Law recognises Personality Disorders

[Sancho]

I just wanted to share that the Victorian (in Australia) Court of Appeal has, for the first time, allowed a personality disorder to be considered in the same way as schizophrenia has been taken into consideration in relation to someone's culpability. This is a huge step forward.

Here is a passage from the news article:

“I think any experienced psychologist or psychiatrist would tell you that among the most distressed and impaired people that they have worked with over the years of their career they will be the people with serious personality disorder,” he said.

Another consulting psychologist, James Ogloff, told the court, “If I were ill I’d much rather have even schizophrenia usually than something like borderline personality disorder if it was severe”.

Reading this was an affirmation of the the huge load that I (we) carry every day as we journey with a loved one with a personality disorder. And it will make a huge difference if our loved one has to be part of the legal process at any point in time.

Just wanted to share this momentous moment in Australian legal history!

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders