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Borderline Personality Disorder - Cause
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
The cause of borderline personality disorder is not well understood. It may be a result of an imbalance of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters, which help regulate mood. Mood is also influenced by genetic and environmental influences.
Borderline personality disorder is five times more common among people whose parents or siblings have the disorder.1 It is also seen more often in families who have other mental health conditions such as antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse problems, and mood disorders like depression.2
People who have this disorder often have experienced significant childhood trauma, such as sexual, physical, or emotional abuse; neglect; or early loss of or separation from a parent. When this trauma is combined with certain personality traits, such as reacting poorly to stress or having problems with anxiety, the risk of borderline personality disorder increases.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 14, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry | |
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