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Living with Borderline Personality Disorder? Here is what you should know.

Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental ailment in which individuals lose their ability to regulate their emotions and establish control over them. This often results in impulsive actions impacting one’s own mental well-being and the kind of relationship one fosters with others. They tend to feel anxious, stressed out, and isolated because showing adverse emotions toward others would distance people from them. Worse, they are also at a higher chance of suicide and they indulge in activities that are harmful to themself, say driving recklessly on roads as a mode to show frustration or anger. With effective treatments, the symptoms of the disorder can be managed.
The blog describes the intricacies of Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD symptoms, and signs, and shares tips and insights on how to quit BPD disorder.

BPD symptoms and signs

Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder undergo acute mood swings. Their feelings for others can oscillate to extremes - sometimes they are extremely affectionate and at times, there is an intense dislike. Their interests change swiftly. This impacts the quality of their relationships, be it family, friends, or at the professional podium. People affected by Borderline Personality Disorder are uncertain about their own thoughts, emotions, and actions. They are vulnerable to view things at their extreme, either they are so very optimistic to imagine things to turn out to be too good or go pessimistic that they imagine adverse happenings and turn out bad circumstances. They sometimes act reckless and impulsive.

Other BPD symptoms
  • Feeling of emptiness.
  • Repeated suicidal thoughts, and intentions, and expressed self-harming behavior.
  • People with BPD disorder have a higher rate of suicidal intention and behavior than the general population.
  • Highly varied moods even within a day, they may be very excited and euphoric for some time while getting into extreme depression after some time.
  • Expressing intense anger while handling problematic situations.
  • Deformed self-image or being unstable about oneself.
  • Getting involved in dangerous and impetuous activities like binge eating, substance abuse, rash driving or having unsafe sex. Some of their activities can result in harm to people in relationship with them.
  • Showing inconsistency in relationships or fluctuating emotional behavior.
  • Feeling dissociated from oneself. Staying distracted and out of their mind often.

The BPD symptoms differ from person to person and teh intensity of BPD symptoms also depends on the duration of the suffering, its frequency, and intensity.

What causes Borderline Personality Disorder?

The exact cause of the BPD disorder is unknown and the risk factors of the disorder have been identified by researchers. These are not surely certain but supposed to be the causes of BPD.

  • People who have been exposed to traumatic life incidents like financial hardships, abuse, abandonment or improper treatment are extremely vulnerable to being impacted by Borderline Personality Disorder.
  • BPD disorder can also be due to functional and structural changes happening in the brain. This is more particularly in the areas where control of impulses and emotional regulation take place.
  • That BPD disorder can be passed through genes is also a prime cause of the disorder. When you have a close family member with the disorder, there are chances that you may also be having the disorder as studies reveal that family history is a risk factor.
Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder.

The disorder can be identified and diagnosed through careful medical examination by mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, or clinical social workers. The professionals conduct an interview, discuss the BPD symptoms and analyze it. The medical professional may also discuss the problem with the family members to figure out their long-term behavioral changes and to understand if there is a family history associated with the disorder. The chances of diagnosing the disorder are relatively less for people under the age of 18. The disorder is generally diagnosed in early adulthood.
Some co-occurring disorders make the diagnosis harder, in turn making the treatment process even harder. This is due to the overlap of symptoms. The co-existing ailments include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorders, eating disorders or substance abuse.

Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder.

If you are wondering how to quit BPD disorder, it is certainly important to seek treatment and follow it as soon as the disorder is diagnosed. Inadequate treatment may develop chronic mental illness and the longer the delay is in getting the treatment, the person may find it difficult to change his or her lifestyle. The challenges in treating the disorder have been overcome by evidence-based treatments. The treatment would be effective only when taken from a licensed and experienced professional. It may even turn dangerous otherwise. Prescription medicines are not usually recommended to treat BPD disorder as its benefits are still unknown. Yet, medications are prescribed to treat co-occurring disorders like depression and mood swings. Medications can cause side effects in a few people. Support from family members speeds up recovery.
Two types of psychotherapies are used to treat people with Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychotherapy is also called ‘talk therapy’ which includes one-on-one or group sessions with an experienced medical professional. Group sessions motivate the person to genuinely interact with others. This might move them out of their confined sphere and express themselves effectively.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
    This treatment helps people change the perception of themselves that are inaccurate. They realize the beliefs and behavior that cause the disorder. Upon interaction, the solution to these problems can be figured out. This therapy allows the affected to handle their mood swings and anxiety effectively.
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT):
    The DBT equips the concept of mindfulness to the affected. It increases awareness of oneself or in other words, motivates the individual to embrace mindfulness. They delve more into their current situation and understand their emotional state. This therapy is specially devised for those with BPD symptoms. This empowers the individual with skills and abilities to handle and build relationships, and control emotions, and helps in reducing self-harming behaviors.
How can family members help someone with BPD?

Families play an important role in shaping our attitudes and behavior. When therapies and counseling sessions are initiated by the family, the treatment becomes more effective. Family members can offer a supporting hand to the person suffering from BPD disorder. Relatives shall train themselves and develop skills to look after and understand a person with BPD disorder. Appropriate care should be provided to them. Therefore, therapies focusing on the family members to overcome and understand the hindrances around caring for someone with BPD should be provided.
If you are looking for ideas on how to quit BPD disorder, we suggest that you put in efforts to learn about the BPD order and try to understand what the person is undergoing and why he is behaving abnormally at times. Offer them the needed emotional support. Deal them with patience. Encourage them through the treatment process and make it a point to never demotivate or ridicule them. Have patience, the recovery takes time. Make the person speak out, break their barriers, and do things that have the power to uplift their mindset. Seek counseling for yourself and motivate the family members also to take up.

Looking for BPD treatment?

Abhasa Rehabilitation Centre is the best rehabilitation center in India and provides moral assistance and medically recommended therapies to help a person recover from BPD. We provide therapies to family members to empower them with the information and the support they can offer to the person suffering from BPD. We conduct interactive sessions and talk therapies to support the person to control their extreme thoughts and regulate their actions. We also offer residential treatment if needed.

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