Borderline Personality Disorder Essay

What is Borderline Personality Disorder? Defined by the website www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.com, “Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness that causes unstable moods, behavior, and relationships. It usually begins during adolescence or early adulthood.” One may wonder what can be the cause of this disorder. BPD can be detected by an in-person interview about the symptoms that are occurring. The input from family and close friends of the individual that is being treated can also help detect the symptoms. The causes for BPD are not fully

In the United States, 1.6% of the adult population has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (Lenzenweger, M.F. p.1, www.nimh.gov). In the same vein, 2.6% of the adult U.S population have also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Borderline personality disorder, commonly shortened to the acronym BPD, is frequently misused to mean bipolar disorder. While both of these disorders share similarities in symptoms and behaviors, they are also different. Borderline personality disorder is a cluster B (dramatic) personality disorder that is characterized by mood instability, relationship instability, frequent uncertain self-image, and impulsivity.

Extreme mood swings are common in patients with borderline personality disorder. Someone with BPD can switch between feelings of extreme happiness to intense sadness in an instant. Emotions are also felt more deeply and persist longer than others’. Because their emotions are more heightened, patients may exhibit hyper reactivity in situations that they consider unpleasant such as criticism, disagreements, or separation. These unpleasant events can cause extreme anger, resentment, or sadness whereas a normal person would easily get over the problem. On the other hand, patients are often exceptionally optimistic and enthusiastic when positive events occur. (nimh.nih.gov, 2013)

Borderline Personality Disorder was first listed in the DSM in 1980. It is classified as a cluster B personality disorder. Before then it was unsure if it was a disorder on its own, if it only coexisted with other disorders, or only mocked other disorders. Most people suffering from BPD have problems regulating emotions and thoughts, have impulsive and reckless behavior, and have unstable relations with others. High rates of comorbidity occur with this disorder including; depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

The main feature of borderline personality disorder is the pervasive pattern of unstable relationships, self-image, and impulsiveness. Borderline personality disorder begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of situations. A person with borderline personality disorder will make major efforts to avoid any situation of abandonment. There are many symptoms that go along with having borderline personality disorder. Some examples would include: intense fears of abandonment, intense anger and irritability, impulsive and risky behavior, and wide mood swings. Self-harm, suicidal behavior and substance intoxication are very common in people with borderline personality disorder. A person with BPD experiences emotions in different ways than

Predisposing factors: Borderline personality disorder is a disorder that is characterized by a persons impulsive and/ reckless behavior, poor self-image, self-injury, emotional fluctuations, unstable relationships. There are links that suggest it could be caused by genetic and environmental factors, but it is still being studied. A person that is part of a community or culture with unstable upbringing can increase the risk for this disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). A childhood with physical and sexual abuse was often linked to people with BPD. It was more-so found to be linked with any neglect as a child (Am J Psychiatry, 1997 ). 6 to 10 million people are affected by borderline personality disorder. 75-90% of people with BPD are women (Borderline Personality Resource Center, 2012).

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder resulting in an abnormal pattern of behavior such as: extreme fear of abandonment; unstable relationships with other people, sense of self, or emotions; feelings of emptiness; frequent dangerous behavior; and self-harm. Symptoms of BPD appear to show in early adulthood and can be triggered by a variety of what appears to be normal life events. Along with personality issues comes substance abuse problems, depression, and eating disorders. BPD affects many families and often manifests in the parent 's well-being. Children whose mothers have BPD greatly affect the families overall functioning as well as the children’s emotional and behavioral development including their mental health. Children are also greatly affected and have higher risk factors due to the mother’s attempt to isolate and control their children.

Imagine having your emotions take control over you. You feel worthless and depressed and although you know what your problems are, you are shackled to them as they twist your mind making you anxious about every little detail. And as you go into a new relationship with a good heart and love to share, these emotions consume you. Struggling to make life work you surrender to paranoia of disappointment and instead of conquering these emotions, you drive yourself into nothingness thinking it will ultimately be your saving grace. Now, you understand the mind of a person with Borderline Personality Disorder. Because many of the symptoms are psychological, this weighs a lot of pressure on the minds of BPD patients. However, it is their interpersonal

Someone with borderline personality disorder has periods of moods that can lasts from hours to days. Unlike bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder affects the individual constantly. These moods are intense, changeable, and sometimes unrelated to the situation. The main reason of the intense mood is that the individual has a fear of abandonment, whether it be real or not. Since individuals with borderline are hypersensitive and are afraid of abandonment, they are labeled as manipulators.

“Personality disorders have been documented in approximately 9 percent of the general U.S. population” (Angstman, Rasmussen, 2011). Emotional dysregulation disorder or its common name borderline personality disorder is a very serious and chronic disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) describes borderline personality disorder as “a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts” (Gardner, 2006). Within the last 20 years, psychologists and other mental health professionals have made tremendous strides in research on what exactly borderline personality disorder, some of its triggers and possible effective treatment options. Borderline personality disorder is defined as a disorder that generates severe emotional instability which can be a springboard that can lead to other stress induced mental and behavioral problems.

Borderline personality disorder is a serious personality disorder. “Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental disorder marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning.” Approximately two percent of the population suffers from this disorder. Six million people alone in the United States. Women are more likely to have borderline personality disorder than men. One out of every thirty three women are likely to suffer from this disorder. Out of every one hundred men have borderline personality disorder. Borderline Personality disorder is due to disturbances in the brain pathways that control emotion and impulse control. To be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder you must be at

Definition Borderline personality disorder is a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable intense relationships, distorted self-image, extreme emotions, and impulsiveness. With borderline personality disorder, you have an intense fear of abandonment or instability, and you may have difficulty tolerating being alone. Yet inappropriate anger, impulsiveness, and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you want to have loving and lasting relationships.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious and complex mental disorder involving maladaptive behaviors and multiple symptoms. This disorder often occurs in the context of relationships and can have a chaotic effect not only on the individual with BPD but also on their loved ones. According to the NIMH, “borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationship”.9 A primary character of BPD is behavioral and emotional dysregulation. These behaviors are difficult

Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental illness categorized under Cluster B Personality Disorders. This illness affects approximately 2% of adults, 75% of them being women. There are nine most common symptoms including; intense emotions (anger and mood swings), impulsivity, and a distorted self-image. These side effects often lead to relationship problems, temper tantrums, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm; particularly cutting or thoughts of suicide. Also, most BPD patients display feelings of emptiness and fear abandonment (whether real or imagined); in this case, symptoms tend to become more acute when feeling isolated or lacking social support.

The history of BPD can be traced back to 1938 when Adolph Stern first described the symptoms of the disorder as neither being psychotic nor psychoneurotic; hence, the term ‘borderline’ was introduced (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2009, p. 15). Then in 1960, Otto Kernberg coined the term ‘borderline personality organization’ to describe persistent patterns of behavior and functioning consisting of instability, and distressed psychological self-organization (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2009, p. 15).