What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD is a type of mental illness that falls under Axis II diagnoses in the DSM. Axis II encompasses all personality disorders. The symptoms of BPD are irritability, taking risks, substance abuse, self-harm, social isolation, and mood swings. You might experience a distorted self-image, depression, guilt, a feeling of narcissism, and a sense of entitlement. People with Borderline Personality Disorder often have a vacant sense of self, meaning that they don’t know who they are. It’s challenging to get diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder because many practitioners might think it’s something else due to the crossover of the symptoms with the symptomatic nature of other mental illnesses.
Bipolar disorder vs. BPD
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme highs and lows. When people live with Bipolar disorder, they may experience periods of stability where they’re asymptomatic. They’re going about their everyday lives, or they could be in an episode of mania. When a bipolar person is manic, they feel grandiosity, and there’s a lack of a need for sleep. They have irritability, impulsivity, hypersexuality, and other symptoms that can come with mania. That’s where it gets confusing; people with BPD may also experience these symptoms. They could be hypersexual, engage in compulsive spending, have angry outbursts, and have pervasive mood swings. The difference is that mania could last for a couple of weeks or months, whereas mood swings that occur in those with BPD can happen within hours and must pair with other symptoms of BPD. In one day, a person could be experiencing a multitude of emotions. For a person with Bipolar disorder, it’s a gradual progression to mania and a gradual decrease or crash into depression. Sometimes, people with Borderline Personality Disorder get misdiagnosed with Bipolar disorder and vice versa.
Getting the right diagnosis
Two of the hallmarks of Borderline Personality Disorder are emotional dysregulation and difficulty maintaining relationships. If you find that your relationships are volatile or that you can’t seem to keep friends and have a giant fear of abandonment, it may be worthwhile to discuss the possibility of having BPD with your practitioner.
Fear of abandonment
Fear of abandonment is another hallmark of BPD along with self-harm, thoughts of suicide, and suicidal actions. People with BPD don’t want to be abandoned; even if they push you away, they still want to be loved. If you have this extreme fear of abandonment, you may want to look into BP
Getting treatment
One of the most effective treatments for BPD is DBT or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. DBT often takes place in a group setting where you’re talking to other people that have similar issues regulating emotions. It’s hard to control emotions when you feel them in such an extreme way as one does with BPD, but with the help of a licensed therapist or counselor, you can get to a point where you’re able to manage those feelings. Online therapy is a great way to get the help that you need. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help because living with Borderline Personality Disorder doesn’t have to be a tumultuous experience if you get guidance and establish effective coping skills.