Borderline Personality Disorder is a severe condition that impacts the way that a person functions. It is treatable, but the person needs to be dedicated to their mental health treatment plan. You may be wondering if you have borderline. There are nine symptoms, and to qualify as having Borderline Personality Disorder, you need to have five of them. Here are the symptoms of BPD and what you can do to get treatment.
Fear of abandonment
A person with Borderline Personality Disorder is terrified of abandonment, which is one of the most common symptoms of the condition. People with BPD are so afraid people will leave them that they will go to desperate measures to keep them in their lives. They can threaten self-harm, for example, in an attempt to get the person to stay. Fear of abandonment is so terrifying to these individuals that they will go to extreme lengths to keep others in their lives.
Unstable sense of self
A person with BPD likely complains that they’re feeling empty and wonders who they are. They form fast bonds with people because they want to enmesh themselves with them. It makes them feel like they are a whole person when they are around others. They also may change jobs frequently. They could see themselves as wonderful one minute and evil the next. Their sense of self is limited, which contributes to an empty, numb feeling.
Unstable or volatile relationships
People with borderline struggle to maintain relationships. They may be friends with somebody for a brief period and find that the friendship is intense. The next moment the same person who was idealized is evil in their minds. They have passionate love affairs that are volatile because of their mood swings. It’s challenging to maintain a friendship or relationship with someone with untreated BPD because they are so unstable.
Explosive anger
Explosive anger is a frightening symptom of BPD. The person feels an intense outrage and acts out. They say or do things they don’t mean, destroy things, or hurt people physically. It’s essential if you suffer from this symptom to get help for anger management because you could cause a lot of harm to yourself and others.
Self-harm
People with BPD engage in self-harm, such as cutting, burning, or hair pulling. Self-harm can be used as a way to feel something or cope with intense emotional pain. Sometimes they feel empty inside, and that’s why they engage in self-harm.
Chronic feelings of emptiness
You may hear a person with the BPD complain that they are “feeling empty.” That sensation can go along with the unstable sense of self. From one minute to the next person might feel intense emotions and then nothing at all. Feeling numb is a disturbing sensation. It is something that a person with borderline can talk about with a therapist.
Mood swings
Mood swings are a common symptom of borderline. One minute the person is angry, and the next minute they’re euphoric. Within one hour, a person with BPD can experience different moods. It can be exhausting for them and the people around them.
Impulsive behavior
People with BPD struggle with impulsive behavior. They can be dangerous actions as well. It could be reckless driving or gambling. They might quit a job impulsively or do something that is without thought. These are actions that could harm them.
Paranoid or suspicious thoughts
Those with BPD can be untrusting. They may suffer from paranoid feelings. Some feel out of touch with reality or think that people are after them. This can be a disturbing symptom that is difficult to come back from. But it is treatable.
Learning about borderline personality disorder in therapy
If you or someone you love has borderline personality disorder, there is help out there. You can learn about the condition on Mind Diagnostics. Another place to get help is with a therapist. You can find a therapist online or in your local area. It’s crucial to speak to a mental health professional who can help you with these symptoms. BPD is treatable, and you can learn to manage the symptoms. You can find people who are sympathetic to your condition and will be there for you. You can live a good quality of life once you embrace your condition and manage it in therapy.
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