Goodbye Norma Jean | Did Marilyn Monroe have Borderline Personality Disorder?
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- Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
- A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by extremes between idealization and devaluation (also known as “splitting“)
Marilyn married at a young age to her 21 year old neighbor and divorced shortly after his return from the military. She also married baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and divorced 9 months later, and playwright Arthur Miller, who she divorced 5 years later. In addition, it is speculated that she had numerous intense and fleeting affairs, including with President John F. Kennedy and with the president’s brother, Robert. - Identity disturbance: Markedly or persistently unstable self-image or sense of selfMarilyn grew up as Norma Jean, never knowing her father and knowing that her mother was committed to a mental institution due to severe psychological issues. She bounced from foster home to foster home and then from marriage to marriage, in the meantime creating a new identity for herself as Marilyn Monroe, changing her hair color, name, and personality. While many stars take on a new name for show business, Marilyn took on a whole knew persona — one that she thought would likely get her the love, attention, and adoration she so desperately sought since she was a young child.
- Impulsive behavior in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating)Sex and substance abuse.
- Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-harming behaviorIt is unknown if Marilyn Monroe self-harmed (other than through substance abuse), but self-harm/suicidal behavior ultimately took her life.
- Emotional instability in reaction to day-to-day events (e.g., intense episodic sadness, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days)This may have been the case, especially in the days leading up to her being fired from her last movie.
- Chronic feelings of emptinessWell documented as having experienced this. Portions of her diary were recovered, and this was a repeated theme.
- Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)
- Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms”
Symptoms sourced from NIMH.nih.org (National Institute of Mental Health); italicized text speculated by healingfrombpd.org
The author of this blog post has since RECOVERED from Borderline Personality Disorder and no longer meets the criteria for a BPD diagnosis. There is HOPE for you! Recovery happened through a commitment to DBT. Debbie now teaches the DBT skills that helped change her life over at DBTpath.net where you can take online Dialectical Behavior Therapy Classes from anywhere in the world. We only wish this therapy existed when Marilyn Monroe graced this planet, but today YOU *can* overcome this disorder.
More soon.
I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and I really do think, she had it. 🙂
I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, and I really do think, she had it. 🙂
Same here, Lisanne. ♥ Though, having never met her and not being psychiatric professionals, we'll sadly never know exactly what her story was. There seems to be compelling evidence, though, for sure.
Same here, Lisanne. ♥ Though, having never met her and not being psychiatric professionals, we'll sadly never know exactly what her story was. There seems to be compelling evidence, though, for sure.
Some interesting parallels here…I love reading your posts as I feel like I'm shedding shame each time I do…its so refreshing to have a discussion about mental illness without feeling so badly about myself….
Some interesting parallels here…I love reading your posts as I feel like I'm shedding shame each time I do…its so refreshing to have a discussion about mental illness without feeling so badly about myself….
What a very kind and encouraging comment. Let's shed the shame together! 🙂 ♥
What a very kind and encouraging comment. Let's shed the shame together! 🙂 ♥
MM was diagnoised with BPD by anna freud. her medical card can still be seen at the anna freud centre. Back then it was called emotional instability disorder, which they were changing it back to for the DSM 5. This is no theory, her medical card states her diagnosis.
MM was diagnoised with BPD by anna freud. her medical card can still be seen at the anna freud centre. Back then it was called emotional instability disorder, which they were changing it back to for the DSM 5. This is no theory, her medical card states her diagnosis.
Hi Molly — what a fascinating piece of information that I had know idea of before. I'll certainly be looking into this. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Hi Molly — what a fascinating piece of information that I had know idea of before. I'll certainly be looking into this. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Anna makes her diagnosis which she writes up on a card that can still be found in the file index at the Anna Freud Centre. So this is not a rumour it is a fact Marilyn had this medically diagnosed. BPD has many names and was actually going back to "emotional instability disorder" for the DSM 5 as it is not on the border on sane and insane. It has not changed though. I have all the proof on my blog.
Emotional instability, exaggerated impulsiveness, constant need for external approval, inability to be alone, tendency to depression in case of rejection, paranoia with schizophrenic elements. The Book is "Marilyn's last sessions" by Michel Schneider.
Anna makes her diagnosis which she writes up on a card that can still be found in the file index at the Anna Freud Centre. So this is not a rumour it is a fact Marilyn had this medically diagnosed. BPD has many names and was actually going back to "emotional instability disorder" for the DSM 5 as it is not on the border on sane and insane. It has not changed though. I have all the proof on my blog.
Emotional instability, exaggerated impulsiveness, constant need for external approval, inability to be alone, tendency to depression in case of rejection, paranoia with schizophrenic elements. The Book is "Marilyn's last sessions" by Michel Schneider.
I also love Marilyn Monroe..undeniable beauty and she is still an iconic figure. Goodbye Norma Jeane by Elton John still brings up a lot of emotions. . She did live like a candle in the wind..not knowing who she was, where she really came from and how wonderful she really was. Her tragic life shows us that beauty, fame and money really cannot make us happy..at least these things didn't compensate for what was lacking inside her. thank you for writing an article about Marilyn Monroe. Now that I learned a lot about myself, I have profound empathy for her as a human being.
I also love Marilyn Monroe..undeniable beauty and she is still an iconic figure. Goodbye Norma Jeane by Elton John still brings up a lot of emotions. . She did live like a candle in the wind..not knowing who she was, where she really came from and how wonderful she really was. Her tragic life shows us that beauty, fame and money really cannot make us happy..at least these things didn't compensate for what was lacking inside her. thank you for writing an article about Marilyn Monroe. Now that I learned a lot about myself, I have profound empathy for her as a human being.
Thank you for taking the time to comment with this information, Molly.
Thank you for taking the time to comment with this information, Molly.
Elton's song is incredibly moving to me as well. It's interesting that the lyricist had so much insight into the experience of life, and how this song was then later modified in dedication to Princess Diana, who many also suspect to have had BPD.
Elton's song is incredibly moving to me as well. It's interesting that the lyricist had so much insight into the experience of life, and how this song was then later modified in dedication to Princess Diana, who many also suspect to have had BPD.