4 Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder that affects many women. It is hard to detect in some people if you don't know the signs and symptoms to look for. Be aware that in order to be truly diagnosed the person would have to show over 5 symptoms as presented in the DSM IV. For those people who aren't professional mental health workers here is how you can detect BPD.

Problems maintaining relationships
People with Borderline Personality Disorder do something called "splitting" What this means is that they are constantly in a state of love and then hate. They cannot accept a person and see them in terms of good with flaws, it is all good or all bad. This can be a problem when it comes to interpersonal relationships. As we all know nobody is all good or all bad. The second a person makes a mistake the person with BPD will see them as a terrible person and might not be able to ever see them again as a friend. This can cause problems with friendships as well as in the work environment. A lot of people with Borderline Personality Disorder switch jobs very frequently.

Switching Moods and Emotions Quickly
Someone diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder is categorized as someone who is always on the edge, or border of emotions. When you are around someone with BPD you can feel as if you are "walking on eggshells". This is a major revelation for most people that their loved ones might have BPD. If you never know what to expect or what kind of person will greet you that day it is a good indicator they might have BPD. Now don't misunderstand this to be regular mood swings a person has with BPD they can go from anger to anxiety in a matter of a few hours with no external cues.

Efforts to Avoid Abandonment
This is a big symptom in diagnosing Borderline Personality Disorder. For the person who has BPD this abandonment can feel very real even if it is not. Something as simple as their loved one going to work, on a vacation, or school can feel like they are being left forever. Usually the person who has BPD will react in a way that seems over the top for such common daily occurrences. They might scream ,cry, or even threaten you or themselves.

Impulsiveness
People with Borderline Personality Disorder tend to have issues with being impulsive. They perform risky behaviors such as excessive spending, drugs, sexual conquests, and binging. This is a major factor found in most people with BPD and according to the DSM IV 2 of these behaviors are usually present.

Living with a person diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder can be really tough at times. Their mood swings, manipulating ways, and demeanor can drive most people away. Therapy can help and usually over time the symptoms subside. If someone you know might be suffering with Borderline Personality Disorder call your local mental health clinic or hospital and try to get them help. Nobody needs to suffer with mental illness alone.