Dr. Jerold Kreisman and Hal Straus open by describing the characteristic patterns of borderline personality disorder — intense fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, identity disturbance — providing accessible clinical understanding for both affected individuals and their loved ones.

Why this accessible clinical understanding matters:

• Borderline personality disorder's characteristic patterns can be genuinely confusing and distressing for both affected individuals and their loved ones without adequate accessible clinical understanding
• The authors' accessible presentation, distilling clinical understanding for a general audience, provides foundational context supporting the book's subsequent practical guidance
• This opening establishes the book's foundational clinical education, motivating its subsequent detailed guidance for both affected individuals and loved ones

This opening establishes the book's foundational clinical education regarding borderline personality disorder's characteristic patterns, providing accessible understanding for both affected individuals and their loved ones.