What is the definition of borderline personality disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder. It has an impact on people’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It hinders their ability to function in every aspect of life. It is treatable, but it is a lengthy and painful process.

What are the characteristics of borderline personalities?

We all perceive the world differently. However, a person with borderline personality disorder (BPD) has an overly distorted perception of themselves and their environment, and uncontrolled emotions.

This can cause them significant distress and anger. They have issues with their relationships. They have a hard time feeling at ease.

They might be impulsive at times. Their lives can be hectic. As a coping mechanism, they may deliberately damage themselves.

What distinguishes borderline males from borderline women?

Borderline male characteristics

The way that borderline men and women interact with the world and those around them varies. Men are seen to use drugs more frequently and to be more antisocially inclined.

Borderline female characteristics

In contrast, eating problems are more prevalent in females. Men with borderline personality disorder (B P D) are more likely to seek substance abuse treatment than women. Conversely, women are more likely to seek medication and psychotherapy services.

What exactly are borderline symptoms?

There are numerous Borderline symptoms or characteristics, including:

• Feelings of emptiness,
• Low self-esteem, intense,
• Overwhelming emotions,
• Outbursts of anxiety, anger, and depression
• Troubled relationships with family, friends, and loved ones,
• Fluctuating between idealizing and demeaning others
• Anxiety of being alone and frantic attempts to prevent abandonment
• Ignored unstable and distorted self-image or sense of self
• Feeling neglected, lonely, misunderstood, and having a chronic sense of emptiness or boredom
• Feelings of self-hatred and self-disgust
• Utilizing self-harm as a coping method
• Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
• Impulsive and risky things like unsafe sex, using illegal drugs, gambling, overeating, driving too fast, or spending too much money.
• Black-and-white thinking
• General adjustment difficulties
• Feeling alienated from reality

What factors contribute to borderline personality disorder?

As with the majority of mental disorders, the etiology of borderline personality disorder is unknown. It is likely a result of both genetics and unhealthy life experiences.

Another mental health problem can serve as a trigger. In addition, exposure to childhood maltreatment or neglect may raise the probability that certain individuals will acquire borderline personality disorder. Not everyone who possesses these characteristics, nonetheless, will have borderline personality disorder. A stressful experience may be the culprit for some people.

When should borderline treatment be considered?

If you or someone you know has, or is suspected of having, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it is important to seek help. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following symptoms, medical attention is necessary:

• Feeling in crisis
• Showing signs of mental distress (being excessively sad, angry, or worried)
• Self-harming intent
• Suicidal ideation or discussion

People suffering from borderline personality disorder are at risk of self-harm and suicide. However, not all people with this disorder engage in self-harm. If you or someone you know suffers from this condition and you believe there is an imminent risk of suicide, you should contact the nearest health facility.

How is borderline personality disorder diagnosed?

Consult your doctor if you suspect that you or someone you know has borderline symptoms. A diagnosis can take weeks or months. A healthcare practitioner must get to know you thoroughly initially.

Current symptoms, past events, such as suicide attempts, medical history, relationships, and family history and childhood trauma, should be discussed in response to questions. Doctors will need to do a comprehensive mental health evaluation.

How to Diagnose Borderline Personality Disorder

You must have at least five of the following (borderline personality disorder symptoms) to be diagnosed with BPD:

• Frantic efforts to avoid abandonment
• Constantly intense and unstable interpersonal interactions
• Fluctuating between idealizing and devaluing persons
• Warped self-image or self-perception
• At least two potentially harmful impulsive acts
• Persistent self-harming, suicidal behaviour, or threats
• Intense emotions extending over several hours to days
• A long-lasting, persistent sense of emptiness
• Trouble regulating extreme and inappropriate rage
• Feeling detached from reality or having paranoid ideas

Teenagers may experience the onset of borderline personality disorder symptoms. However, they must exhibit significant symptoms for at least a year before being diagnosed. These symptoms are predicted to significantly interfere with daily functioning. A teenager with borderline personality disorder exhibits significantly more severe and persistent symptoms than a typical moody adolescent.

What comorbid disorders are associated with borderline disorder?

Borderline personality disorder is rarely diagnosed on its own. Common comorbid disorders include:

• depression or bipolar disorder
• Drug abuse
• Eating disorders
• Anxiety disorders

Other disorders typically improve when borderline personality disorder is successfully treated. However, the opposite is not always valid. For instance, it is possible to successfully cure the symptoms of depression while still suffering from borderline personality disorder.

What are the similarities between Narcissistic and Borderline Personality Disorders?

Insecurity is the root cause of both disorders. There are so many crushing anxieties lurking beneath the surface. They distort an individual’s perception of himself and others. As a result, both borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder are associated with detrimental behaviours in interpersonal relationships.

Abandonment is prevalent in both cases. A person with borderline personality disorder may exhibit their profound fear of abandonment through alienation. On the other side, individuals with narcissistic personality disorder are more inclined to dump other people. Maybe they want to emphasize their air of supremacy, or maybe they are just being proactive and getting rid of the other people before they have the chance.

Borderline and narcissistic individuals may spend the most of their lives alone. They may also struggle to keep a job due to interpersonal issues, impulsiveness, or arrogance. People with both disorders may fail to regulate their moods.

There is a high risk of comorbid disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse disorders, and eating disorders. People with borderline or narcissistic personality disorder, like those with many other personality disorders, are reluctant to seek therapy for their distress.

In fact, they believe in warped perceptions. It is extremely unlikely that they will recognize that their beliefs are unfounded. Ultimately, both conditions demand sufficient time and perseverance to initiate the resolution of deep insecurities and anxieties.

What are the primary distinctions between these disorders?

When a person with bipolar disorder is not experiencing a manic or depressive phase, they exhibit a greater degree of stability than those with borderline personality disorder. When a person with bipolar disorder is in transition, they can function effectively in society. They may have close relationships that are disrupted during times of illness. However, when they are not having attacks, they have a stability that is absent in borderline individuals.

The biochemistry of the neurological system is primarily responsible for bipolar disorder. It is more responsive to drug treatment. The brain and nerve system play a significant role in borderline disorder.

However, the mind’s psychological processes also heavily influence it. Bipolar is a biological condition. Deeply rooted psychological characteristics affect borderline disorders. It is about how people interpret the world, themselves, and others.

In bipolar disorder, mood swings are more random than in borderline. It has less connection to events. During an episode, bipolar illness patients may exhibit a trigger response.

Apart from the attack, there may not be a problem. The borderline individual always has a trigger response.

How to handle borderline and substance abuse?

Borderline personality disorder and drug abuse often go hand in hand. This is likely because individuals may use substances as a kind of self-medication. The individual seeking therapy for borderline personality disorder may also require addiction treatment.

How is personality disorder borderline treated?

After a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder has been made, a mental health practitioner will administer treatment for the disorder. The most successful treatment is a combination of medicine and psychological counselling. In certain situations, medication can be helpful. However, it is insufficient for the primary therapy of BPD.

Some symptoms may be alleviated by medication. However, it is insufficient alone to treat borderline personality disorder. Medication may be beneficial if the individual with borderline personality disorder also has another mental health problem, such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or depression. Psychotherapy is also essential.

What is the purpose of psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is the primary treatment option for borderline personality disorder. Finding a therapist with whom you feel secure is essential. It should be someone who makes you feel understood and accepted.

It is vital to demonstrate dedication to therapy and to maintain sessions on a regular schedule. A borderline individual can both boost and diminish the therapist’s value. As a symptom, he could be inconsistent with his therapist.

Several examples of potentially helpful therapies include:

Dialectical behaviour therapy was designed expressly for the treatment of BPD. The approach of dialectical behaviour therapy emphasizes mindfulness, interpersonal interactions, and emotion regulation.

Schema therapy is a type of therapy that helps people see themselves and their surroundings in healthier ways.

In severe cases, a person with borderline personality disorder may need to be hospitalized. This is frequently suggested as a temporary precaution for individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others.

Families and friends of those with borderline personality disorder may also benefit from counselling in order to cope with the responsibilities of caring for their loved ones. You may also need therapy if you have a relative with Borderline syndrome.

What should you do if you have a Borderline spouse or relative?

Understanding how to manage your loved one’s borderline personality disorder will be beneficial.

• Understand about the disorder
• Affirm your feelings
• Simplify your expectations
• Encourage responsibility
• Setting limitations
• Taking threats of suicide or self-harm seriously can change your relationship with a loved one in a big way.

Love alone cannot “cure” borderline personality disorder. You must assist them in finding treatment. It is equally critical that you seek out assistance for yourself.

You must understand how to cope with individuals with borderline personality. Together, you can develop a plan for recovery. You can avoid many possible risks.

What can be done to deal with borderline personality disorder?

Living with and managing borderline personality disorder is an individual endeavour. Individuals should take the time to discover what works best for them. Everyone’s experience will be unique. The following can make living with borderline personality disorder easier:

Participating in physical activities. Physical activity can help you regain emotional control. It can help you maintain balance. Running, cycling, and yoga are all beneficial physical activities.

Make time for yourself. While social isolation can be damaging, avoiding other people occasionally can be a useful coping mechanism.

Spend some time alone. Recharge away from other people’s influence. If you are upset or unable to control your emotions, being alone can be beneficial.

Journaling your thoughts about people. Expressing your feelings helps, you calm down. Putting into writing how you feel about a person or situation enables you to regulate your emotions.

So that you may express yourself without compromising your relationships. You allow yourself time to re-read.

Let’s take a break. It is beneficial to temporarily divert one’s attention from a stressful situation. It can reduce feelings of anger and violence.

Be active. You can divert yourself from your current emotions. So that your mind may concentrate on the work at hand. You can control your emotions better.

How can dengem help with borderline personality disorder?

First, you must acknowledge that you require treatment. After this insight, counselling can be successful. Otherwise, the therapy will be ineffective since patients with borderline personality disorder will abandon treatment.

dengem has skilled psychologists in the field of personality disorders. You may benefit from these psychologists’ online therapies.

Preliminary interviews will help you get to know and trust your psychologist. Furthermore, Turkish psychologists can help in your native language and culture.

Do not forget to visit the dengem website! You are valuable to us.

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What to do about loneliness? Why do I feel lonely?

References:

1. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): BPD
2. Mayo Clinic: Borderline Personality Disorder
3. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Understanding  B P D