9: Toward a Horizon of Meanings and Comprehensive Possibilities. Contributions and Challenges in the Phenomenological Hermeneutic Approach

This chapter synthesizes the principal findings of a hermeneutic-phenomenological investigation into the lived experience of individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Integrating Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and microphenomenological methods, the study offers a nuanced portrayal of BPD beyond clinical symptomatology. The results reveal persistent experiential dimensions such as a fragmented sense of identity, pervasive self-punishment beliefs, emotional volatility, and relational turbulence. The narrative flow of these experiences is marked by sensory disruptions, dissociative episodes, and complex cognitive-emotional loops. Importantly, the study highlights the dual role of self-regulation strategies as both adaptive and potentially harmful. The methodological innovation lies in the layered articulation of reflexive and prereflexive data, mapping existential depth and moment-to-moment experience. The chapter further reflects on the epistemological and clinical implications of this integrative approach, underlining the importance of phenomenological rigor in understanding mental suffering. It argues for a shift in therapeutic paradigms—away from symptom labeling and toward the recognition of meaning structures embedded in each individual’s experiential world. This chapter is both a culmination of empirical insights and a conceptual proposal for future research and psychotherapeutic practice grounded in phenomenological ethics.