Borderline Personality Disorder - Topic Overview

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

What is borderline personality disorder?

Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that causes intense mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and severe problems with relationships and self-worth. People with this disorder often have other problems such as depression, eating disorders, or substance abuse.

Most of the time, signs of the disorder first appear in childhood. But problems often don't start until early adulthood. Treatment can be very hard, and getting better can take years. This is because problems with emotions and behaviors are hard to improve. But treatment may work better than experts used to think. Most people with severe symptoms get better over time.

What are the symptoms?

Everyone has problems with emotions or behaviors sometimes. But if you have borderline personality disorder, the problems are severe, repeat over a long time, and disrupt your life. The most common symptoms include:

  • Intense emotions and mood swings.
  • Impulsive behaviors that are self-damaging, such as substance abuse, binge eating, and reckless driving.
  • Relationship problems.
  • Low self-worth.
  • A frantic fear of being left alone (abandoned).
  • Aggressive behavior.

Other symptoms may include:

  • Feeling empty inside.
  • Problems with anger, such as violent temper tantrums.
  • Hurting yourself, such as cutting or burning yourself.
  • Suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts.
  • Feeling suspicious of others for no reason (feeling paranoid) or losing a sense of reality.

It is easy to confuse this disorder with other mental illnesses such as antisocial personality disorder. So if you think that you or someone you know may have borderline personality disorder, see a doctor. Don't try to diagnose yourself.

What causes borderline personality disorder?

About 2 out of 100 people have borderline personality disorder. But experts don't know exactly what causes it. Problems with chemicals in the brain that help control moods may play a role. The disorder also seems to run in families.

Often people who get it faced some kind of childhood trauma such as abuse, neglect, or the death of a parent. The risk for getting the disorder is higher when people who had childhood trauma also have problems coping with anxiety or stress.

How is it treated?

The symptoms of borderline personality disorder can be treated, but there is no known cure. Long-term counseling is an important part of treatment, but this can be very challenging. Often, it is hard for people with this disorder to have a good relationship with the counselor.

There are also medicines that can help you cope with the disorder. These medicines can help treat depression or help control moods.

Treatment can be very hard, and getting better can take years. The return of symptoms is a common problem. This is called a relapse. Treatment is even harder if the person has other problems, such as depression or an eating disorder. But most people who are treated improve over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning about borderline personality disorder:

Being diagnosed:

Getting treatment:

Ongoing concerns:

Living with borderline personality disorder:

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: March 14, 2011
Medical Review: Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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