A Study of Borderline Personality Disorder It’s 1967, and 18 year old Susanna Kaysen is like a lot of American teenagers her age–confused, insecure, and lost within a rapidly changing world. After a half-hearted suicide attempt, she goes to a psychiatrist who quickly diagnoses her with Borderline Personality Disorder, and whisks her away to McLean Hospital. The next year and nine months would change her life forever.When Susana arrives at McLean, she is immediately introduced to a completely different lifestyle. A regimented daily schedule complete with “checks” and security screened in windows became a reality. If she showed signs of improvement and good behavior, she would be able to walk to the opposite side of the building without a nurse following her around. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of her new life was the women she met. Here, Susanna meets an eclectic group of troubled young women who not only become her closest friends, but also light Susanna’s way back to someone she had lost–herself. Susanna’s roommate, Georgina was a timid pathological liar. Polly, who as a young girl was burnt severely when she set herself on fire, had low self-esteem but a heart of gold. Daisy had an eating disorder and a fetish for chickens and laxatives. And then there was Lisa. Lisa-a junkie on the outside, high-strung sociopath on the inside-was probably the biggest turn around for Susanna. Lisa was a consistent troublemaker. She constantly picked fights with the other girls, screamed and cussed at the nurses, and tried to escape the hospital on numerous occasions. Many times, she actually succeeded but she always ended up right back where she started. In the beginning of Susanna’s stay, she was attracted to Lisa’s loud personality. She became friends with her and found amusement in her ability to stir-up the entire hospital. It was during this time that Susanna seemed to be static.Sl...
