Borderline personality disorder Sings & Symptoms
What is Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), is a mental illness characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong emotional reactions. Those affected often engage in self-harm and other dangerous
People with BPD tend to be extremely sensitive. . Small things can trigger intense reactions. And once upset, you have trouble calming down. It’s easy to understand how this emotional volatility and inability to self-soothe leads to relationship turmoil and impulsive—even reckless—behavior.
A person with borderline personality disorder often acts like this:
- He often feels "empty."
- His feelings change very quickly, and he often feels very sad, angry and anxious.
- He always fears that the people he cares will abandon him or leave him.
- Most of his romantic relationships are intense, but unstable.
- The way he feels about the people in his life can change drastically from one moment to the next - and he doesn't always understand why.
- He often does things he knows are dangerous or unhealthy, such as driving recklessly, drinking too much, using drugs, or having fun.
- Often he tries to harm himself, or engages in self-harming behaviors such as injuring or threatening suicide.
- When he feels insecure in a relationship, he tends to criticize or make impulsive gestures to keep the other person close.
Signs and symptoms
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) manifests in many different ways, but
for the purposes of diagnosis, mental health professionals group the
symptoms into nine major categories. In order to be diagnosed with BPD, you
must show signs of at least five of these symptoms. Furthermore, the
symptoms must be long-standing (usually beginning in adolescence) and impact
many areas of your life.
- Efforts to avoid abandonment
- Emotional instability
- Feelings of emptiness
- Identity disturbances
- Impulsive behaviors
- Inappropriate, intense anger
- Unstable interpersonal relationships
- Suicidal or self-harming behaviors
- Transient paranoid or dissociative symptoms
Coping
Living with borderline personality disorder, or being in a relationship with someone who has BPD, can be stressful. It can be very difficult to acknowledge and accept the reality of BPD, but treatment may help.
If you have BPD, there are things you can do that will help improve your
ability to function and cope. Steps you can take that can improve your
quality of life include:
- Seek appropriate treatment: If you think that you or a loved one may have BPD, it's imperative that you seek the help of a licensed mental health professional, such as a mental health counselor, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
- Get an accurate diagnosis: It's important to remember that many of the symptoms of BPD are symptoms that everyone experiences from time to time. Also, some of the symptoms of BPD overlap with other mental and physical conditions. Only a licensed professional can diagnose BPD .
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Source:
helpguide.org
www.verywellmind.com
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