Ascertain if You Have a Borderline Personality Disorder

Do you find yourself experiencing inner turmoil and you're not sure why?

Do you find yourself participating in unsafe sexual activity because you don't truly care about yourself or anyone else?

Do you feel worthless?

Have you ever contemplated suicide?

If you answer yes to any of these, they maybe are clues that you have a borderline personality disorder. To find out if you have this mental illness, you may want to read this article for some valuable information.

Although this article is no substitute for a therapist, nor should it be used to diagnose yourself, or anyone else, it may lead you in the right direction and give you and idea what's going on with you, and if, perhaps, you might have a borderline personality disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious emotional disease, which is often indicated by someone's unstable and unpredictable mood swings. The term "borderline" comes from the evaluation in the 1940's that the disease was on the border between two mental conditions, psychosis and neurosis. At present, this theory is no longer an indication of borderline personality.

Symptoms or signs of BPD may start in early adulthood. It is characterized by: *Turbulence

• Negligence
• Impulsiveness
• Rapid mood swings
• Identity problems
• Suicidal attempts
• Self-inflicted injury
• Job instability
• Marital issues
• Severe feelings of hopelessness
• Fear of being alone.

These are somewhat similar to the symptoms and signs of bipolar disorder.

More often than not, people are confused by the two terms. Borderline personality disorder refers to the person's personality and emotional state, while Bipolar disorder refers to the person's thought processes. It's a case of nurture (BPD) versus nature (Bipolar). The symptoms of a person with BPD are consistent and more predictable, while, a person who is Bipolar will have breaks between the extreme mood swings. It is believed that BPD develops as the person was being brought up. He or she may have experienced childhood abuse or trauma. Early home-life experiences are thought to be the major risk factors for borderline personality disorder. Conversely, bipolar disorder is due to genetics. BPD may or may be due to a family history of BPD. A person with BPD may suffer more severe depressive emotions and attempt suicidal and self-mutilation. Now, more and more people are diagnosed with borderline personality disorder than bipolar disorder, which leads us to consider whether people in the past have been diagnosed with Bipolar when they should have been diagnosed with BPD.

If you have not yet been diagnosed with BPD, this may be the right article for you to learn about borderline personality disorder, leading to a proper diagnosis by a trained professional. Below are a few signs and symptoms of having BPD:

1. 1
   Extreme fear of being alone and becoming lonely

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   When a person with BPD feels extreme loneliness and thinks that he or she is neglected, he or she may do things that are inappropriate, like throwing or breaking things due to anger and fear.

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2. 2
   Engaging in unsafe sexual activity

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   A person with borderline personality disorder can be careless when it comes to sexual acts. That is why he or she is prone to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

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3. 3
   Threatening other people who are close to them

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   A person with BPD may threaten people who are important to them so that they won't leave him or her.

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4. 4
   Contemplating being neglected, he or she may commit suicide or mutilate him or herself

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   A person with BPD does not want to live alone and if he or she does, there is a good chance that he or she will think of putting an end to his or her life.

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5. 5
   Unstable relationships with people

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   A person with BPD unpredictably changes his or her mood. He or she may become aggressive and become irritated and angry easily. This situation makes other people around him or her, misunderstand their condition. They will become fed up and leave the person, or they'll think the person is going insane.

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6. 6
   Feelings of extreme guilt

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   A person with BPD may feel extreme guilt after hurting someone. When he or she gets annoyed, he or she may hurt somebody by punching him or her. Afterward, he or she may then feel guilty and offer an apology.

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7. 7
   Uncontrolled emotions

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   A person with BPD does not know how to control his or her emotions. Whatever he or she thinks, he or she will do it on the spot without thinking of the outcome first.

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8. 8
   Recurring stress-related paranoid thoughts

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   A person with BPD has repetitive stress-related paranoid thoughts, believing people are against them, and out to harm them. He or she may be pessimistic, although what he or she thinks is not factual.

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9. 9
   Serious dissociative symptoms

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   Sometimes, a person with BPD is delusional and hallucinating. He or she may think or utter unusual topics that are not true. He or she may be losing connection with reality.

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10. 10
    Distorted body/self-image

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    This often leads to Body Dysmorphic Disorder - when someone views his or her body in such an extreme unfavorable light, as to cause other issues. As an example, someone might be in good shape and thin, but they cannot look in a mirror without seeing his or her body as fat and unattractive.

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11. 11
    Risky and impulsive behavior

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    Taking chances with their lives - erratic driving for the thrill, unsafe sex, crazy shopping sprees, unsafe sex, and the taking of illicit drugs are a few examples.

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The above are just a few signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder. There may be other signs that are relevant to the disorder, but heightened emotions are a major sign that a person may have borderline personality disorder.

It is a popular belief that home life and environmental factors are the main cause of Borderline Personality Disorder. A person may have undergone abnormal family relationships and child abuse when he or she was younger. Another cause is genetics. It is also believed that borderline personality disorder may be inherited from a family member who has the same illness or other types of mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder. BPD may get worse depending on how the person was brought up, social relations, and other environmental factors.

Mental health professionals like psychotherapists may help a person with BPD cope with his or her emotions and destructive thinking. A psychotherapist is a big help for a person with a mental disorder because he or she can help regulate and control unpredictable emotions. Apart from that, medications can also be helpful in reducing extreme depression and mood swings. You may be prescribed antidepressants, but these won't help to regulate and control heightened emotions. Self-help is another way of overcoming signs and symptoms of BPD, which is often overlooked by some mental health professionals. As a matter of fact, self-help methods can be very effective in combating signs and symptoms.

• A person with BPD should immerse him or herself in society.
• He or she should learn how to get along with others to overcome some symptoms.
• Take part in activities that focus on your state of mind, like yoga, or meditation.
• Ask for help. Surround yourself with caring family and friends. They will be so helpful for you during rough times.
• Stay away from negative people, and people who make you angry.

So, now you have learned the truth about borderline personality disorder. You may want to start asking for help from a professional psychiatrist and doing self-help methods to reduce the risk of the disorder. Signs and symptoms are quite uncomfortable. You can hurt somebody if you are provoked. Unsafe sexual acts and self-mutilation are uncontrollable behaviors during the depressive stage. These should be controlled in order not to hurt yourself and other people.

Can my 18-year-old BPD stepdaughter live alone?

My fianceé lives in San Jose and I am in Seattle. He has been going back and forth for a year and a half now and he is tired of traveling. Is she able to live by herself? We are not going to abandon her but my fianceé is going crazy with her. Please help.

As stated in the article, most people with BPD do not want to live alone. If the travel is becoming a burden to you and your fianceé, you need to discuss this with your step-daughter. Ask her where she wants to live. It's possible that she is okay with living on her own, but it's also possible that you will need to give her a place to stay at your house. Do not pressure her into anything; let her make her own decisions so she feels most comfortable with her life.

What to do to help recover from BPD?

My emotions are very full on and I just want to isolate myself from the world

Call a helpline right away. Talk about it. Talk about it with mental health professionals, friends and family. It's always worse when things are hidden. Isolating yourself from the world will make matter worse. Good luck, and know that whether or not you believe it, you are valuable, and you are loved.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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