Who never felt on edge emotionally speaking? This situation comes up much more frequently in those who suffer from a borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as borderline syndrome.
In this content, we will clarify the main doubts about borderline personality disorder, showing that it is possible to deal well with the symptoms of the condition and live a happy and emotionally healthy life.
So without further ado let’s get started!
What is borderline personality disorder?
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by extreme instability in the most varied areas of life:
- Work
- Relationships
- Ideals
- Self perception.
Thus, borderline personality disorder causes intense suffering in the person and those who live with him.
According to Data from the UK Psychiatric Association, 1% to 2.5% of the population is affected with borderline personality disorder, being more common in women.
Symptoms
Among the symptoms of borderline personality disorder, without a doubt, one of the most frequent is the difficulty with controlling anger.
In borderline syndrome, unlike conditions such as bipolar disorder (where moods can fluctuate from time to time), anger flares up frequently.
After all, the slightest frustrations can trigger difficulties with anger control in the borderline patient.
Therefore, among the symptoms are:
- Difficulty building lasting loving relationships
- Problems with co-workers
- Family conflicts.
As a result of anger, the person with borderline syndrome suffers from the fear of being abandoned and can direct the symptom to his own body.
Thus, a common symptom of borderline personality disorder is self-mutilation, that is, inflicting aggressions against one’s own body.
In some cases, there is suicidal ideation and, unfortunately, about 10% of the causes of death of those suffering from borderline syndrome is suicide.
What is a borderline person?
Being borderline is being able to go from “8 to 80” quickly, several times a day.
However, mere instability alone is not a sign capable of diagnosing someone with the condition.
In this sense, several other factors need to be analyzed.
In order to enrich knowledge on the subject, we prepared a table with 7 characteristic signs of borderline personality disorder.
Signals: In practice fear of abandonment the borderline person is always looking for the availability of the other to help him. Circumstances such as small delays or forgetting commemorative dates can trigger a great feeling of emptiness and lack of meaning in which the borderline syndrome has.
Anger: Anger control is the greatest difficulty for those suffering from a borderline personality disorder. Thus, when things do not go as expected, strong rage attacks can arise, causing interpersonal and relationship damage.
Instability the borderline person suffers from sudden changes in goals, values, opinions, careers, or friends. Such oscillation is the result of the interpretation that the borderline person has of the acts of others. That is, when someone acts in a caring and welcoming way, they may feel needy and appreciated for it. On the other hand, when being subtly criticized, appreciation can turn into anger and even a desire to move away from the other. Instability can also be reflected in self-image, feeling good about yourself at certain times and then having terrible self-esteem.
Impulsive behavior and self-injury: Instability can trigger impulsiveness to make important decisions and anger can be channeled into injuries to one’s own body (self-mutilation).
Brief episodes of paranoia in some cases of the condition, the borderline person may have small psychotic episodes in which delusions of jealousy, for example, make them believe that they are being betrayed or even persecuted.
self-sabotage although they are people with the cognitive part preserved (by the way, some are highly intelligent), one of the signs of the borderline person is self-sabotage in order to obtain the attention and care of others. For example, a person with borderline may put obstacles to complete significant accomplishments such as finishing a degree or opening a business to feel cared for and cared for by someone.
History of abuse in childhood or adolescence a frequent sign in patients with borderline syndrome is having already suffered some type of violence early in life. This trauma leaves marks on the personality that interfere with emotions and behavior in adult life.
How do I know if I’m borderline?
The best way to make an accurate diagnosis is to see a mental health specialist.
Not only psychiatrists, but also psychologists can reliably indicate whether the above signs do indeed point to borderline personality disorder.
In addition to a detailed interview (anamnesis), these specialists base the diagnosis on the criteria listed by renowned institutions, such as, for example, the World Health Organization (WHO) or the American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnosis
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 5th edition (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, for the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder one must:
→ Be over 18 years old and have a history of troubled relationships, difficulties with self-image and impulsiveness.
In addition to these characteristics, for the diagnosis, at least 5 of the following signs must be noted:
- Making desperate efforts to avoid abandonment (real or imagined)
- Having intense and unstable relationships that alternate between idealizing and devaluing the other person;
- Frequently changing self-image or sense of self;
- Acting impulsively in at least two areas that could harm you (such as unsafe sex, binge eating, or reckless driving);
- Repeatedly engaging in suicidal behavior, including attempted and threatened suicide and self-harm
- Having rapid changes in mood, which usually last only a few hours and rarely more than a few days.
- Feeling of chronic emptiness;
- Feeling intense, unwarranted anger or having difficulty controlling anger
- Having temporary paranoid thoughts or severe dissociative symptoms (feeling unreal or detachment from oneself) triggered by stress.
Borderline personality disorder: cognitive behavioral therapy
Borderline personality disorder is often greatly improved by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
This approach allows offering practical tools to control symptoms such as:
- Need to receive a lot of affection and attention;
- Rebellion;
- Use of chemical substances as a refuge from anger;
- Emotional instability;
- Self-flagellation;
- Symptoms of depression;
- Difficulties in loving and interpersonal relationships.
Like autism spectrum disorder, borderline syndrome varies in intensity from person to person.
Therefore, treatment is carried out on an individual basis.
Other therapies
While cognitive behavioral therapy is useful for treating borderline personality disorder, there are other effective approaches such as:
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – uses concepts and strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is especially useful for borderline personality disorder, as it has a special focus on offering tools for emotional and behavioral changes;
- Treatment based on mentalization – developed especially to treat the borderline syndrome, it consists of imagining emotionally challenging situations and, with that, increasing stability and control over the psyche;
- Transference-focused psychotherapy – the changes of opinion of borderline personality disorder sufferers. Therefore, this therapy technique allows the patient to feel free to discuss the impressions he has of the therapist, improving the professional-patient relationship and, by extension, effectiveness;
- Gestalt therapy – derived from humanistic psychology, considered the third way, along with psychoanalysis and cognitive-behavioral therapy, Gestalt therapy is interesting for treating borderline personality disorder, as it emphasizes the problem that affects the here and there. now, improving the perception and awareness of the patient in the present.
- General psychiatric management – in some cases it is necessary to resort to psychotropic medications to control mood swings and treat some other associated mental disorder.
Have you identified with the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
If you’ve spotted any signs of borderline personality disorder in your personality, rest assured that treatments are available.
In fact, with private BPD diagnosis UK, improving mental health is just a few clicks away.
