Borderline Personality Disorder Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

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Borderline Personality Disorder Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by unstable relationships with other people.

Borderline Personality Disorder Understanding

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by unstable relationships with other people. This type of personality disorder occurs in about 2–3% of the general population.

A person’s personality is a pattern of behavior that lasts a long time, related to the environment and oneself. When this behavior pattern becomes maladaptive (disturbed adjustment) and causes impairment (deviant behavior), then the condition is called a personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can reduce the quality of life of sufferers. Sufferers often have feelings of fear of being abandoned and rejected, feeling anxious, angry, and insignificant. They also tend to hurt themselves and others. In addition, people with BPD also often experience mood changes.

Borderline Personality Disorder Reason

The cause of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is still not known with certainty. However, it is suspected that it is due to genetic factors.

Environmental conditions can then play a role in triggering the occurrence of this personality disorder. One example of environmental factors that play a role in triggering the emergence of borderline personality disorder is verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and wrong parenting and behavior during childhood.

Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis

Based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder IV (DSM IV), borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a persistent pattern of instability of several things at once, starting from interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, mood or emotion, plus impulsive behavior patterns ( can’t help myself). It is noticeable and usually begins in early adulthood.

These disturbances can manifest in a variety of contexts, as indicated by the following:

  • Irregular attempts to avoid real or imagined rejection. Note: does not include suicide and self-harm as stated in point 5.
  • A persistent and unstable pattern of interpersonal relationships is characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.
  • Disturbed identity, marked and persistent instability of self-image or sense of self.
  • Impulsive behavior in at least two areas that has a potentially self-destructive effect (eg shopping, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, excessive eating, and drinking). Note: does not include suicidal behavior or self-harm in criterion 5.
  • Frequent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats or self-harm behavior.
  • Unstable emotions marked by reactive mood (eg: episodes of dysphoria or excessive depression, irritability, or anxiety lasting several hours and rarely lasting more than 2 days)
  • Chronic feeling of emptiness.
  • Inappropriate, frequent anger, or difficulty controlling anger (example: frequently exhibits violent temper, constant anger, frequent fights).
  • Paranoid ideas related to transient stress or severe dissociative symptoms or difficulty interacting

Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms  

Symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) are quite varied, some of the signs are as follows:

  • impaired understanding of identity
  • Impulsive, thoughtless
  • emotional reactions that are intense and difficult to control
  • self-harm and suicidal behavior
  • dissociation, difficulty interacting normally with other people or a group
  • generally, there is depression, excessive anxiety, anger out of place, and drug abuse
  • Patients with BPD have a higher sensitivity to rejection or criticism

Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment

Treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD) basically has to be a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment to get optimal results. Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice for BPD. One example of psychotherapy that can be used is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This therapy seeks to change deviant behavior and beliefs by identifying patient problems.

The class of drugs that can be used are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Patients who receive this class of drugs are known to show improvements in terms of anger and aggressive behavior.

Borderline Personality Disorder Prevention 

Until now, there has not been found an effective method for preventing borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, one of the triggers for the emergence of this personality disorder is environmental factors, such as wrong behavior patterns around it. The wrong behavior, both verbally, sexual violence, and emotional abuse during childhood.

Therefore, creating a positive environment that is relatively safe and free from verbal and physical harassment is urgently needed. Thus children can grow and develop healthier and optimally.

According to CHI Health Learn More About BPD: What Is Borderline Personality Disorder?

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