Borderline Personality Disorder

What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious personality disorder that is characterized by ongoing instability in mood, emotions, behavior, and sense of self. This results in difficulty maintaining relationships and functioning in the world. Genetics, environmental and social factors, and brain structure are all factors that may be involved in catalyzing BPD.

Symptoms of BPD include extreme emotional reactions, distorted self-image, inability to connect with or feel empathy for others, persistent fear of abandonment and rejection, overwhelming anxiety, and self-destructive patterns. In addition, BPD includes suicidal or self-injurious behavior among its diagnostic criteria. In fact, it is the only personality disorder type that includes such criteria. About 70 percent of people with borderline personality disorder will make at least one suicide attempt.

Borderline personality disorder can be difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are erratic. As a result, it is often mistaken for other personality disorder types and mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or cyclothymia (a mild form of bipolar disorder). For that reason, expert assessment is essential for diagnosing and healing BPD.