The Emotional Extremes of Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental Illness. Those affected with BPD have difficulty relating to people, and struggle to have healthy beliefs and thoughts about themselves, causing them to carry a negative self-image.  They often have extreme emotional reactions and ‘stormy; relationships due to the lack of healthy coping skills for handling stress or emotional discomfort. Their struggle to feel safe in relationships that can lead them to experience distress at work, at home with the family or in their social life. Many BPD sufferers harm themselves.

BPD is treatable however the disorder can be quite distressing for those who have it, and is equally as distressing for their family members and friends.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

1. Those who have BPD make extreme efforts to avoid been abandoned by others.  Even if the abandonment is perceived and not real.
2. Repeated unstable and intense relationships characterised by shifting between extremes of idealisation and devaluation. Quarrelsome behaviour is often present.
3. Markedly unstable self-image or sense of self.
4. Impulsive actions and self-damaging risky behaviour such as excessive spending, risky sexual behaviour, binge eating, reckless driving or substance abuse.
5. Irritability or anxiety lasting for hours or days.
6. Repeated self-harming or threatening to commit suicide.
7. Insecurity and lack of identity. They don’t really know who they are.
8. Emotional lows and feelings of emptiness, intense inappropriate anger, displays of anger and not being able to control it
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or dissociative symptoms

What causes it?

Although we don’t exactly know what causes it, for some people the onset of Borderline Personality Disorder is thought to be linked to trauma or a stressful life event.  There may exist a number of other contributing biological and life factors such as:

• Genetics
• Developmental or psychological problems
• Neglect, abuse or trauma in early childhood
• Physical illness
• Substances
• Environmental factors

Psychological treatments are available such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder as well as other therapy models.  Clients need to develop a trusting, therapeutic relationship with an empathetic and non-judgmental therapist who genuinely understands their struggles and validates their experiences.

Sandra Ciminelli
Cred. Dip. Couns (Christian)

Sources:   

Find out more  about Borderline Personality Foundation