Signs & Symptoms of BPD

Learn about borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder, also referred to as BPD, is a mental health condition that is characterized by pervasive patterns of instability in regards to interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, in addition to marked impulsivity. Cornerstone to this illness is an ongoing perceived fear of abandonment and unpredictable mood swings. People suffering from borderline personality disorder frequently have the desire to develop strong, healthy interpersonal relationships, but then rapidly shift to devaluing those with whom the relationships have developed when they perceive the threat of rejection. Individuals with BPD are also plagued by grossly distorted perceptions of themselves and many suffer from the compulsion to self-injure, as well as face recurrent suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Paranoid ideation and dissociative symptoms are also components of borderline personality disorder that, along with the unpredictability of their extreme fluctuations in mood, can leave sufferers feeling trapped in their own minds.

When the symptoms of BPD are allowed to persist without being addressed in an appropriate therapeutic setting, individuals suffering from this condition become vulnerable to experiencing a great deal of detriments. Fortunately, there are treatment options available that can help individuals with borderline personality disorder learn how to manage their symptoms, develop the skills needed to create healthy relationships, and gain the confidence necessary for improving their self-esteem.

BPD statistics

Studies have shown that anywhere between six and ten million people in the United States alone suffer from symptoms synonymous with borderline personality disorder. Equating to between two and six percent of the American population, BPD affects approximately twice the amount of people that are affected by bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Furthermore, borderline personality disorder occurs in strikingly higher prominence in women than it does in men. In fact, studies have estimated that nearly 75% of all individuals who have received a clinical diagnosis of borderline personality disorder are female.

Causes and risk factors for borderline personality disorder

An individual’s susceptibility to experiencing the onset of borderline personality disorder lies in a number of different factors. These factors are discussed briefly in the following:

Genetic: Results from studies that were conducted on families of individuals who are suffering from borderline personality disorder stated that, when a person has a first-degree biological relative who suffers from BPD, he or she is ten times more likely to develop symptoms of the condition at some point in his or her life as well than are those who do not share a similar pedigree. This finding offers further evidence to the belief that there is a strong genetic link to the onset of borderline personality disorder.

Environmental: Some professionals in the field have determined that there are various environmental circumstances that can ultimately play a role in determining an individual’s level of risk for developing the symptoms of borderline personality disorder. For example, being exposed to chronic conflict, chaos, or overall instability during one’s formative years can heighten susceptibility to experiencing the onset of this disorder. Additionally, research has demonstrated that there exists a link between poor attachment during the early stages of development and the onset of symptoms of BPD.

Risk Factors:

• Family history of borderline personality disorder
• Family history of other mental health conditions
• Personal history of substance abuse and addiction
• Being denied healthy attachment with caregivers during the early stages of one’s development
• Being the victim of physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse
• Being the victim of neglect
• Exposure to significantly high levels of stress or chaos

Signs and symptoms of BPD

It may not always be immediately obvious that an individual is suffering from borderline personality disorder. The symptoms that are displayed will not only vary from person to person, but they also tend to shift in severity and fluctuate over time. Examples of various behavioral, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial symptoms that may be exhibited by a person suffering from BPD may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Behavioral symptoms:

• Chronically engaging in self-harming behaviors
• Participating in explosive outbursts
• Lacking the ability to control one’s anger and acting out aggressively as a result
• Engaging in “stormy” relationships, whereupon an individual consistently alternates between feelings of idealization and feelings of devaluation of his or her friends, family members, and other loved ones
• Displaying episodes of excessive and hysterical crying
• Exhibiting extreme reactions to perceived abandonment, regardless of whether or not that abandonment truly exists

Physical symptoms:

• Significant shifts in eating habits
• Noticeable weight loss or weight gain
• Presence of injuries resulting from self-injurious behaviors
• Alterations in one’s need for sleep

Cognitive symptoms:

• Episodes of dissociation
• Periods of depersonalization
• Periods of derealization
• Delusions
• Extreme paranoia

Psychosocial symptoms:

• Extremely low self-esteem
• Deteriorated sense of self-worth
• Fluctuating self-image
• Pervasive and all-consuming feelings of loneliness and emptiness
• Chronic feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• Intense shifts in mood
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Effects of borderline personality disorder

Sadly, there are numerous people who suffer from borderline personality disorder yet do not receive the appropriate BPD treatment needed in order to successfully manage and overcome the detrimental thought and behavior patterns that have come to define their lives. When someone is plagued by the symptoms of BPD and does not receive appropriate treatment, there can be a number of devastating effects that arise in his or her life. Examples of such effects may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Inability to obtain or maintain steady employment
• Experiencing financial strife as a result of being unable to hold down a job
• Demoralized sense of self
• Severe relationship disturbances
• Significant familial discord
• Deterioration of one’s physical health
• Engaging in chronic self-harming behaviors
• Making repeated attempts at suicide
• Dying as a result of suicide (Estimates have been provided stating that approximately 10% of people who receive a clinical diagnosis of borderline personality disorder end their lives by suicide.)

BPD and co-occurring disorders

There are instances in which individuals who are afflicted with the symptoms of borderline personality disorder meet diagnostic criteria for an additional mental health concern or concerns. Examples of mental health disorders that have been cited as co-occurring alongside the presence of borderline personality disorder include:

• Depressive disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Substance use disorders