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Can you imagine what it would be like to have a negative and distorted view of yourself and the people around you? The term distortion refers to the fact the negative view would seem to have no basis in reality. As scary as that sounds, it’s even scarier to realize that perhaps hundreds of thousands of people live with this kind of affliction every day of their lives. There’s a personality disorder often associated with this distorted view known as “borderline personality disorder” or BPD.
People who are dealing BPD are out there in society trying to manage their lives while feeling they are wholly inadequate. It affects every single thing they do and every decision they make. If this seems to represent the world you or a loved one live in, you have legitimate causes for concern. With that in mind an in-depth discussion about borderline personality disorder would seem to be in order.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website: “Borderline personality disorder is a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes self-image issues, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships.”
The onset of borderline personality usually occurs during early adulthood. While the disorder will likely worsen during maturity, there is evidence that suggests things could improve gradually with the aging process.
It’s interesting to note that this is one disorder about which psychiatrists still have a lot of questions. The centerpiece of this disorder would seem to revolve around a person’s fear of abandonment or not having others accepting the individual into a social group. In the next section, the borderline personality disorder symptoms should help shine a better light on what this condition is all about.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of BPD?
While BPD shares common symptoms with several other emotional/mental disorders, any evidence of the presence of multiple borderline personality disorder symptoms is helpful in the diagnosis process. To help you better understand what a person with BPD faces every day, here are some of the notable symptoms:
- Instability in personal relationships, including intimate relationships
- An intense fear of abandonment or being left out
- Isolating oneself from others to avoid being hurt
- Constant personal changes in things like goals and attitudes
- Sudden paranoia episodes that can last from minutes up to hours
- Impulsive and risky behaviors, including a propensity towards addictions
- Suicidal ideology, threats, and attempts
- Bipolar like mood swings that can last days and weeks
- Prone to sudden outbursts of anger often leading to physical confrontations
If you or anyone you know exhibits one or more of these symptoms, it’s imperative that someone contact a mental health professional as soon as possible. Remember, BPD is a difficult disorder for doctors to diagnose. It takes time and a lot of effort.
What Causes BPD?
As far as what causes borderline personality disorder, there would seem to be two relevant avenues. First, there’s seems to be a strong genetic component. If someone is genetically predisposed to mental illnesses, this particular disorder would be one of the prime candidates. The other avenue involves brain abnormalities where certain areas of the brain (emotion regulation, impulsivity, and aggression) don’t function properly. There are also indications that chemical imbalances can cause BPD.
BPD and Substance Abuse
As we alluded to above, there is a correlation between BPD and substance abuse. In the addiction treatment community, treatment professionals refer to this correlation as evidence of coexisting conditions.
It’s no secret that people fall victim to the disease of addiction largely because of their inability to deal with mental and or emotional issues. Borderline personality disorder is one of the disorders that often prompts people to seek refuge in the form of drugs or alcohol.
When someone enters rehab with coexisting conditions, the best treatment option becomes “dual diagnosis treatment.” With this form of treatment, the addiction sufferer receives professional treatment for their borderline personality disorder and addiction issues at the same time. The client must have access to both kinds of treatment at the same time to prevent the untreated condition from interfering with the recovery process.
Regardless of what causes borderline personality disorder, it’s sad that it is leading some people into drug addiction. In their distorted views of themselves, some people feel they need drugs or alcohol to help hide their insecurities. Of course, the addiction just adds more layers to the addiction sufferer’s mound of personal problems.
How to Treat Borderline Personality Disorder
Through experience, the mental health and addiction treatment communities have learned that clients with borderline personality disorder require either medicine or psychotherapy, but sometimes they can benefit from both.
When the call is psychotherapy, it usually involves some form of evidenced-based therapy. For patients suffering from borderline personality disorder, the two best evidence-based therapy options are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
Both of these treatment options are quite similar in many ways. The main differential is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy deals with the patient’s thoughts while Dialectical Behavioral Therapy looks at the patient’s feelings.
While going through either one of these treatment processes, the patient learns to focus on their negative thoughts or feelings. It’s the therapist’s responsibility to teach their patients how those thoughts and feelings prompt destructive behaviors. If a patient is fully aware of what’s causing their addiction and/or BPD, they can develop the tools necessary to help them turn the negatives into positives. When negative thoughts and feelings diminish, the harmful behaviors will soon follow.
If there’s any chance you are dealing with coexisting conditions, you need to get treatment. That’s something we can help you with. Our treatment services fall on both sides of the fence. We offer mental health and addiction treatment programs, as well as dual diagnosis treatment when necessary.
The facilities at Mission Harbor are staffed with trained experts to best assist patients with their mental health issues. We are capable of dealing with any and all cases with a licensed staff, equipment, and approved techniques. Our mission is to help those who want to help themselves, and we support your decision in seeking help.
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