What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

 Introduction to Borderline personality disorder

A Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental health illness. Further, it develops in adolescence or the early stage of a person's adulthood. This is to say, it is a personality disorder. In addition, symptoms of borderline personality disorder include mood swings, instability in self-image, and impulsive behaviour. 

National Institute of mental health says, in the United States, 1.6% of adults have been suffering from BPD. Moreover, it badly affects family relationships and friendship circles. In addition, some BPD persons harm themselves. However, it seems to worsen in adulthood, but gradually it will get better with age. 

Why is it called Borderline Personality Disorder?

Medical science never treats Borderline Personality Disorder as a mental illness, and it is not psychosis or neurosis. In other words, the people who suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder are on the borderline between neurosis and psychosis. As a result, some doctors also call it Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) because they move in emotional instability.

What are the causes of BPD?

Many studies prove that one cannot correctly predict its cause, but genetic, cultural, social, and environmental factors may affect a person's development of Borderline Personality Disorder. A negative experience or traumatic life may also be a reason to develop BPD. The brain's structure is also a factor because the function of the brain controls emotions and impulsive action.  

How can you tell if someone has a borderline personality disorder?

The BPD people's behaviour, character, taste, values, and interests change quickly. They assume everything at its extreme level, whether good or bad. In addition, they do not possess the stability of behaviour. Moreover, the sudden change in emotions and feelings may affect the relationships. 

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Stress
• Anxiety disorder
• Feeling of emptiness 
• Sudden or intense anger
• Extreme fear
• Feeling of unreality
• Extreme dislike
• Unstable self-image
• Unstable thinking
• Impulsive or dangerous behaviour
• Recurring Suicide tendency
• Self-harming behaviour
• Feeling of dissatisfaction
• Feeling of unhappiness in everything
• Difficulty tolerating being alone
• Fear of abandonment 
• Paranoia
• Drink too much alcohol
• Eating disorder

All these symptoms will not be equally evident or shown by every BPD people. And every BPD people are different from one another in their symptoms. 

How to diagnose Borderline Personality Disorder?

A Borderline Personality Disorder is difficult to recognise. In addition, there is no blood test or other test authentically approved to diagnose BPD. Moreover, One can only recognise it through deep analysis by talking and communicating with them. As a result, a thorough analysis of symptoms, past life, traumatic incidents, experience, and emotions helps the psychologist or doctor diagnose the BPD patient.  

• Brain structure - The brain structure has a main role in our impulse emotions and feelings.
• Family Medical History - If parents and blood relatives have BPD, there is a chance of developing BPD conditions in a person. 
• Signs and symptoms
• Interview with doctor, therapist, or psychologist – The interviewer carefully enquires about BPD people's lives, symptoms, and experiences. One or more sessions are necessary to recognise the symptoms because the signs and symptoms of BPD are similar to other mental illnesses. 

When to treat?

Early treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder is the best solution to recover soon. One should start the treatment soon after the diagnosis. Certainly, it is important to provide the right treatment. Therefore, for BPD patients, it is important to provide psychological treatment or speech therapy. In addition, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is also a treatment method for BPD. Further, the treatment duration depends upon the disease's stage. Generally, one to three years is the duration for most of the specialised treatments of BPD.  

How to treat?

Many studies show that treatment can decrease symptoms and problems. In addition, it helps to maintain stable behaviour and emotions. 

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the best treatment method for borderline personality disorder. As a result, it is also known as talking therapy. Weekly and monthly therapy help to reduce the harmful symptoms. Some of the Psychological therapies are:

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy 

DBT helps BPD people deal with distress and self-harming behaviour. It helps how to get Mindfulness. In Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, there are individual and group therapy. It is a skill-based therapy. 

Cognitive Analytical Therapy 

CAT assists the BPD people in maintaining peaceful relationships

Mentalisation -Based-Therapy 

MBT helps people understand others and their behaviour and reactions. MBT is a process of thinking and analysing. It supports them how in developing a balanced state of mind. 

Schema Therapy 

The therapists help them find the right and best way to deal with different situations. It analyses different patterns of emotional states and behaviours. It includes group therapy and individual therapy.

Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving 

 STEPPS is a group activity. And the group includes friends and family members. In addition, it is a twenty-week program. Consequently, STEPPS helps BPD people to socialise and familiarise their surroundings. So, the importance of sharing and caring can understand through this session. 

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy 

It mainly deals with the unconscious part of our mind. Moreover, the unconscious mind is a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, memories, motivations, and interests. In addition, it is the shadow of the real mind. As a result, it automatically works without our control. Therefore, past experiences in life, especially in childhood, influence the unconscious. So, the therapists help to understand the unconscious part of the mind. Further, it helps people know why you feel and behaves this way. 

Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) 

 It mainly focuses on how to analyse emotions and problems in relationships.

What medication is usually prescribed for a borderline personality disorder?

Physicians do not recommend medication for BPD people, but it is suited to some people to cure some symptoms. In addition, they have been prescribed mood stabilisers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety by the medical practitioner.  

Where to get help?

Uk
Local GP

Australia 
Family Doctor or GP – It refers to a public mental health service or private psychologist or psychiatrist 
Headspace - National Youth Mental Health Foundation
Local Mental health service: Public mental service is free of cost for treatment and assessment.

 New Zealand 
Family Doctor or GP
District Health Board

Misconception regarding BPD

There are many false beliefs regarding Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition, these misconceptions are harmful to the sufferer. Moreover, it leads to a delay in treatment, and the patient will be the victim of many other diseases.

 BPD is an incurable decease

One of the most harmful misconceptions regarding BPD is that it is a lifelong disease. But, BPD is treatable. Consequently, the right treatment helps to recover the patient. But, this misconception affects the patients' and relatives' hope.

BPD is untreatable

BPD is treatable. As a result, effective treatments help BPD people return to a normal life. If untreated, it will badly affect individuals and their families and friends.  

BPD is a type of a Bipolar disorder

Bipolar and Borderline personality disorders are different illnesses. Mood swings characterise both, but the quality and duration of mood changes in BPD and Bipolar are different. 

BPD is only affected women

Usually, women are more expressive in showing their feelings and emotions. As a result, many studies on BPD point out that women show the symptoms of BPD than men. But, it does not mean that BPD is affected only women. 

All BPD people are victims of child abuse.

We cannot firmly say that it is true. Child abuse is one of the reasons for BPD.  

How do you help BPD people?

Friends and relatives try to make a friendly atmosphere for the BPD people. So, emotional support, encouragement, and patience help them to improve. 

• Try to set a healthy atmosphere.
• Improve communication 
• Try to avoid the temptation to be alone
• Learn to manage stress
• Listen 
• Be sympathetic
• Patience
• Caring

Self-care 

Self-care helps to support the treatment of BPD. In addition, mental and physical preparation for the treatment is easy to recover fast. Further, participate in weekly and monthly sessions. Therefore, an optimistic approach is the best way to solve every problem.