Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic, complex psychological condition that is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It is characterized by a pervasive pattern of high affective instability, impulsive behaviors, unstable interpersonal relationships, and an inconsistent self-concept. The cause of borderline personality disorder remains unknown. However, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) alludes to research that “suggests that genetics, brain structure and function, and environmental, cultural, and social factors play a role, or may increase the risk for developing borderline personality disorder.” Recent research suggests that 1.6% of the population in the United States has BPD, which is equal to over four million Americans.
BPD & Relationships
Any untreated mental health disorder will impact the innerworkings of a relationship, especially when it comes to certain psychiatric ailments like borderline personality disorder. BPD is associated with a diverse range of signs and symptoms. According to the DSM-5 key signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder that can have a direct impact on one’s relationships may include:
- Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment by family and friends
- Impulsive behaviors resulting in dangerous outcomes (e.g., engaging in unsafe sex, reckless driving, substance abuse, etc.)
- Unstable personal relationships that alternate between idealization and devaluation, sometimes referred to as splitting
- Self-harming behavior (e.g., suicidal threats)
- Distorted and unstable self-image, affecting one’s moods, relationships, goals, values, and/ or opinions
- Chronic feelings of emptiness and/ or boredom
- Periods of intense depressed mood, irritability and/ or anxiety lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days long
- Dissociative feelings
- Intense, inappropriate, and/ or uncontrollable anger, typically followed by feelings of guilt and/ or shame
Borderline personality disorder directly affects how one feels about him or herself, one’s behaviors as well as how an individual can relate to others. Additionally, people with borderline personality disorder have a difficult time returning to an emotional baseline, which can make sustaining relationships problematic. The quick changing nature of BPD symptoms (e.g., emotional peaks and valleys) can lead to conflict-filled, chaotic relationships. Hence, people with BPD typically have rocky relationships with others, both platonic and romantic. However, with proper treatment and continual support people with BPD can have successful, meaningful, long-term relationships, and some have reported these relationships lasting for decades.
Treatment In Calabasas
Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.
The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.
