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Medical Author:

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Borderline personality disorder facts
• What is borderline personality disorder (BPD)?
• What other disorders often occur with BPD?
• What causes borderline personality disorder?
• What are the risk factors for borderline personality disorder?
• What are borderline personality disorder symptoms and signs?
• How is borderline personality disorder diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for borderline personality disorder?
• What are borderline personality disorder complications?
• What is the prognosis of people with borderline personality disorder?
• How can borderline personality disorder be prevented?
• Where can I get more information on borderline personality disorder?
• Patient Comments: Borderline Personality Disorder - Symptoms
• Find a local Psychiatrist in your town
• Borderline Personality Disorder Index

There is no specific definitive test, like a blood test, that can accurately assess that a person has BPD. People who are concerned that they may suffer from BPD might explore the possibility by taking a self-test, either an online or printable test. To determine the presence of this disorder, practitioners conduct a mental-health interview that looks for the presence of the symptoms, also called diagnostic criteria, previously described. As with any mental-health assessment, the practitioner will usually work toward ruling out other mental disorders, including mood problems like depression, anxiety disorders including anxiety attacks or generalized anxiety, types of other personality disorders like narcissistic personality disorder, dependent personality disorder or histrionic personality disorder, drug-abuse problems as well as problems being in touch with reality, like schizophrenia or delusional disorder. Besides determining if the person suffers from BPD, the mental-health professional may assess that while some symptoms (traits) of the disorder are present, the person does not fully qualify for the diagnosis.

The professional will also likely try to ensure that the individual is not suffering from a medical problem that may cause emotional symptoms. The mental-health professional 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. This is to assure that the person is not incorrectly assessed as having BPD when he or she does not.