Individuals with Borderline personality disorder are characterized by instability of affects, self-image, and interpersonal relationships. Starting at early adulthood, they are very impulsive in nature.
People with this disorder show affective instability. They have intense episodes of dysphoria, irritability, and anxiety. these episodes last few hours and very rarely few days.
Diagnostic Criteria for Borderline personality disorder
The essential feature to diagnose Borderline personality disorder is instability in interpersonal relationships.
- Frantic thoughts of abandonment, which can be real or imaginary. (do not include suicidal thoughts)
- Unstable interpersonal relationships with episodes of idealization and devaluation.
- Impulsivity in at least two areas of self-harm like spending, sex, substance abuse, and reckless driving.
- Chronic feelings of emptiness
- Inappropriate intense anger or unable to control anger
- Tendency to undermine self when close to achieving a goal.
- Feeling of more security with nonhuman objects like pets and inanimate objects rather than human relationships.
Risk Factors
Individuals with Borderline personality disorder undermine a goal just before it is achieved. Due to this behavior pattern, they destroy relationships just before they become clear that it could last longer. Leaving education just before its completion.
- Constant regressive thoughts of how well the therapy is going.
- Development of psychotic symptoms of hallucinations, body-image distortions, and hypnagogic phenomena during times of stress.
- recurrent job losses interrupted education and divorce.
- Susceptible for depressive episodes, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and ADHD.
Word from PsychHelp
Borderline personality disorder was very much believed to be untreatable. New research has shown significant results in improving the condition of the patient. In the long-term prognosis, results are better than major depression and bipolar disorder.
Psychotherapy: For treating Borderline personality disorder, Psychotherapy is the first choice of treatment. Targeted treatments include Dialectical behavior therapy, Mentalization-based treatment. Many times family counseling may be required for effective treatment.
Borderline personality disorder must only be diagnosed when the criteria are met and do not coincide with other personality disorder symptoms.