Borderline personality disorder – characteristics, symptoms and methods of treatment

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Borderline personality disorder, also known as borderline personality disorder or borderline personality disorder, is a disorder involving mood instability, identity disorders, and feelings of unfulfillment and emptiness, among others. This dysfunction is characterized by the prevalence of negative feelings, fear of rejection and abandonment and disappointment, the inability to build stable relationships with other people, especially intimate relationships, and an inconsistent image of one’s own self.

What is borderline personality?

Borderline personality it is also called Fr.the emotionally unstable self of the border sub-type or borderline personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder is a disorder in which the patient is prone to taking various risks, using psychoactive substances for experimental purposes, eating problems (for example, anorexia and bulimia), pathological lying and confabulation, suicide attempts, self-harm, and a tendency to smoke for bridges. The latter behavior is due to fear of rejection – patients with borderline personality they’d rather be the first to break contact than to be concerned that the other person will.

Borderline personality disorder affects about 1-2 percent. society. Scientists disagree about the frequency of the disorder in men and women. Some researchers claim that women are more likely to develop borderline personality disorder, while other specialists believe that men are much more likely to suffer from this condition. There is, however, one point of agreement, because borderline personality traits are diagnosed very often in young adults. This disorder requires multidirectional treatment, including psychotherapy, but also often hospitalization.

What mental disorders are especially dangerous for us? Check: 7 mental disorders that can destroy us

What might indicate a personality disorder?

What exactly is a personality disorder itself? A personality disorder can be considered when it is diagnosed with such features of ailments that are not susceptible to change and make it difficult for the patient to function normally and adapt to reality.

Personality disorder they usually lead to discomfort and a significant deterioration of the patient’s functioning in the social, professional and family environment. Patients diagnosed with personality disorders indicate frequent problems at work, difficulties in establishing social contacts, general malaise or low tolerance to stress.

Patients with personality disorders often do not see the problem in themselves, and usually strive to change the environment – be it the place of work, place of residence or even a change of partner. They believe that their situation will be improved by limiting the influence of external factors that cause all these unpleasant experiences. The way in which personality disorders manifest themselves always has a negative effect on other people who are around the sick person.

Causes of borderline personality

Causes of borderline personality are not thoroughly researched and defined. It is assumed that these may be childhood traumatic experiences, for example, abandonment or abandonment by the caregiver or the death of a parent. Fear of abandonment, negativity and emotional instability can also be the result of upbringing mistakes or personality disorders of one or both parents or guardians.

Na development of borderline personality the patient is also affected by inappropriate treatment in childhood, i.e. not showing feelings, being overly critical or not communicating properly with a child.

Biological abnormalities may also be the cause of borderline personality development; Opinions on this subject, as in the case of discussions on the causes of schizophrenia, are divided in the scientific and medical circles. However, it is indicated that the development of the disorder may involve genetic factors that contribute to a strong feeling of anxiety, instability or emotional lability.

How can a difficult childhood affect a child’s health? Check: A difficult childhood hurts the heart and shortens life

Behaviors and beliefs characteristic of borderline personality – symptoms

Borderline personality disorder manifests itself both in the attitude and beliefs of the person and in their behavior. People suffering from this disorder experience negative emotions more often than positive ones. Their constant emotional repertoire includes anxiety, anger, anger, frustration, sadness, shame and boredom, both with themselves, with other people and with the world.

Such emotions generate stress, which additionally strengthens the negative attitude and negative perception of the world. Under severe stress, misconceptions or paranoid symptoms may also occur and may require hospital treatment.

Borderline personality disorder is the inability to independently overcome stress and crisis situations – instead of acting, a person with this disorder has a tendency to “drown” in discouragement, panic and anxiety. He is unable to collect his thoughts and develop a plan to get out of the situation. Patients with borderline personality disorder feel a strong fear of rejection and abandonment. A person with borderline personality disorder has a tendency to enter into unstable and intense relationships that lead to emotional crises related to suicide threats or self-harm (e.g., self-harm).

The “I” inconsistency of people with borderline personality is that they cut themselves off from certain feelings, thus making their “I” somewhat fragmented. Down Characteristics of the Borderline Personality there is also a strong emotional lability that manifests itself in rapidly changing, extreme moods. Such people are very sensitive to the judgment of others, and in their love and friendship they feel a constant need to reassure them of their partner’s feelings. They can be possessive and jealous – these behaviors are generated by fear of rejection and abandonment.

The following are the characteristics of borderline personality:

1. quarrelsome and frequent conflicts;
2. mood swings, mood swings caused by frivolous matters;
3. emotional instability;
4. unstable image of oneself and of the environment;
5. idealizing the current partner until the first quarrel or act of jealousy;
6. complete negation of former partners and attributing any negative qualities to them;
7. perceiving the world in black and white colors, with the simultaneous lack of intermediate states between euphoria and breakdown;
8. impulsiveness and frequent bouts of anger;
9. criticizing others and, in addition, constantly blaming the environment for your own failures;
10. tendency to manipulate;
11. tendency to self-harm;
12. tendency to be compulsive;
13. threats and suicide attempts;
14. eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia
15. dangerous or risky behaviors that may endanger health or life, e.g. fast driving, taking drugs or casual sex

If you want to know more about personality disorders, read on: Personality disorders – types and methods of diagnosis

Criteria for diagnosing borderline personality in a patient

When is a patient diagnosed with borderline personality disorder? Two main ones are taken into account borderline diagnostic criteriaincluding the ICD-10 classification and the DSM-IV classification

ICD-10 classification it affects the emotionally unstable personality, which includes two subtypes: impulsive and borderline.

The borderline type of emotionally unstable personality it must meet at least three of the following characteristics:

1. disturbances in the perception of the correct self-image;
2. lack of specific goals and preferences, this also applies to the sexual sphere;
3. intensely engaging in relationships while creating unstable relationships that lead to emotional crises;
4. avoiding rejection by abandoning loved ones and burning bridges behind you;
5. threats to commit suicide or attempted suicide;
6. constant feeling of inner emptiness.

In the DSM-IV classification borderline personality is defined as a behavioral pattern dominated by instability in interpersonal relationships, in self-assessment and in emotional terms, and with clearly marked explosiveness. You will have borderline personality disorder when you have at least five of the nine following criteria for a long time:

1. relentless efforts to help avoid real, but often imaginary rejection;
2. creating intense and unstable relationships with other people. These relationships arise and end at extreme points, from the idealization of the partner to its complete devaluation;
3. identity disorders and incorrect self-image and sense of self;
4. high impulsivity in at least two spheres that may be destructive for the patient. The most common are: spending a lot of money, taking drugs, having casual sex, compulsive eating or unsafe driving behavior;
5. threats of suicide, attempted suicide, or self-harm;
6. emotional instability, irritability and anxiety lasting about a few hours;
7. long-lasting feeling of inner emptiness;
8. intense anger, inadequate to the situation. Lack of control over outbursts of anger and frequent bad mood;
9. fleeting paranoid thoughts or severe symptoms of personality disintegration.

What are the most common causes of an emotional swing? Read on: When may mood swings happen?

Borderline personality disorder – diagnosis

In case of suspicion of borderline personality development, the patient should see a psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist. During the visit, the specialist will use appropriate questionnaires to assess personality, such as MMPI, or Minnesota Multidimensional Personality Inventory.

Borderline personality disorder should always be distinguished from changes in behavior that result, for example, from substance abuse, prolonged stress or mood disorders.

If you want to learn more about personality tests, check out: Personality test – types, course. What is the personality test? [WE EXPLAIN]

Do you notice disturbing symptoms that you are afraid to talk to a loved one about? Make an appointment for a quick on-line consultation with a psychiatrist.

Which people are most often diagnosed with borderline personality disorder?

Research and statistics do not provide clear information about the frequency of borderline personality disorder. As mentioned before, researchers disagree with each other on many issues. For example, some authors of publications about borderline personality claim that the rate of this disorder in European and American societies is approx. 0,7-1,8 percent. In contrast, other scientists indicate a range between 0,2 and 2,8 percent. For comparison, it is indicated that the incidence of schizophrenia is estimated at approx. 1%.

Much more data can be drawn from the statistics among patients in psychiatric hospitals. Well the incidence of borderline personality disorder among hospitalized patients is about 15-25 percent. This diagnosis accounts for half of all cases diagnosed with a personality disorder.

Previous studies have indicated that borderline personality disorder affects women much more often than men. Scientists said that 70-75 percent. women are the cases of this disorder. Additionally, it has been suggested that eating disorders are much more common among women, and that men are overuse of various psychoactive substances.

However, as it turned out, current epidemiological studies among US residents indicated that the incidence of borderline personality disorder is measured over the lifetime of 5,9%, and there is no major difference in the incidence of men and women. Both sexes have similar levels of anxiety and mood disorders.

Summing up, it is worth noting that epidemiological studies on personality disorders are very difficult. For example, the only such study conducted in Poland did not cover personality disorders at all. Therefore, it is very difficult to clearly define the scale of this problem and how large a number of the population is struggling with borderline personality disorder.

One of the sadder indicators among patients with borderline personality disorder is the one that indicates the number of suicides committed. It is indicated that approx. 3-10 percent. patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder have committed suicide.

Did you know that statistics show that men are more likely to commit suicide? If you want to know why, check out: Male – weak sex?

How to deal with people with borderline personality disorder?

Intercourse with people struggling with borderline personality disorder is not the easiest thing, but it is very important to be aware of the specificity of this disorder and not to blame yourself for the patient’s behavior or complaints. Clear boundaries must be set that should never be exceeded. By creating relationship with a person with borderline personality there are a few important rules to remember:

1. a situation of co-addiction or taking over the patient’s way of thinking must not be allowed;
2. you should work on proper communication, first of all, avoid conflicts and listen carefully to your partner. In conversations, you should be honest and consistent, but also empathetic. 
3. Knowledge of the disorder is valuable, so you need to find as much information as possible about borderline and the behaviors that are characteristic of it. This will help you react appropriately in difficult situations;
4. the partner should not be forced into therapy or treatment. However, you should not give up persuading him to start therapy. Only specialized therapy will allow you to create and maintain a stable and satisfying relationship;
5. It should not be forgotten that the goal of a person with borderline personality disorder is not to harm their partner. Such people are full of internal pain and suffering, and their behavior or course of action is a result of the disorder.

If you want to know more about how to deal with a mentally ill person, read: From reality to ilzuji

Treatment methods for people with borderline personality disorder – psychotherapy

Patients with borderline personality disorder may be helped by pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy. In extreme cases, for example during suicide attempts or when there is a risk of such an attempt, patients with borderline personality are hospitalized.

In less severe cases, cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective, aimed at making the patient with borderline personality aware of the mechanisms generating his moods, beliefs and behaviors. People with borderline personality disorder tend to think in terms of either / or (or something is black or white, or good or bad). Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy shows them nuances and other possible colors and assessments. Borderline personality is a serious challenge in everyday functioning, so it’s worth getting to know its characteristic features and learning to control its negative aspects.

A therapy that is also used for people with borderline is MBT, i.e. therapy based on mentalization. This is a type of therapy developed since the 90s, dedicated specifically to borderline patients. Mentalization means mental activity which consists in assigning mental states to other people. It allows you to understand social behavior and create valuable and stable interpersonal relationships. Thanks to mentalization, it is possible to realize that there is an emotional state behind every act, word or behavior, and patients undergoing this therapy learn to recognize different states.

Borderline is also used in the treatment of personality disorder schema therapy, i.e. an integrative approach based on cognitive-behavioral techniques. In this therapy, the goals are deeper aspects of emotions or personality, but also schemas. During the therapy, the patient focuses on his everyday life and on traumatic experiences from childhood.

Another type of therapy used for borderline is transference focused therapy. According to its basic assumptions, the patient in the therapeutic relationship recreates the way of functioning that also dominates in other everyday relationships. The main goal of this method is to expand the patient’s awareness and integrate all aspects of the inner world so that he can coherently perceive himself and the world around him.

In the treatment of borderline personality, other more or less popular therapies are also used, including: acceptance and commitment therapy, stress taming training, eye movement desensitization therapy, group STEPPS treatment program in the information processing system, cognitive analytical therapy, expressive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis or psychodynamic therapy.

If you want to know more about the types of psychotherapy, read on: What are the types of psychotherapy? Indications for a visit to a psychotherapist [WE EXPLAIN]

Borderline personality disorder – pharmacotherapy

In some cases, psychotherapy is combined with pharmacotherapy, but this combination has not yet been sufficiently clinically proven. Medicines are administered to those patients who experience psychotic, neurotic, manic or depressive episodes. Pharmaceutical preparations that are used in patients with borderline personality include:

1. antidepressants – help you fight symptoms such as anxiety, depression, anger and hostility. The effects of administering drugs from the SSRI group are visible after about three months of therapy;
2. antipsychotic drugs – atypical neuroleptics such as olanzapine, clozapine, quetiapine or risperdione help especially those patients who experience psychotic, impulsive symptoms or suicide attempts. Medicines reduce anger, hostility and paranoia;
3. mood stabilizing drugs – these are psychotropic drugs that reduce symptoms such as irritability, dissatisfaction, anger and explosiveness. These drugs include lithium carbonate, salts of valproic acid, carbamezepine and lamotrigine. 

If you want to know more about psychotropic medications, check out: Psychotropic drugs – what should you know before using them?

Borderline personality disorder – prognosis

Long-term therapy is indicated in the presence of borderline personality disorder. Changes in a patient’s behavior and behavior usually occur, but improvement does not come immediately. The patient’s motivation, patience and his trust in the therapist are very important. The course of the disorder is also influenced by the individual history of the disease and comorbidities.

Do the above symptoms suit you or someone close to you? Online teleconsultation with a psychotherapist is a way to deal with the problem. Make an appointment today.