Miami Dolphin Brandon Marshall recently brought his diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder into the open. According to Fox Sports Florida, the disorder has caused the athlete to struggle for most of his life; although he is an NFL star, his career and personal life have been falling apart.
Marshall said he's been trying to get help for some time, but people just pegged him as another misbehaving athlete.
Here are the facts about Borderline Personality Disorder, and the behaviors that led to Marshall's diagnosis.
* BPD is a serious mental illness that follows a pattern of omnipresent instability of moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and impulse control.
* The disorder manifests itself in angry outbursts as well as depression and anxiety that can last for an hour or an entire day.
* Marshall has been involved in two domestic disputes that have ended in his arrest. On the football field, he said he felt like a "ticking time bomb." He said, "My actions and my behavior was inappropriate at times" and "there was a lot of conflict with me and the coaches, and the way I handled it was inappropriate."
* People who are diagnosed with BPD often have an insecure sense of who they are. This leads to tumultuous relationships; in one moment they may idealize a person, and the next they feel hatred toward them.
* Marshall stated that he feared his actions were about to ruin both his personal life and his NFL career. He commented, "I would have thrown away my career, and there was a good possibility my life. I'm still suffering from the consequences of this. Another reason why I am so passionate (about) it is because I may lose my wife still, and that hurts me."
* According to the Mayo Clinic, people with BPD may be fully aware of their self-destructive behavior but feel unable to change it. They find that most areas of their lives are affected, including social relationships and work relationships.
* The Miami Dolphins became especially concerned after the latest event between Marshall and his wife. The team stated he has had numerous domestic violence incidents within his past relationships with women, in addition to his current troubles, reports the Miami Herald.
In April of this year, police were called to his home and charged his wife with stabbing Marshall in the stomach. He denies that it was her fault and said, "Out of the respect for my marriage and where we're at today, and my family, I will not go into any detail of any situation, but I want to make clear that my wife did not take a knife and stab me."
* In order to get someone the help they need, sometimes an intervention is needed. In Marshall's case, his assistant and agent convinced him that he needed help.
* Marshall flew to Boston's McLean Hospital, where he was finally diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. He says he wants to turn his life around for not only himself but for his wife and those around him.
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