Girl, Interrupted Terms

A mood disorder marked by a pervasive pattern of instability of self-image, interpersonal relationships, mood, and behavior (or “affect.”) Susanna Kaysen is diagnosed with BPD at eighteen years old and, as a result, checks into… read analysis of Borderline Personality Disorder

Nurses on the psychiatric ward perform checks at intervals of five, fifteen, or thirty minutes throughout the day, peeking into patients’ rooms to check on them and make sure that no one is harming themselves… read analysis of Checks

“Sharps” are any object or material that could, within the walls of the psych ward, be weaponized against oneself or others. Razors, nail files, earrings, pins, broaches, belt buckles, and cutlery—forks and spoons included—are all… read analysis of Sharps

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a text used by mental health professionals to outline, classify, and diagnose the full range of disorders of the human brain and psyche. read analysis of DSM