Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Symptoms of BPD
Mood swings
Periods of intense depression, irritability, and/or anxiety lasting from a few hours to a few days
Inappropriate, intense or uncontrolled anger
Impulsiveness in spending, sex, substance use, shoplifting, reckless driving, or binge eating
Recurring suicidal threats or self-injurious behavior
Unstable, intense personal relationships
Extreme black-and-white views of people and experiences, sometimes alternating between “all good” idealization and “all bad” devaluation
Persistent uncertainly about self-image, long-term goals, friendships and values
Chronic boredom or feelings of emptiness
Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
Treatment for BPD
Medication
Reduces anxiety, depression and impulsivity
Helps one deal with harmful patterns of thinking and interacting
Fails to correct ingrained character difficulties
Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Neuroleptics
Psychotherapy
Short-term hospitalization when necessary during times of extreme stress, impulsivity or substance abuse
Generally difficult and long term
BPD symptoms often interfere with therapy
Usually effective
What is BPD?
Fairly common biologically based disorder
Characterized by impulsivity and instability in mood, self-image and personal relationships
Diagnosed more often in females than in males
Causes of BPD
Unclear, but psychological and biological factors may be involved
Originally thought to border on schizophrenia
Related to serious depressive illness
Associated with neurological and attention deficit disorders abuse or neglect may create identity and personality problems
More research is needed
Simultaneously present disorders
Serious depressive illness, including bipolar disorder
Eating disorders
Alcohol/drug abuse
Sleep disorder
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