Borderline Personality Disorder

Bella Abdalla

• causes
• signs
• diagnosis
• treatments
• complications
• sources

Causes

Known Causes For BPD Include:
- genetics
- brain abnormalities
- environmental factors
(child abuse/neglect)

Risk Factors

Known Factors In BPD Development Include:
- stressful childhood
- hereditary predisposition (if a family member has the same disorder)

Signs of BPD

- fear of abandonment
- unstable relationships
- unclear/shifting self-image
- impulsive, self-destructive behaviors
- self harm
- extreme emotional swings
- chronic feelings of emptiness
- explosive anger
- feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality

Uncommon Signs

- food habits resembling eating an disorder- mood swings that mimic sever depression- manic episodes- recurring panic attacks- drug/medication abuse

- chronic feelings of emptiness
- day-to-day emotional instability
- frantic efforts to avoid abandonment
- unstable self-image
- impulsive behaviors
- self harmful behaviors
- displays of temper
- unstable interpersonal relationships
- suicidal behavior
- stress-related paranoia
- dissociation

Mental Health Professionals Include:

- psychiatrist
- social worker
- counselor
- nurse practitioner
- psychologist

Qualifications To Look For:

- specializing in treating BPD
- dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- certified by DBT-linehan board of certification

Counseling

The goal of counseling is to help manage emotions. Depending on symptoms and circumstance different types of counseling for BPD include:
- dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- schema-focused therapy

Medications

Best medication for BPD include:
- abilify (aripiprazole)
- carbatrol (carbamazepine ER)
- fluvoxamine maleate
- haloperidol
- lamictal (lamotrigine)
- zyprexa (olanzapine)
- topamax (topiramate)

Some complications that come with untreated BPD can include:- job loss
- a desire to engage in reckless behaviors
- at greater risk of mental illness

How can BPD cause conflict within interpersonal relationships?

People with BPD have a black-and-white view of the world: Things and people are either good or bad. Those with BPD have constantly changing feelings. This can cause distrust and stress in any relationship.
Those with BPD tend to have a fear of abandonment. They feel they are at risk of being left behind. Unstable or codependent relationships can be formed with BPD, which is unhealthy for both in the relationship.