwilling to start new social relationships out of fear of rejection, shows restraint in romantic relationships, and views himself as bad and unworthy, having enough criteria for a diagnosis. In order to attempt to see if Mr. Hunting meets criterion 5 for avoidant personality disorder, he should be asked, “In new relationships, are you inhibited because you fear that other people will find you