Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder affects one’s thinking and feelings either about themselves or others thus causing dysfunction in everyday life. Particularly, the dysfunction that this mental health disorder causes include self-image issues, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships. Moreover, an individual with a borderline personality disorder has an intense fear of abandonment or instability and difficulty tolerating being alone. However, inappropriate anger and frequent mood swings may push others away from the individual even though they long for loving and lasting relationships. The condition mainly starts during early adulthood but it improves with age. As such, below we have highlighted the symptoms, causes and risk factors of borderline personality disorder that may help you understand this condition.
Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
This personality disorder affects how individuals feel about themselves, their behavior and how they relate with other people. Some of the signs and symptoms that you may spot include:
- A pattern of unstable intense relationships. For instance, idealizing someone one moment and then suddenly believing the person does not care enough.
- Intense fear of abandonment going to the extent of avoiding imagined rejections.
- Rapid self-image changes such as seeing yourself as not deserving to live.
- Sudden unexplained paranoia and losing touch with reality for some minutes or hours.
- Impulsive and risky behavior such as unsafe sex, binge eating, ending a positive relationship, suddenly quitting a good job, et cetera.
- Suicidal behavior in response to rejection.
- Intense mood swings that may last for hours. These mood swings include happiness, shame and irritability among others.
- Inappropriate loss of temper.
- Continuous feeling of emptiness.
Cause of Borderline Personality Disorder
Studies have demonstrated that genetics may have a big influence on the cause of borderline personality disorder. Also, changes in certain areas of the brain involved with emotional regulations may cause it not to function properly.
Risk Factors
- Hereditary factor – One is at greater risk of having a this personality disorder if their close relative has the condition.
- Stressful childhood – Some people with this disorder may have grown up where they were constantly received emotional and physical abuse.
Complications as a Result of Borderline Personality Disorder
Indeed, this disorder negatively affects one’s intimate relationships and it may result in;
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Anxiety disorders
- Involvement in abusive relationships
- Suicide attempts
- Self-injury
- Repeated job losses
- Unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections
- Multiple legal issues
If you or a loved one experiences such symptoms, seek the help of a therapist since the condition manageable through psychotherapy treatment.