Have you ever heard of borderline personality disorder?
This disorder is also shortened to BPD, and is a personality disorder that is quite serious. Today we are discussing this topic.
What is BPD and what are the symptoms of it? The main symptoms found in this type of disorder would be unstable moods, unstable relationships, issues with their own self-image, as well as behavior that corresponds to the self-image issues and ultimately manifests or reflects this instability. Some psychologists think that BPD is a disorder when it comes to emotional regulation.
The borderline part of the disorder came about because patients were thought to be on the borderline of psychosis. The symptoms displayed by this disorder can affect so many aspects of their life, including the ability to plan their future, get through work or school, and their relationships both socially and with their family.
It is thought to affect up to 2% of adults, according to the APA. Someone with this disorder may go through extreme periods of anxiety, depression, or anger that may go for hours or even a day. They may be paired with times of substance abuse, impulsive aggression, or even self-injury.
People with this disorder may see themselves as unworthy or bad, but they may also feel that they are mistreated, misunderstood, bored, or even a deep sense of emptiness. These may become intensified when individuals with this disorder feel that they have been isolated or do not have support, either socially or professionally (or both).
This may result in doing whatever they can to avoid being alone. People with BPD may form immediate attachments that are not only intense but can be stormy. They may also change attitude from idealizing them and acting with love to flipping over to anger and dislike on an intense level. They may also switch to the other extreme when conflict or separation happens and accuse the individual of not caring.
They may also show behaviors like risk taking, binge eating, spending, or unstable romantic relationships and even risk-engaging sexual behavior. They may be triggered by rejection or fears of abandonment. This disorder can appear along with other psychiatric issues, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, as well as additional personality disorders.
Treatment for this disorder usually tends to involve group psychotherapy on a weekly basis involving DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) or Direct Neurofeedback therapy. Some may also do well with individual behavioral treatments, which may be able to help them treat their condition. Psychiatric medications may be helpful in this condition as well, which can include antidepressants as well as mood stabilizers.
What are the causes? It’s largely unknown; the current theory that genetic and environmental factors may play a part in predisposing patients to the traits and symptoms, according to the NIMH.
Studies have indicated a pattern of a portion of those diagnosed with a history of neglect, abuse, or separation from parents during their childhood. A percentage stated they had been sexually abused.
Researchers say that the condition may result from vulnerability to abuse or stress and neglect as younger children that may cause the disorder to bloom in young adults. They may end up being more likely to be victims of violence from a history of harmful environments paired with poor choices in lifestyle, social associations, and partners.
Those with this disorder may also have brains that function slightly different from others. The amygdala responds to threats and the front areas of the brain are thought to dampen them. This area is involved in the inhibitory activity, but may take a back seat to the amygdala when individuals are under stress or the influence. Signals indicating a threat get sent to this small structure inside of the brain.
Research is still being done on this disorder and ways to treat it. Emotional symptoms of this disorder may be improved by certain drugs that can help with serotonin function or mood-stabilizing drugs. Individual therapy, DBT support group, and neurofeedback helps with this disorder and alleviates the symptoms.
