What do you know about Border Line Disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a type of personality disorder characterised by an unstable relationship, strong emotional reactions, and a distorted sense of self. This disorder is also known as EUPD, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder.

Individuals with BPD are also prone to developing eating disorders, substance use disorders, and depression. Approximately 10% of those affected by this disorder commit suicide. The condition is often stigmatised in the psychiatric and media fields. The exact causes of BPD are not known. However, it’s believed that various factors such as the environment, genetics, and social factors can affect the development of this disorder.

What are the symptoms of BPD?

The nine signs and symptoms of BPD are presented to diagnose a person. The most common symptoms of this disorder are persistent patterns of instability in one’s self-image and relationships, as well as difficulty regulating emotional reactions.

The symptoms of a borderline personality disorder can affect how you feel about yourself and how you interact with others. Some of the most common signs of this condition include an intense fear of abandonment, a pattern of unstable relationships, and a loss of contact with reality. In addition, it can cause you to develop a distorted self-image and develop dangerous and irresponsible behaviours, such as gambling, drinking and drug abuse, spending sprees, and crashing into walls. Although the exact causes of BPD are unknown, it is believed that PTSD and other mental disorders are related.

What Causes BPD?

Although childhood trauma is known to be a contributing factor to the development of borderline personality disorder, it is not always the cause. Instead, it is believed that other factors such as environmental factors and genetic abnormalities can also affect the development of this condition.

These factors can affect how people interact with their families, friends, and other children. Besides their environment, psychological factors can also play a role in developing this condition. For instance, people with BPD may create a distorted sense of self-image due to their developing coping skills.

The first step in diagnosing borderline personality disorder is to conduct a clinical assessment. This process involves asking the patient to describe their characteristics in precise terms. This method can help them become more accepting of their condition. In addition to describing their symptoms, the psychological evaluation also involves asking the patient about their quality of life. Suicidal ideations, self-harming behaviours, and ideas of harming others are issues of particular note.

Both the patient’s description of their symptoms and the psychologist’s observations are used to make the diagnosis.

A physical examination and laboratory tests can be used as additional BPD diagnostic tools to rule out other potential symptom causes, including thyroid disorders or substance use disorders.

The disorder has a similar set of diagnostic criteria in the ICD-10 handbook and is known as an emotionally unstable personality disorder.

The disorder’s name is the same as in earlier editions of the DSM-5.

What are the treatment options for BPD?

A borderline personality disorder is primarily treated with psychotherapy.

Treatments should be tailored to the needs of the individual rather than the BPD as a whole. The treatment of comorbid illnesses, such as treatment for depression and treatment for anxiety, is helped by medications.

The effectiveness of short-term hospitalisation compared to community care for enhancing outcomes or long-term suicidal behaviour prevention in BPD patients has not been established.

No drugs appear to be effective for treating “the fundamental BPD symptoms of chronic feelings of emptiness, identity instability, and abandonment,” according to a 2010 evaluation by the Cochrane collaboration.

The investigators discovered, however, that some drugs may affect specific BPD symptoms or symptoms of comorbid illnesses.

Evidence of the effectiveness of medication for BPD “remains very variable and is still substantially impaired by inferior research design,” according to a 2017 analysis that evaluated data published after the 2010 Cochrane review.

According to an assessment from 2020 work on pharmaceutical therapies, no evident medicines are a definitive treatment for BPD.

Hence therapies and medical conditioning is the only alternatives to keep yourself healthy.

Hope Trust is one of the best psychiatric hospitals in Hyderabad, with over 20 years’ experience in mental health and addiction treatment. A team of 20+ psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals competent to assess, diagnose and treat a variety of mental health and personality issues including relationship and parenting problems are all available under one roof. Since online options are available, you can easily access the services from the comfort of your home.

For an online/ in-person appointment with a therapist, call 90008 50001 or click: www.hopetrustindia.com