Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is a cluster b type of disorder. This type of disorder is characterized by unpredictable and dramatic behavior. It is also included with antisocial, narcissistic, and histrionic personality disorder. The DSM 5 states that the diagnosis must include, frantic efforts to avoid imagined or real abandonment, intense and unstable relationships, identity disturbance, impulsive decisions in two or more areas (excessive spending, promiscuity, eating disorders, substance abuse, or reckless driving), reoccurring suicidal behavior or self mutilation, mood swings that last as little as a few minutes or a few days, numbness or emptiness, inappropriate displays of anger or inability to restrain anger, dissociation or paranoia.

It could also result in someone staying in abusive relationships because of this fear. Borderlines are willing to change their lifestyle in drastic ways to not be alone. Borderlines have a black and white view of thinking meaning something is either good or bad with no in between. Similarly, the instability in relationships comes from idealization and devaluation which is often referred to as splitting. (Johnston, 2017). As Johnston (2017) continues to state, “A heightened sensitivity to rejection (abandonment sensitivity) may trigger your devaluing reaction. This sensitivity can cause you to overreact to real or perceived rejections...In response to devaluation, you may erupt in anger, quit the related task, become aggressive or just give up.” (Johnston, https://verywellmind.com/interpersonal-relationships-and-bpd-425477). Moreover, people with borderline personality disorder struggle with self esteem and sense of self. They adapt certain personality traits for distinct events, “Sometimes they report that they simply feel non-existent. Others even say that they are almost like a chameleon in terms of identity; they change who they are depending on their circumstances and what they think others want from them.” (Salters-Pedneault, https://www.verywellmind.com/borderline-personality-disorder-identiy-issues-425488). In addition, a

This often leads to misdiagnosis because borderline personality disorder is typically comorbid or similar to A.D.H.D or A.D.D in this particular aspect. In a general sense it also has other comorbidity such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. These other symptoms often lead to completely missing the diagnosis. Furthermore, there is a large stigma with personality disorders because there is not a lot of information on them and many therapists and psychiatrists refuse to treat them. There is no specific drug or cure to this disorder only coping methods or a suppression of symptoms are available. Many borderlines that do seek out treatment are often turned away or seen as resistant to change, additionally, Hancock