Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a condition in which a person has trouble regulating their emotions. It impacts a person’s relationship to self and others.
People with BPD may struggle with intense swings in mood, views, and behavior. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “People with borderline personality disorder tend to view things in extremes, such as all good or all bad. Their opinions of other people can also change quickly. An individual who is seen as a friend one day may be considered an enemy or traitor the next. These shifting feelings can lead to intense and unstable relationships.”[1]
People with BPD tend to have an intense fear of abandonment; they may act impulsively in order to avoid real or perceived abandonment. This can end up pushing people away, adding to the difficulty people with BPD might experience in relationships.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—the main text for diagnosing mental health disorders—lists[2] the symptoms of borderline personality disorder as:
- Frantic efforts to avoid abandonment
- Relationships that vacillate between idealization and devaluation
- Distorted and unstable self-image
- Impulsive and often dangerous behaviors
- Self-harm
- Intense and highly changing moods
- Chronic feelings of emptiness
- Intense or uncontrollable anger, often followed by shame
- Dissociation
- Periods of stress-related paranoia
According to the Mayo Clinic, BPD may be more intense in young adulthood and gradually get better with age.[3] However, there are also evidence-based treatments for BPD, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).[4]
While TruHealing Centers provides treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders, we do not treat personality disorders like BPD. However, if you are struggling with the above symptoms and think you may have borderline personality disorder, we can help you find the care you need.
If you are struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder, there is help. TruHealing Centers offers high-quality treatment for addiction and mental health disorders in facilities across the country. Our staff—many of whom are in recovery themselves—will help you find peace in recovery. Call an admissions specialist at 410-593-0005.
[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml
[2] https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Borderline-Personality-Disorder
[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20370237
[4] https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Borderline-Personality-Disorder