What exactly is a "Borderline Personality Disorder?"

[BigB]

I heard it mentioned on LS before. but I don't really know what it is.

 

I have a friend who said she has it, or has one.

 

The term is confusing.. is it a disorder? or just bordering on a disorder?

 

how is it treated?

 

I'll google it, but that stuff is way to clinical..

[blue16]

I learned about this disorder in Psychology, so I'll try to remember as much as I can. The basic premise behind borderline personality is that the person has unstable and intense relationships. They also try to avoid (and also fear) abandonment...and are sometimes very volitile and destructive.

 

The borderline has nothing to do whether the fact it is a disorder or 'almost a disorder.' Borderline Personality Disorder is just the name of it.

[BigB]

cool, thanks.

 

I assume some people who have this are worse than others? My friend seems pretty normal.. but I think she also takes meds..

 

She also said she's Bipolar, which makes me think that the "borderline personality disorder" symptoms are just symptoms of the bipolar... but I'm no expert...

[Craig]

BigB, it's best to google "borderlline personality disorder" DSM-IV and you'll find the requirements for someone to be diagnosed with BPD. A person can be bipolar and have BPD or they can have either alone--they are two separate diagnosis.

[april]

I know a little bit about this.

 

First of all, bipolar is EXTREMELY difficult to diagose.

 

You'd pretty much have to have a shrink around 24/7 to observe your highs and lows.

 

Borderline Personality Disorder is usually not a symptom of bipolar...though it can sure seem that way!..LOL

[BigB]

from what I've been reading they seem to have similar symptoms..

 

I know what you mean about hard to diagnose.. I know a bipolar girl who doesn't even take meds and she seems perfectly normal 99% of the time..

 

I know waaaay more about paranoid Schizophrenics.. *sigh* got a whole family of them... I think my uncle is Bipolar but he's more schitzo than anything...

[april]

What's interesting about Bipolar depression is that it responds very well to the same kind of meds they give Schizophrenics - mood stablizers.

 

Putting a bipolar on antidepressants is often prescribed by doctors, it's because they have concluded that the patient suffers from clinical depression.

 

This is very bad because anti-depressants can send a bipolar person right inio a manic stage. Being manic is not a good thing....the person finds themselves doing alot of out of character things, and also they have no hesitation to engage in risky, destructive behaviour.

[Outcast]

If you have that much mental illness in your family, I hope you stay far away from drugs.

[BigB]

Originally posted by Outcast

If you have that much mental illness in your family, I hope you stay far away from drugs.

 

well, I do now!...

 

I've got one uncle, one Cousin, and a Sister, all mentally ill.

 

so yeah, (drugs)<---------------------------------------------------------->(me)

[Zaira]

Originally posted by blue16

The basic premise behind borderline personality is that the person has unstable and intense relationships. They also try to avoid (and also fear) abandonment...and are sometimes very volitile and destructive.

 

 

The most simple and conclusive definition I've seen You'll find that most people who have this, won't admit to it either.

 

Bipolar is another kettle of fish.

[liswil]

Borderline Personality Disorder involves a collection of symptoms, some of which are:

 

 

Anger and rage

 

Fears of abandoment

 

History of unstable relationships

 

Alternating between idolizes someone and hating them.

 

Reckless behavior--drug or alcohol abuse, eating disorders, etc....

 

Feeling of emptiness

 

 

 

The term Borderline came about because it was originally thought that the person bordered on schizoid behavior but that turned out not to be the case.

[BigB]

Originally posted by liswil

Borderline Personality Disorder involves a collection of symptoms, some of which are:

 

 

Anger and rage

 

Fears of abandoment

 

History of unstable relationships

 

Alternating between idolizes someone and hating them.

 

Reckless behavior--drug or alcohol abuse, eating disorders, etc....

 

Feeling of emptiness

 

 

 

The term Borderline came about because it was originally thought that the person bordered on schizoid behavior but that turned out not to be the case.

 

thanks you Liswil, that was helpful and describes much of my friends past. She's stabilized a lot recently, or so she says.

 

Sometimes I wonder if I don't have BPD, I feel a lot of the things that I've been reading about regularly. I thought I was just emotional and moody. *shrugs*

 

I've also wondered if I'm not bipolar, but that should be a different topic.

[liswil]

Sometimes people have a little of both.

 

Here's a site with some more info:

 

http://bipolar.about.com/b/a/2003_09_04.htm

[thegoodhubbie]

People with borderline personality disorder usually have two or more other personality disorders. I have found that someone who is borderline usually has a collection of other disorders that cause them to be labled borderline. For instance someone with bpd may be obsessive compulsive and avoidant. or schizoid and antisocial and obsessive. Being "borderline" is simply a term that means unstable personality. More often than not they also have a substance abuse problem, resort to self mutilation, and can be very sexually promiscuous.

 

Hope this helps.

[RecordProducer]

A person with a borderline personality disorder often experiences a repetitive pattern of disorganization and instability in self-image, mood, behavior and close personal relationships. This can cause significant distress or impairment in friendships and work. A person with this disorder can often be bright and intelligent, and appear warm, friendly and competent. They sometimes can maintain this appearance for a number of years until their defense structure crumbles, usually around a stressful situation like the breakup of a romantic relationship or the death of a parent.

 

SYMPTOMS

Relationships with others are intense but stormy and unstable with marked shifts of feelings and difficulties in maintaining intimate, close connections. The person may manipulate others and often has difficulty with trusting others. There is also emotional instability with marked and frequent shifts to an empty lonely depression or to irritability and anxiety. There may be unpredictable and impulsive behavior which might include excessive spending, promiscuity, gambling, drug or alcohol abuse, shoplifting, overeating or physically self-damaging actions such as suicide gestures. The person may show inappropriate and intense anger or rage with temper tantrums, constant brooding and resentment, feelings of deprivation, and a loss of control or fear of loss of control over angry feelings. There are also identity disturbances with confusion and uncertainty about self-identity, sexuality, life goals and values, career choices, friendships. There is a deep-seated feeling that one is flawed, defective, damaged or bad in some way, with a tendency to go to extremes in thinking, feeling or behavior. Under extreme stress or in severe cases there can be brief psychotic episodes with loss of contact with reality or bizarre behavior or symptoms. Even in less severe instances, there is often significant disruption of relationships and work performance. The depression which accompanies this disorder can cause much suffering and can lead to serious suicide attempts.

 

It is a common disorder with estimates running as high as 10-14% of the general population. The frequency in women is two to three times greater than men. This may be related to genetic or hormonal influences. An association between this disorder and severe cases of premenstrual tension has been postulated. Women commonly suffer from depression more often than men. The increased frequency of borderline disorders among women may also be a consequence of the greater incidence of incestuous experiences during their childhood. This is believed to occur ten times more often in women than in men, with estimates running to up to one-fourth of all women. This chronic or periodic victimization and sometimes brutalization can later result in impaired relationships and mistrust of men and excessive preoccupation with sexuality, sexual promiscuity, inhibitions, deep-seated depression and a seriously damaged self-image. There may be an innate predisposition to this disorder in some people. Because of this there may ensue subsequent failures in development in the relationship between mother and infant particularly during the separation and identity-forming phases of childhood.

 

TREATMENT

Treatment includes psychotherapy which allows the patient to talk about both present difficulties and past experiences in the presence of an empathetic, accepting and non-judgemental therapist. The therapy needs to be structured, consistent and regular, with the patient encouraged to talk about his or her feelings rather than to discharge them in his or her usual self-defeating ways. Sometimes medications such as antidepressants, lithium carbonate, or antipsychotic medication are useful for certain patients or during certain times in the treatment of individual patients. Treatment of any alcohol or drug abuse problems is often mandatory if the therapy is to be able to continue. Brief hospitalization may sometimes be necessary during acutely stressful episodes or if suicide or other self-destructive behavior threatens to erupt. Hospitalization may provide a a temporary removal from external stress. Outpatient treatment is usually difficult and long-term - sometimes over a number of years. The goals of treatment could include increased self-awareness with greater impulse control and increased stability of relationships. A positive result would be in one's increased tolerance of anxiety. Therapy should help to alleviate psychotic or mood-disturbance symptoms and generally integrate the whole personality. With this increased awareness and capacity for self-observation and introspection, it is hoped the patient will be able to change the rigid patterns tragically set earlier in life and prevent the pattern from repeating itself in the next generational cycle.

[BigB]

Thanks RP!