Personality refers to the relatively permanent characteristics of the individual.
Borderline Personality is a condition that affects the way a person processes everyday emotions and reactions. People with BPD are quite impulsive, have huge amount of anger episodes which lasts for several hours to several days. They are also more likely to commit more crimes and indulge in self-harm behaviours. They aren’t able to understand others’ emotions and also have a problem relating to others. Everything an individual does seem chaotic and have a greater possibility of indulging in violence and various abuses.
Borderline personality falls under the category of Cluster B of Personality Disorder. These disorders have an impact on not just a person’s social life but also on how well they get along with their family members and how well they get along with one other. A personality disorder increases a person’s susceptibility to other mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, verbal or physical bullying, etc.
The symptoms seen among the patients with borderline personality disorder according to DSM-5 are:
The individual has a warped self-image and struggles to establish connections with others. Early in a person’s development should be when the symptoms first appear. cannot separate from a parental figure. self-destructive and unable to do well in more than one area of life. excessive anger difficulties and a disconnected (from a distance) self-perception.
Borderline personality disorder acts as a comorbid symptom to the following disorder:
- Depressive and Bipolar Disorders
- Other personality Disorders
- Substance Use Disorders
- Identity Problems
Risk factors involved in developing borderline personality are:
Genetic and Physiological: Bipolar disorder is common among first degree relatives who have the illness. The increased risk for substance uses disorder, anti-social personality and depressive or bipolar disorder.
Cultural: Teens and younger adults generally have an issue developing identity making them a prey to identity crisis.
Gender: BPD is diagnosed mostly in females.
Relationships with an individual having Borderline Personality Disorder:
Romantic relationships can be very taxing with this individual. It is full of dysfunction and have a huge amount of turmoil. But on the upside, they can be very compassionate and caring. They seek to spend more time with their partners but in the long run it can be toxic and affect the potentiality of the other person. They are generally very sensitive and fearful of rejection and have a fear of abandonment. The emotional switching from excessive love to hate can be very toxic for the other. person. It requires great deal of work for the partners to have a good functioning relationship
People with BPD have fewer social relationships as compared to the people who don’t have BPD.
BPD patients go in a spiral of relationships development where they progress through 6 stages of relationship development. These are:
- Things Moving Quickly:
The individual having BPD considers that the relationship they are into is going very vast even though they just got into one. They may begin to fixate on the other partner.
- BPD partner is more sensitive:
The person with BPD is excessively sensitive to everything to what the person they are in relationship says and do. The perceptions generally trigger abandonment issues into the other person.
- BPD partner manipulates for affection:
The fear of abandonment makes the BPD person insecure. This makes the person manipulate the other partner into a relationship to receive love.
- BPD partner becomes inconsistent:
Instability makes them restless. The needs of the person is more likely and unbaling for the other person. The other person feels being controlled by the other person and decides to leave
- Non-BPD person leaves:
The person without BPD usually leaves the relationship. The BPD partner would make excuses and decides to leave
- After the partner leaves the BPD person may feel depressed and highly anxious and have a feeling of high abandonment. They may engage in impulsive risk and have extreme mood swings.
The person can maintain a various relationship but those are generally short-lived. An individual can have a good relationship despite his/ her medical condition. Regular treatment alongside good and loving partner can help the person maintain a good relationship.
Treatment won’t cure BPD but these options can cure BPD.
Treatment of BPD are as follows:
A. Therapy:
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: The therapist will help to maintain good and fulfilling relationships using helpful coping mechanisms. Changing dichotomous thinking can be improved by this therapy.
- CBT: Changing negative thoughts, changing behavioural patterns alongside improving negative emotions can be helpful in treating BPD.
B. Medication: No medication can cure BPD. Anti-depressants and anti- psychotics can help treat symptoms.
C. Hospitalization: Excessive self-harm patterns or suicidal idealisation can make the individual be hospitalised under extreme care unit.
