Sometimes people have a borderline illness. They are borderline schizophrenic, borderline diabetic, borderline something else.

What does this borderline mean? Are they diabetic or are they not diabetic? Do they respond to the treatment given to diabetics or don't they or should they be given a smaller dose of the treatment such as insulin?

In the case of a borderline illness then it's an interesting situation. The person is neither healthy nor sick. The person does not need treatment and the person does need treatment. The person does not need medication and the person does need medication. All together the person does need and doesn't need these things.

What does this mean?

The answer is surprising: It's up to the patient.

If a borderline diabetic has a goal and a purpose in life, has things that need to be accomplished, has a job to do, then that borderline diabetic will be able to handle whatever needs to be done and will act in a way which is nearly like a healthy person.

If, on the other hand, that borderline diabetic wants to get sympathy and tsumi and wants to use the diabetes as an excuse and especially if that borderline diabetic has nothing worthwhile to do in life or feels that he has nothing worthwhile to do in life then he will take on the characteristics of a full fledged diabetic and will do what a diabetic does rather than acting in a healthy way.

In other words, the person's mindset determines what the borderline illness is. If a person has a reason to be healthy that person will control the illness and be healthy. If the person chooses to be sick then the sickness will be the controlling factor.

It is entirely up to the person. Medicine takes a backseat in this case. Psychology takes a front seat. Psychology this person's psychology or psyche determines whether that borderline person will be healthy or sick.

A change in the person's psyche can make the person become healthy or sick.

The person will respond or not respond to medications based upon the psyche as well.

Indeed, medication may not help at all in this case. If the medication helps a particular symptom shown by the patient then the patient will simply develop a different symptom to replace it. It doesn't even do much good to give the patient the care.

On the other hand a patient who has a need to be healthy, he will be healthy no matter what medication is given and in some cases even without medication being given because the patient is determined to go about his life and to complete the things that need to be done. He feels needed. He feels that he has a goal. He feels wanted. He feels that he cannot stop now and that he cannot let the illness get him down.

That, and only that, is the determining factor in a borderline illness.