Jets WR Brandon Marshall and his battle with Borderline Personality Disorder
10:13:00 AM
Brandon Marshall's problems on and off the field could be a result of his borderline personality disorder.
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When the Jets acquired Brandon Marshall from the Chicago Bears, they got a big, physical wide receiver who will immediately upgrade what was the NFL’s worst passing offense in 2014. The Jets also got a volatile athlete with a troubling past that includes domestic violence incidents, run-ins with police and conflicts with teammates.
Marshall’s problems may stem from borderline personality disorder, a disease linked to severe depression, mood swings, substance abuse and reckless behavior. The good news for the Jets is that Marshall has not only received treatment for the condition, but he has become an advocate for the mentally ill.
Football is still Marshall’s career, but battling the stigma that comes with mental illness has been his passion since he was diagnosed with BPD in 2011 at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. Marshall has said he wants to raise awareness of mental health issues like Magic Johnson raised awareness of AIDS after he was diagnosed with HIV.
“Today I am making myself vulnerable to help others who suffer from borderline personality disorder,” Marshall said during a 2011 news conference he called to discuss his diagnosis and mental health struggles. “I have seen my life with BPD and how it played out. My goal is to walk the halls of Congress to fight for the insurance coverage for this, and walk the halls of the National Institute of Mental Health to raise awareness of this disorder. That is my mission moving forward. I love the game, but it’s not my priority anymore. Today my journey begins." “I want to be the face of BPD,” he added.
Marshall spent three months at McLean in 2011 undergoing intensive evaluation and treatment. Dr. Lois Choi-Kain, the medical and program director at McLean’s borderline personality disorder unit, said Marshall should be applauded for going public with his mental health struggles.
“He has been very public about his diagnosis, and I think that is very positive,” said Choi-Kain, who has not met Marshall and was not involved in his evaluation and treatment. “It shows a lot of courage and it shows what he has learned from his own treatment.”
Borderline personality disorder may explain why Marshall may be the most intense player on the field one minute and the most lackadaisical the next. It explains why he could catch a league-record 21 passes in one game with the Denver Broncos in 2009 — and why he was suspended that same year for bumbling through practices.
BPD might also explain — but not excuse — Marshall’s ugly run-ins with the law and clashes with his wife, Michi Nogami, and other loved ones, most of which occurred before he received his diagnosis.
“Right now, today, I am vulnerable, I am making myself vulnerable,” Marshall said in 2011. “And I want to be clear that this is the opposite of damage control. The only reason I’m standing here today is to use my story to help others who may suffer from what I suffer from.”
People with BPD such as Marshall, Choi-Kain said, react to events with intense anger and rage. Relationships with spouses and other loved ones swing between intense emotions.
“They are either in a very good place or a very bad place,” Choi-Kain said. “There is no middle ground.”
BPD patients often engage in reckless and impulsive behavior. They frequently abuse drugs and alcohol, Choi-Kain said. They express suicidal thoughts, and sometimes act on them. BPD patients, especially when stressed, struggle with self-understanding, Choi-Kain added. They can become paranoid and distrustful.
“They feel everyone is their enemy,” she said.
Regardless of Marshall’s history of troubles, Choi-Kain believes he can serve as an effective advocate for the mentally ill.
“Having someone who is so successful and skilled, having a person of strength publicly show that kind of vulnerability, shows that he has a lot of compassion,” she said. “It shows he has learned a lot from his treatment.”
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