Broadbear J H, Bhagwandas M G, Crowley S, Cheney L, Rao S
Spectrum, Personality Disorder and Complex Trauma Service, Richmond, Victoria, Australia.
Centre for Personality Disorder & Complex Trauma Research, Richmond, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2025 Feb;34(1):e13413. doi: 10.1111/inm.13413. Epub 2024 Sep 3.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often perceived as being more common in females, since women are more likely to seek help and be diagnosed. However, epidemiological studies have reported no sex differences in community prevalence. The purpose of this study was to learn from the narrative journeys of men who have received a diagnosis of BPD. Eight men participated, mean age 45.9 years (range 27-73 years). Recruitment was through clinician referrals at the study site and via social media and website advertising. Participants consented to a 60-90-min semi-structured interview via an audio-visual digital platform. Audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three themes were identified: (i) The Emergence of Symptoms, (ii) Reaching Crisis Point and (iii) Receiving a Diagnosis. Participants reported many adverse experiences during childhood and adolescence. Early symptoms were often exacerbated by emotionally invalidating caregiving. Participants reported seeking mental health support only after reaching a crisis point, which often arose following an employment-related stressor. Participants typically initiated help-seeking by consulting a General Practitioner. Long delays were reported from initial help-seeking to being diagnosed with BPD; all expressed relief upon diagnosis. The findings highlight the deleterious consequences of emotional invalidation in participants' mental health and their capacity to access timely support. General Practitioners play a critical role in identifying probable symptoms of BPD in men and are the gateway to referral to psychiatrists and psychologists. It is vital that education is provided to assist their important work.
边缘性人格障碍（BPD）通常被认为在女性中更为常见，因为女性更有可能寻求帮助并被诊断出来。然而，流行病学研究报告称，社区患病率不存在性别差异。本研究的目的是了解被诊断为BPD的男性的经历。八名男性参与了研究，平均年龄45.9岁（范围27 - 73岁）。招募是通过研究地点的临床医生推荐以及社交媒体和网站广告进行的。参与者同意通过视听数字平台进行60 - 90分钟的半结构化访谈。录音被转录并使用解释现象学分析（IPA）进行分析。确定了三个主题：（i）症状的出现，（ii）达到危机点，以及（iii）接受诊断。参与者报告了童年和青少年时期的许多不良经历。早期症状往往因情感上无效的照顾而加剧。参与者报告说，只有在达到危机点后才寻求心理健康支持，而危机点通常是在与工作相关的压力源之后出现的。参与者通常通过咨询全科医生开始寻求帮助。从最初寻求帮助到被诊断为BPD报告有很长的延迟；所有人在诊断后都表示松了一口气。研究结果突出了情感无效对参与者心理健康的有害影响以及他们获得及时支持的能力。全科医生在识别男性可能的BPD症状方面起着关键作用，并且是转介给精神科医生和心理学家的途径。提供教育以协助他们的重要工作至关重要。
