In this Article

• What is borderline personality disorder?
• What other disorders often occur with BPD?
• What causes borderline personality disorder?
• What are the risk factors for borderline personality disorder?
• What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
• How is borderline personality disorder diagnosed?
• How is borderline personality disorder treated?
• What are the complications of borderline personality disorder?
• What is the prognosis of people with borderline personality disorder?
• Where to can I get more information on borderline personality disorder?
• Borderline Personality Disorder At A Glance
• Borderline Personality Disorder Glossary
• Borderline Personality Disorder Index

What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?

In order to qualify for the diagnosis of BPD, an individual must have at least five of the following symptoms:

• Unstable self-image, in that they may drastically and rapidly change in the way they perceive their own likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, goals, and intrinsic value as a person



• Unstable relationships, in that individuals with this disorder rapidly, drastically, and often frequently change from seeing another person as nearly perfect (idealizing) to seeing the other person as being virtually worthless (devaluing)



• Unstable emotions (affects), in that the sufferer experiences marked, rapid changes in feelings (for example, anger, joy, euphoria, anxiety, and depression) that are stress related, even if the stresses may be seen as minor or negligible to others



• Desperate efforts to avoid being abandoned, whether the abandonment is real or imagined



• Significant impulsivity, in that the person with BPD tends to act before thinking to the point that it is self-damaging (for example, sexual behaviors, spending habits, eating habits, driving behaviors, or in the use of substances)



• Recurring suicidal behaviors, threats, or attempts



• Chronic feelings of emptiness



• Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty managing their anger when it occurs



• Transient, stress-related paranoia or severe dissociation (lapses in memory)

How is borderline personality disorder diagnosed?

There is no specific definitive test, like a blood test, that can accurately assess that a person has BPD. Therefore, practitioners conduct a mental-health interview that looks for the presence of the symptoms previously described. As with any mental-health assessment, the practitioner will usually work toward ruling out other mental disorders. The professional will also try to ensure that the individual is not suffering from a medical problem that may cause emotional symptoms. The mental-health practitioner will therefore often inquire about when the person has most recently had a physical examination, comprehensive blood testing, and any other tests that a medical professional deems necessary to ensure that the individual is not suffering from a medical condition instead of or in addition to emotional symptoms. Due to the use of a mental-health interview in making the diagnosis and the fact that this disorder can be quite resistant to treatment, it is of great importance that the practitioner know to conduct a thorough assessment lest the person be incorrectly assessed as having BPD when he or she does not.

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