Borderline Personality Disorder
Introduction
Source: NHS
In this topic (5)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a disorder of mood and how a person interacts with others. It's the most commonly recognised personality disorder.
In general, someone witha personality disorder will differ significantly from an average person in terms of howhe or she thinks, perceives, feels or relates to others.
The symptoms of BPD can be grouped into four main areas:
- emotional instability the psychological term for this is 'affective dysregulation'
- disturbed patterns of thinking or perception ('cognitive distortions' or 'perceptual distortions')
- impulsive behaviour
- intense but unstable relationships with others
The symptomsof a personality disorder may range from mild to severe and usually emerge in adolescence, persisting into adulthood.
However, as with most conditions, BPD appears to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Traumatic events that occur during childhood are associated with developing BPD.Many people with BPD will have experienced parental neglect or physical, sexual or emotional abuse during their childhood.
Readmore about the causes of BPD .
When to seek medical advice
If you're experiencing symptoms of BPD, make an appointment with your GP. They may askabout:
- how you feel
- your recent behaviour
- what sort of impact your symptoms have had onyour quality of life
This is to rule out other more common mental health conditions, such as Depression , and to make sure there's no immediate risk to your health and wellbeing.
You may also find the MIND and Emergence websites useful.
Effective treatment may last more than a year.
Additional treatment is recommended for people whose symptoms return.
Associated mental health problems
Many people with BPD also have another mental health conditionor behavioural problem, such as:
- misusing alcohol
- generalised anxiety disorder
- bipolar disorder
- depression
- misusing drugs
- an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia
- another personality disorder such as antisocial personality disorder
BPDcan be a serious condition, and many people with the condition self-harm and attempt suicide .
Articles for Borderline Personality Disorder
Causes
Read about the causes of borderline personality disorder (BPD). It's likely to be caused by a combination of factors
Diagnosis
Read about diagnosing borderline personality disorder (BPD). If your GP suspects BPD, you'll usually be referred to your local community mental health team (CMHT)
Introduction
Read about borderline personality disorder. Personality disorders can cause a range of distressing symptoms and patterns of abnormal behaviour.
Symptoms
Read about symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD), which include emotional instability, impulsive behaviour and intense, yet unstable, relationships with others.
Treatment
Read about treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), which may involve psychotherapy, a type of talking therapy
