What is Borderline Personality Disorder? BPD

Although the causes of Borderline personality disorder are not fully known, it is believed that both hereditary and environmental factors are involved. The condition may occur as a result of numerous genes, each of which has only minor impact. About 70–90% of the chance of having bipolar disorder is influenced by genetic factors.  Long-term stress and a history of child abuse are environmental risk factors. People with BPD, a kind of personality disorder, feel, think, react to others, and behave differently from those without the disorder. A spectrum of ailments called mood disorders, which can result in significant mood shifts, includes bipolar disorder.

–  BPD sufferers go through a cycle of shifting moods, actions, and self-perceptions.

–  These behaviours frequently result in problems that have an impact on a person’s life, relationships, understanding of, and ability to relate to, others.

Self-image, mood, and behavioural instability are all symptoms of BPD. These signs and symptoms can cause impulsive behaviour and interpersonal connection issues.

  • A pattern of unstable, intense relationships with family and friends for whom feelings alternate between closeness and love to hate and anger, is one of the symptoms of BPD.
  • Other symptoms include uncertainty about one’s place in the world, frequent changes in interests and values, and a propensity to see things as either all good or all bad.

Some of the symptoms of BPD might be brought on by stressful or emotional situations. These incidents could seem little to others or out of proportion to the reaction they elicit.

A clinician may concentrate on particular symptoms to assist distinguish between BPD and bipolar illness when it is difficult to make the distinction. These signs and symptoms include:

  • Sleep: People with bipolar disorder frequently experience severely disrupted sleep patterns during manic and depressive episodes.
  •  Sleep cycles might be regular for those with BPD.

Trauma history: Although the exact aetiology of BPD is still unknown, many individuals who have it report having gone through trauma during their childhood or adolescence. Abuse, abandonment, great adversity, tumultuous family ties, and conflict exposure are a few examples of trauma.

–  Self-harm: Approximately 75% of people with BPD have engaged in self-harm. They might view self-harm as a technique for controlling or regulating volatile or strong emotions. People with bipolar disorder attempt suicide more frequently than those with BPD, despite the fact that self-harm is less common in bipolar disease. People with BPD frequently experience severe anxiety about instability and abandonment. As a result, they struggle with being by themselves.

Additionally, aggression, mood swings, and impulsivity are symptoms of the illness. People may be put off by someone with BPD by these traits. In addition, a lot of those affected by the illness have trouble understanding who they are and how others see them. They become exceedingly sensitive as a result.

BPD Is Rarely Found Alone

Addressing associated problems is necessary for effective treatment.

In addition to having borderline personality disorder, many patients also have depression and anxiety disorders.

  • Eating disorders
  •  PTSD
  •  bipolar disorder
  •  substance use disorders
  •  eating disorders

Myth: It Can’t Be Treated

The disorder of borderline personality is very treatable. Because BPD impacts a person’s personality, many people in the past hastened to the conclusion that it cannot be treated because a person’s personality cannot be altered.

A BPD diagnosis does not guarantee that someone will always experience symptoms. In response to treatment, the symptoms fluctuate. Numerous sufferers of the illness can lead quite functional lives.

Medications for BPD

Schema-Focused Treatment

Schema-focused treatment is an integrated psychotherapy that draws elements from both psychoanalysis and cognitive behaviour therapy. Schema-focused treatment operates under the assumption that unfulfilled needs from early life may result in unhealthful worldviews. With an emphasis on more healthy ways of thinking and functioning, this therapy challenges these unhelpful attitudes and practises. Mindfulness-Based Therapy

It has been shown that mentalization-based therapy can improve social functioning, anxiety, and depression in BPD patients. The goal of this therapy is to assist the patient in identifying mental states, including their own ideas, feelings, and those of those with whom they interact. They can then see how these thoughts affect their own or other people’s conduct after recognising these thoughts.

Psychotherapy that focuses on transference

According to studies on BPD, transference-focused psychotherapy may be just as effective as or even superior to dialectical behaviour therapy. This therapy makes use of transference, a crucial idea in psychodynamic therapies that describes how feelings and expectations from early interactions are passed on to a person in the present. The interaction between the client and the therapist is employed in transference-focused psychotherapy so that the therapist can see how the client interacts with others. The therapist can then utilise this insight to teach the patient how to react in their other relationships more skillfully.

The following are some of the drugs for BPD that are most frequently prescribed:

  • Antidepressants: These drugs can help with anxiety and depressive symptoms.
  • Anticonvulsants and mood stabilisers: Mood stabilisers may reduce impulsivity and emotional reactivity.

The benefits of routine extend beyond that. Your body learns what to expect when you have regular food and sleep schedules. Also try to exercise every day. Stress levels are kept down by it. Take a stroll rather than enrolling in a marathon; it’s crucial to set objectives you can complete without becoming overburdened.

Consume more fresh produce and fewer processed foods. Avoid using alcohol and other drugs.

2. Prevent Isolation

Isolation can result from hopelessness. Make an effort to maintain relationships with your support systems, family and friends. Regular talks with dependable and trustworthy people can give you support, comprehension, and inspiration.

3. Put Emotions Before Words

It’s simple to respond to the irrational phrases a BPD person uses, but train yourself to maintain composure and concentrate on the feelings underneath their remarks. People with BPD don’t need long justifications for the appropriateness of their comments; they just need someone to acknowledge their suffering.

Learn the three Cs.

It’s common to feel guilty for the continual ups and downs a BPD sufferer goes through. With these 3 C’s, you may learn to let yourself off the hook:

1. I wasn’t the cause.

2. I can’t cure it.

 3. I can’t stop it.

4. Take It Slow Recovering takes time. Pace yourself; it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Set attainable goals and be prepared for temporary setbacks. A person with BPD will have a better chance of success in the long term if they start small.

Your mental health is more crucial than ever in these unsettling times, so don’t put it off until things return to “normal.”