Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator McLucas, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) at any one point in time, between 1 and 4 per cent of the general population experiences Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD),

(ii) the disorder can be characterised by overwhelming emotions, relationship problems, impulsive and risk-taking behaviour and a fragile sense of self,

(iii) a history of trauma, abuse or deprivation is common among those with the disorder,

(iv) despite its prevalence, enormous public health costs and devastating toll on individuals and families, recovery from BPD is possible,

(v) BPD is a leading cause of suicide, with an estimated 10 per cent of individuals with this diagnosis taking their own lives, and

(vi) an increased understanding of BPD is required among health professionals and the general public by promoting education, research, funding, early detection, and effective treatments; and

(b) acknowledges That the Australian BPD Foundation, through ongoing advocacy from Ms Janne McMahon OAM, Dr Martha Kent and Associate Professor Andrew Chanen, has declared the first week of October each year as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Week with the aim of promoting understanding of the disorder in the community and working towards better treatment options and quality of life for those affected by the disorder.

Question agreed to.