Lexi Geller
Staff Reporter
Borderline Personality Disorder, according to Skyland Trail, is described as, “A serious and complex personality disorder seen primarily in adults between 18 and 35 years old, borderline personality disorder is characterized by mood instability, impulsivity, fears of being alone or abandoned, and poor self-image.”
Borderline Personality Disorder, also known as BPD, is one of four disorders that fall under the emotional and impulsive cluster of personality disorders. It is characterized by nine symptoms and behaviors which are usually easily associated with the disorder.
The nine tell-tale symptoms of this personality disorder include fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unclear or shifting self-image, impulsive or self-destructive behaviors, self-harm, extreme emotional swings, chronic feelings of emptiness, explosive anger, and feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality.
In fact, the name of the disorder itself is sometimes quite confusing, as many people wonder, “The borderline of what?” It was given the name Borderline Personality Disorder because doctors had believed that it was on the border of two different disorders: psychosis and neurosis. Psychosis is characterized by loss of contact with reality, and neurosis is characterized by anxiety, stress, and depression. People with Borderline Personality Disorder present symptoms of both of these disorders, although these terms are outdated and no longer used to describe mental illness. The name of the disorder was never developed further.
Borderline Personality Disorder is rarely seen on its own. The most common disorders seen co-existing with BPD include Depression or Bipolar Disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders. With proper treatment, co-existing disorders can become better along with the BPD.
There are a few different causes of BPD, including genetics, chemical imbalances in the brain, issues with brain development, and environmental factors, such as events that leave a person with trauma. Chemical imbalances in the brain could be present through genetics. With an underdeveloped brain, the frontal lobe, bilateral hippocampus, and bilateral amygdala are smaller than average, which affect the ability to make rational decisions.
Overall, this is a disorder with many symptoms, many causes, and many harsh effects on life for the people living with it.
Image Credit: BPD Humans
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