What Exactly Is Borderline Personality Disorder - Article Health

Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that seems to emerge mostly in late adolescence and early adulthood. Many people can experience remission, but the disorder can continue over a lifetime and can cause significant problems in two main areas of life: a sense of self and relationships.

“It will begin to interfere with your capacity to be happy, to be clear about who you are and what you’re going to do in life, and to be able to navigate the world socially and occupationally,” John M. Oldham, MD, past president of the American Psychiatric Association, tells Health.

Borderline personality disorder symptoms
People with borderline personality disorder experience emotions, including anger, very intensely, with up-and-down mood swings that can last hours or days. Often the swings are triggered by events that might seem completely insignificant to someone without the disorder.

Borderline personality disorder causes
No one knows exactly what causes borderline personality disorder but, like so many other physical and emotional conditions, it seems to be a combination of genetics and environment. People with a family history of BPD are much more likely to have the condition. And many people with BPD have also suffered childhood trauma.

borderline personality disorder treatment
The mainstay of treatment for borderline personality disorder is psychotherapy. This is unlike most other psychiatric conditions, like anxiety or depression, where medication is usually called for, says Dr. Oldham. Therapy can be one-on-one with a professional or in a group setting. Certain types of psychotherapy seem to be especially helpful for BPD.

One of the main challenges of treatment for borderline personality disorder is sticking with it, especially given that the borderline patient may suddenly decide they dislike their therapist or that the therapist is being critical.

“People can do well in treatment over time, but it takes time and work and effort,” says Dr. Oldham. Years of therapy could be necessary.


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