Borderline Personality Disorder Essay

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD or Borderline) is a severe, complex psychiatric disorder characterised by a pervasive instability in moods, impulsive and self-destructive behaviour, outbursts of anger and violence, distorted self-image, and an instability in interpersonal relationships. This disorder distorts one’s thinking and perceptions of self and others, which causes ongoing emotional distress and misunderstandings in their daily life. Many people with BPD frequently come to medical attention because of suicidal threats and acts of self-harm. The first description of individuals demonstrating the symptoms of Borderline was in medical literature almost three thousand years ago, says Robert O. Friedel, M.D. on his website, Borderline

People with close family members with the disorder may be at higher risk for developing it. Structural and functional changes in certain areas of the brain that deal with impulse control and emotional regulation, such as the limbic system, are shown in people with BPD. The amygdala is an important component of the limbic system; it deals with fear and arousal in response to signals from other parts of the brain that perceive threat. The prefrontal cortex acts to dampen the activity of the circuit that regulates negative emotion. However, it is not known whether brain abnormalities in these areas are risk factors for developing Borderline or if they are caused by the disorder. Personality traits, such as impulsivity and aggression may play a role in the development of the disorder, heightening its severity. Many people with Borderline report having experience with trauma — such as abuse, abandonment, or adversity during childhood — exposure to unstable, invalidating relationships, and hostile conflicts, says NIMH, however, exposure to these risk factors does not mean a person will develop

Once these books were published, greater public awareness emerged. However, because the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder has only recently begun to work and improve the lives of those affected, most people don’t realise how different those with BPD have begun acting. Previously, patients with Borderline were considered problem patients who never improved and were avoided by clinicians. References to BPD in movies, TV, and other fictional media often portrayed those affected as wild, suicidal, and dangerous. Borderline was, and still is, often grouped with Schizophrenia, and Bipolar disorder to explain their erratic behaviour. Although, at one point in time this might have been true, quite a bit has changed since people first started hearing about