Borderline Personality Disorder and Symptoms
For those with Borderline Personality Disorder relationships with loved ones can be tense and difficult to maintain. BPD patients tend to alternate back and forth uncontrollably between love and hate, feeling adoration for a person one moment and hostility towards the same person the next. When a person is unable to grain control of their emotions in such a way, life can seem extreme and overwhelming, and can create a distressful environment not only for the person but also those close to him or her.
About fifty percent of the two percent of adults that are diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder suffer from clinical depression; many patients suffer from anxiety as well. Patients often have a severe phobia of abandonment. Although many desperately seek roles in loving relationships, more often than not, they push their loved ones away with their lack of self control, mood swings, and frequent outburst of anger and frustration. In some cases patients may intentionally draw themselves further away from those they care about to eliminate even the possibility of abandonment.
It is also very common for those with the disorder to find themselves unable to take responsibility for the things that have or are happening in their lives. Instead they hold others responsible or feel as though they are a victim of circumstance.
Some symptoms Borderline Personality Disorder patients display are irrepressible anger and rage, petty criminal acts such as shoplifting, constant feelings of emptiness or numbness and boredom, and periods of paranoia and loss of connection with reality. Those with the illness may engage in substance abuse with prescription or street drugs and alcohol, promiscuousness such ass recreational sexual relationships (often having relationships with multiple sexual partners), and binge eating. BPD patients may also participate persistently in self destructive behavior, for instance cutting and intentionally overdosing. Many with BPD threaten and attempt suicide, probably due to devastating feelings of depression. Eight to ten percent of BPD patients that attempt suicide are successful.
Cause and Diagnoses
Although the actual cause of Borderline Personality Disorder is unknown there are several reoccurring factors found amongst those diagnosed that may in fact aid the development of the disorder in people. These risk factors include abandonment in childhood by a parent or loved one, a disordered home life or a lack of communication at home, and sexual abuse. Those with a close family member with BPD, such as mother or father, are also at a higher risk of developing the illness. BPD occurs more often in women, seventy-five percent of those diagnosed, than men. Though no explanation has been found for the differences in gender.
Research has shown that brain abnormalities occur in the regions of the brain that regulate emotion and control impulses and antagonism. As well chemicals in the brain, serotonin, that control a person's mood may function improperly.
Diagnoses are based on a psychological evaluation of the patient and severity of the symptoms shown. In order for a diagnosis to be made the patient must encounter the criteria for BPD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, therefore the patient must suffer from five of the symptoms listed by the Manual of Mental Disorders. The symptoms include: fears of abandonment, insecure self-image, unstable relationships, impulsive or self-destructive actions, thoughts of suicide or self-injury, reoccurring feelings of emptiness, uncontrollable rage, frequent mood swings, and paranoia.
Treatments
Although medication can not be used to cure Borderline Personality Disorder, antidepressants, low doses of antipsychotic drug and anti-anxiety agents can be useful in treatment. In cases in which depression or anxiety is severe, medication may be necessary.
The main treatment for BPD is psychotherapy. For BPD there are two forms of psychotherapy: dialectical behavior therapy and transference-focused psychotherapy. The former of the two is the most commonly practiced. The patient attends counseling in either individual or group sessions in which he or she is taught how to gain control in stressful situations and improve their social relationships. In the latter of the two, transference-focused psychotherapy, the patient builds a relationship with their therapist, focusing on how the relationship develops and how to handle the problems that arise. The patient is then taught to use this relationship as a model to use in real life situations.
When treated those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder can live fairly normal, and certainly manageable lives. Problems will occur if treatment is discontinued, which does seem to be an issue among patients. Those with supporting families and friends have shown to be the most successful, so if you have a loved one with this disorder show them patience and let them know that your there for them. One of the worst parts about having Borderline Personality Disorder is feeling alone. Take it from some who knows.