Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), is a continual pattern of impulsivity as well as instability in relationships and self- image. The onset of BPD is normally in early adulthood.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, "borderline personality disorder is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. A licensed mental health professional experienced in diagnosing and treating mental disorders—such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker—can diagnose borderline personality disorder based on a thorough interview and a comprehensive medical exam, which can help rule out other possible causes of symptoms."
To be diagnosed with BPD five of nine characteristics have to be met.
Nine characteristics of BPD
- Fear Of Abandonment: People with BPD are frightened of being alone or abandoned. People with BPD will go to extreme lengths to stop this from happening.
- Unstable relationships: People with BPD tend to have short-lived relationships which are also likely to be very intense.The relationship will either be perfect or terrible. There is never really an in-between.
- Unstable self-image: Sense of self is typically unstable for those with BPD. They have no exact idea of who they are or who they want to be. This can result in often changes in jobs, friends, values, and goals for example.
- Self-destructive and impulsive behaviours: When upset and for potential other reasons, people with BPD can participate in harmful and sensation-seeking behaviours. This could include reckless driving, binge eating, and risky sex.
- Self-harm: Self-harm and suicidal behaviour are common in those with BPD.
- Extreme emotional mood swings: One minute, someone with BPD can be fine and the next they're not. Things that other people would just forget about, can completely change the mood of someone with BPD.
- Feeling empty: People with BPD often feel empty and feel like nobody. This feeling may be filled by the person taking drugs or food for example.
- Anger: Those with BPD often struggle with a short temper and intense anger. This could either be directed at other or themselves.
- Out of touch with reality: People with BPD can suffer from Paranoia as well as being suspicious of other peoples reasons behind their actions.
What it's like to have BPD?
BPD can make it extremely hard to have relationships due to the intense fear of abandonment.
This could be set off from anything from their partner being late home to going away for the weekend. This could mean that the person with BPD could guilt their partner into staying. It can also be difficult to have long-lasting relationships due to relationships being intense and go from being perfect to terrible.
A person's self-image is very unstable due to BPD they could be one thing one minute to something else to not even feeling like they have a personality at all.
It's practically impossible to make their mind up as they go through every possible option.
There is a huge stigma behind BPD that needs to be addressed and BPD needs to be talked about more. Hopefully, this gives some insight to the life of someone with BPD.
Disclaimer - This article is not intended as medical advice and was written for information purposes only. If you think you may be suffering from any mental illness, you should seek advice from your health professional.