Millions of people in the United States live with a mental health condition that impacts daily functioning. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that affects how people feel, think, and believe.
Comprehensive treatment can help people manage the symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Treatment for BPD may include specialized therapies and medications. Getting treatment can help people improve daily functioning, have healthier relationships, and gain more control over their emotions.
This article will explore how to recognize and treat borderline personality disorder. You will learn:
- Common signs of borderline personality disorder
- How borderline personality disorder may affect people
- What to expect in BPD treatment
- Where to find mental health treatment and support
If you or someone in your life needs treatment or support for a mental health condition, you are not alone. Contact the First Step Behavioral Health specialists to learn more about our programs or to schedule an intake appointment.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition. It is one of ten recognized personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V).
Borderline personality disorder may significantly impact emotional regulation, behaviors, and thoughts. People with BPD can exhibit:
- A quickly changing sense of self
- Poor impulse control
- Relationship difficulties
- Self-destructive behaviors
People with BPD may engage in risky behaviors, like unsafe sex and substance use. They may also develop symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts or actions. Treatment is essential to help people with BPD manage their emotions and reduce harmful behaviors. Treatment typically includes therapy and medications to address mood symptoms.
The Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder often develops during adolescence or early adulthood. It is a long-term condition that requires structured treatment and support.
The symptoms of borderline personality disorder can interfere with a person’s ability to function, have healthy relationships, or regulate emotions. Common symptoms of BPD include:
- Feelings of dissociation
- Intense mood swings
- Chronic feelings of emptiness
- Impulsive behaviors, including self-harm, binge eating, or substance use
- A pattern of unhealthy or unstable relationships with others
- Quickly changing values or interests
- Intense, chronic fear of abandonment
- Self-harm or suicide attempts
- Paranoid thoughts
- A “black and white” way of thinking
- Inappropriate anger or angry outbursts
- Quickly changing feelings about others
The symptoms of borderline personality disorder can vary from person to person. People may have some or all of these symptoms. The severity can fluctuate or differ among people with BPD.
How Does BPD Affect People?
About 1.4% of adults in the United States live with borderline personality disorder. Three out of four people with BPD are women.
Mental health experts don’t know exactly what causes personality disorders like BPD. Many believe a variety of factors may cause someone to be diagnosed with BPD. Some of the potential causes of BPD include:
- Genetic factors
- Early childhood abuse
- Neglect during childhood
- Neurotransmitter imbalances
- Environmental factors
- Gender
- History of depression or anxiety
The symptoms of BPD can impact people in many ways. Here is an overview of how BPD can affect people’s thoughts, behaviors, and feelings.
Relationships
It can be very hard for people with BPD to maintain healthy relationships with others. Impulsive or reckless behaviors and changing views of people can hurt others’ feelings or be confusing. Family and friends may also take on a helping role that makes relationships unbalanced or unhealthy.
Emotional regulation
BPD can cause intense mood swings, feelings of emptiness, fear of abandonment, and inappropriate anger. People with BPD often struggle to regulate their emotions and can have social difficulties because of these symptoms.
Safety
BPD can cause people to engage in reckless or destructive behaviors. Unsafe sex, substance use, self-harm, and other behaviors can put people’s health and safety at risk.
People with borderline personality disorder can struggle to function and may have a low quality of life. It is essential to seek treatment as soon as you recognize the signs of borderline personality disorder.
Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder
It can be challenging to manage the symptoms of borderline personality disorder. First, people must receive an accurate diagnosis. A mental health professional will perform a mental health assessment to rule out other conditions and provide a diagnosis of BPD.
Treatment for BPD typically involves behavioral therapies. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is one of the most common and effective treatments for borderline personality disorder.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy that teaches:
- Mindfulness
- Emotional awareness
- Distress tolerance
- Interpersonal effectiveness
Learning these skills can help people with BPD have healthier relationships and more control over their emotions.
People with BPD may sometimes take medications to manage the symptoms of BPD. No medication can “cure” personality disorders. However, some may take antidepressants or mood-stabilizing drugs to reduce the emotional symptoms of BPD.
Find Mental Health Treatment Now
If you or someone you love needs treatment to manage a mental health condition, you are not alone. Contact the First Step Behavioral Health specialists to learn about our comprehensive treatment and support programs. Reach out with questions or to schedule an intake appointment.
References:
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Borderline Personality Disorder
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Borderline Personality Disorder
