Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
What Is BPD?
Borderline personality disorder is a severe mental health disorder that affects your ability to regulate your emotions.
Often, an emotionally triggering event can start an episode of BPD. During an episode, you may experience difficulty maintaining stable moods, self-image, behavior, and daily functioning. You strongly feel your feelings, and those emotions can last for a few hours or days.
The instability caused by BPD has adverse effects on relationships and can increase the risk of impulsivity. A study found that people with BPD have a high risk of suicidal behaviors. If you are having suicidal thoughts, you must get help immediately. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility has an inpatient acute psychiatric stabilization program that can help you stabilize your BPD symptoms.
BPD is one of several conditions named “Cluster B” personality disorders. Cluster B personality disorders include dramatic and inconsistent behaviors. Personality disorders like BPD are long-term, dysfunctional, and inflexible behavior patterns that can negatively affect relationships as well as create distress.
A diagnosis of BPD is rare. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that approximately 1.4% of the population has BPD. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), of that 1.4%, almost 75% of those diagnosed are women. NAMI’s research shows that men may be equally affected, but are often misdiagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most of the people with BPD don’t know they have a personality mood disorder because BPD isn’t usually diagnosed until late adolescence or young adulthood.
Often, an emotionally triggering event can start an episode of BPD. During an episode, you may experience difficulty maintaining stable moods, self-image, behavior, and daily functioning. You strongly feel your feelings, and those emotions can last for a few hours or days.
The instability caused by BPD has adverse effects on relationships and can increase the risk of impulsivity. A study found that people with BPD have a high risk of suicidal behaviors. If you are having suicidal thoughts, you must get help immediately. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility has an inpatient acute psychiatric stabilization program that can help you stabilize your BPD symptoms.
BPD is one of several conditions named “Cluster B” personality disorders. Cluster B personality disorders include dramatic and inconsistent behaviors. Personality disorders like BPD are long-term, dysfunctional, and inflexible behavior patterns that can negatively affect relationships as well as create distress.
A diagnosis of BPD is rare. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that approximately 1.4% of the population has BPD. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), of that 1.4%, almost 75% of those diagnosed are women. NAMI’s research shows that men may be equally affected, but are often misdiagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most of the people with BPD don’t know they have a personality mood disorder because BPD isn’t usually diagnosed until late adolescence or young adulthood.
Is BPD Genetic?
Studies have shown that BPD can be genetic. Genetic research links people with a family history, immediate family members, like a parent who has BPD, to a higher risk of being diagnosed with BPD.
Can Environmental Factors Influence the Development of BPD?
Traumatic life events can put individuals at a higher risk of developing BPD. Common childhood traumatic events may include:
- Physical or sexual assault
- Parents’ divorce
- Neglect
- Loss of a parent or caregiver
- Parents or caregivers with a substance abuse disorder
- Exposed to conflict or unstable family relationships
If you experienced any of these during your childhood, you are more likely to develop BPD in your late teens to early adulthood.
Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
What Are the Common Symptoms of BPD?
The symptoms of BPD affect how you socialize with others, your behaviors, and how you feel about yourself. The symptoms are usually more intense during young adulthood and often reduce as you age. The main symptoms include:
- Self-image
- Fear of abandonment
- Difficulties in Interpersonal Relationships
The severity, length, and frequency of your symptoms are unique to you. The main symptoms of BPD are severe mood fluctuations, unstable relationships, and impulsivity. Other symptoms of BPD include:
- Fear of abandonment: People with BPD often don’t feel comfortable alone. They can feel intense anger or fear if they feel neglected or abandoned. They can push people away to stop them from getting closer or rejecting them.
- Self-image issues: If you have BPD, you may have an unclear or distorted sense of self. You can also quickly adjust how you view yourself, your friends, and your goals, career, or opinions. It is also possible to self-sabotage.
- Self-harm or suicidal behavior: It’s not uncommon for people with BPD to engage in acts of self-harm (cutting, injuring, or burning) themselves. Often, many people with BPD also have thoughts of suicide. Impulsive behavior that leads to self-harm is generally triggered if they think they are abandoned, rejected, or disappointed by someone they care about.
- Feelings of emptiness: If you’re diagnosed with BPD, you may feel unfilled, bored, or empty. You can also feel worthless and loathe yourself.
- Paranoid thoughts: Extreme stress or fear of abandonment can trigger dissociative episodes, hallucinations, and paranoid thoughts.
You may not experience all of these symptoms if you are diagnosed with BPD.
How Do Symptoms of BPD Affect Mood and Behaviors?
Mood swings are natural occurrences if you have BPD. They can occur as a response to specific events. And because they’re intense and can quickly change, they can cause strain in relationships and increase harmful behavior.
There are differences between mood swings and mood if you have BPD. Some of the differences include:
There are differences between mood swings and mood if you have BPD. Some of the differences include:
- Intensity: Your mood shifts can go from feeling happy to feeling shattered, hopeless, or lonely within moments. Sometimes you may engage in impulsive behaviors to make yourself feel better.
- Frequency: People with BPD can have several mood swings throughout the day.
- Duration: You feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster throughout your life.
How Do Symptoms Affect Relationships?
The symptoms of BPD can have adverse effects on a relationship.
Loved ones can find it challenging to be around you because of the mood swings and your emotional response to other symptoms.
Loved ones can find it challenging to be around you because of the mood swings and your emotional response to other symptoms.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, once called manic depression, is a mental health condition whose symptoms include periods of depression and a significantly elevated mood.
Healthcare providers use the term bipolar instead of manic depression because it allows for more accuracy in the diagnosis.
Healthcare providers use the term bipolar instead of manic depression because it allows for more accuracy in the diagnosis.
What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder that has extreme shifts in mood, behavior, and energy levels. The mood shifts can last several hours, days, weeks, or months. They can also disrupt your daily life.
The main symptoms of bipolar disorder are manic and hypomanic episodes. If you have bipolar disorder, you will also have periods when you’re mood is level or normal. Most people with bipolar disorder also have depressive episodes. These mood shifts are different in the types of bipolar disorders. Two types of bipolar disorder include:
The main symptoms of bipolar disorder are manic and hypomanic episodes. If you have bipolar disorder, you will also have periods when you’re mood is level or normal. Most people with bipolar disorder also have depressive episodes. These mood shifts are different in the types of bipolar disorders. Two types of bipolar disorder include:
- Bipolar I: People with bipolar I disorder have had manic episodes that last for at least seven days or are so serious that they require acute psychiatric stabilization. Depressive episodes usually last at least two weeks. You can have mania and depressive symptoms together.
- Bipolar II: Those diagnosed with bipolar II will have depressive states and hypomania. However, they don’t experience a full manic episode like those with bipolar I. They do experience chronic depression more than those with bipolar I.
Is Bipolar Genetic?
Bipolar disorder is genetic. People with immediate family members, for example, your mother, father, or sibling, with bipolar disorder have a higher risk of developing bipolar disorder.
Can Environmental Factors Influence the Development of Bipolar Disorder?
Environmental factors can increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder. Where you live, financial issues, trauma, stress, or other factors can influence the development of bipolar disorder.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
What Are the Common Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
The symptoms of bipolar disorder can vary from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Feeling extremely energetic
- Racing thoughts
- Irritability
- Feeling hopeless or sad
- Loss of interest in activities
- Change in sleep patterns
- Changes in behavior
How Do Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Affect Mood and Behaviors?
The changes from manic/hypomanic episodes to depressive episodes can be challenging for you and your loved ones.
Manic/hypomanic states can increase the risk of risky or impulsive behaviors. Depressive episodes can increase the risk of self-harm, loss of energy, or suicidal thoughts.
Manic/hypomanic states can increase the risk of risky or impulsive behaviors. Depressive episodes can increase the risk of self-harm, loss of energy, or suicidal thoughts.
How Do Symptoms Affect Relationships?
Manic, hypomanic, and depressive stages affect everyone. The mood swings can strain relationships. Loved ones may not understand why you’re irritable, have racing thoughts, feel sad, or hopeless.
Borderline Personality Disorder vs Bipolar Disorder: Understanding the Differences
What Is the Difference Between a Mood and Personality Disorder?
Mood disorders are mental health disorders marked by significant disruptions in your emotional state.
Your mood can shift from extreme highs to extreme lows or be both. The two most common are bipolar disorder and depression.
A personality disorder is characterized by patterns of behaviors and internal experiences that deviate from societal expectations and standards. The patterns are rigid and pervasive, creating distress or impairment in social, personal, and work relationships.
Your mood can shift from extreme highs to extreme lows or be both. The two most common are bipolar disorder and depression.
A personality disorder is characterized by patterns of behaviors and internal experiences that deviate from societal expectations and standards. The patterns are rigid and pervasive, creating distress or impairment in social, personal, and work relationships.
What Is the Difference In the Duration of Mood Changes?
Bipolar disorder mood changes are different from BPD for several reasons. A few reasons include:
- Onset and duration of the symptoms: Mood disorders are distinctive and can develop at any age. They can be triggered by life events or genetics.
- Stability of symptoms: Mood disorders have periods where symptoms occur and when they don’t. Personality disorders exhibit a consistent pattern of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that persist over time.
What Are the Differences in Emotional Regulation Between BPD and Bipolar Disorder?
People with BPD find it challenging to regulate their emotions. Unlike people with bipolar disorder, they find it difficult to regulate their normal mood.
This is because their episodes have quick mood swings, are intense, and are slower to return to a normal mood. Their episodes can be confused with a part of their personality.
In contrast, people with bipolar disorder have episodes of abnormal mood, but they do have normal moods between episodes. Their episodes last longer than those with BPD.
This is because their episodes have quick mood swings, are intense, and are slower to return to a normal mood. Their episodes can be confused with a part of their personality.
In contrast, people with bipolar disorder have episodes of abnormal mood, but they do have normal moods between episodes. Their episodes last longer than those with BPD.
Do BPD and Bipolar Disorder Affect Self-Image Differently?
People with bipolar disorder have a greater sense of self than those with BPD. People with BPD constantly struggle with an unstable self-image.
Bipolar Disorder vs Borderline Personality Disorder: Differences in Relationships
How Do BPD and Bipolar Disorder Affect Relationships Differently?
The extreme mood swings in people with BPD make their relationships unstable.
Those diagnosed with bipolar disorder don’t have the extreme mood swings that can negatively affect their relationships.
Those diagnosed with bipolar disorder don’t have the extreme mood swings that can negatively affect their relationships.
Diagnosis for BPD and Bipolar Disorder
Are BPD and Bipolar Disorders Diagnosed the Same?
The symptoms of BPD and bipolar disorder overlap, and this can lead to a misdiagnosis.
However, two components of BPD set it apart, helping make an accurate diagnosis easier.
However, two components of BPD set it apart, helping make an accurate diagnosis easier.
- People with BPD tend to see things as all good or all bad. They can’t see anything in between.
- BPD includes a person’s hypersensitivity.
An alternative dimension model for BPD diagnosis requirements is:
- Significant problems in at least two: identity, self-direction, empathy, or intimacy.
- Have at least four of the following traits: emotional instability, anxiety, fear of separation, impulsiveness, hostility, risky behavior, continuous sadness with at least one of the traits being hostility, impulsiveness, or risky behavior.
What Are the Common Challenges in Diagnosing BPD vs Bipolar Disorder?
A common challenge in diagnosing BPD vs bipolar disorder is diagnosing BPD by the key differences in mood shifts.
Mood shifts in people with BPD are reactive to events, whereas mood shifts in bipolar disorder are caused by mood cycling.
Mood shifts in people with BPD are reactive to events, whereas mood shifts in bipolar disorder are caused by mood cycling.
How Long Before a Diagnosis Is Reached?
Bipolar disorder can be diagnosed at an earlier age than BPD because the symptoms occur at an earlier age in some people. The symptoms of BPD don’t present until the late teens or early adulthood.
Are People Sometimes Misdiagnosed With BPD When They Have Bipolar?
People can be misdiagnosed with BPD when they have bipolar disorder.
The symptoms of the disorders do overlap and can be confused with either bipolar disorder or BPD.
The symptoms of the disorders do overlap and can be confused with either bipolar disorder or BPD.
Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder
What Types of Medications Help Manage Symptoms Related to BPD and Bipolar Disorder?
Medication is a part of an effective treatment plan for people with bipolar disorder and some people with BPD.
The medications that help bipolar symptom management are antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
There aren’t medications that are specifically approved to treat BPD. However, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers can be used to stabilize BPD symptoms. At Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, our medical team will provide medication while you’re in our inpatient psychiatric care unit.
The medications that help bipolar symptom management are antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
There aren’t medications that are specifically approved to treat BPD. However, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers can be used to stabilize BPD symptoms. At Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, our medical team will provide medication while you’re in our inpatient psychiatric care unit.
What Effective Therapies Help Treat BPD and Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder and BPD are effectively treated with psychotherapy. Your therapist may use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help you learn healthy coping skills and recognize warning signs of an episode. People with BPD respond well to DBT, transference-focused psychotherapy, or schema therapy.
What Kind of Programs Help Treat BPD and Bipolar Disorder?
People with bipolar disorder and BPD have treatment options to help stabilize their symptoms.
Individual therapy with a therapist can support clinical improvement and symptom management.
However, there are effective treatments when you need intensive or more structured support. Inpatient psychiatric and partial hospitalization (PHP) psychiatric care provides the care that is necessary to stabilize the symptoms of bipolar disorder and BPD.
Ocean View’s inpatient psychiatric care unit and PHP include medical monitoring and psychoeducational groups.
Individual therapy with a therapist can support clinical improvement and symptom management.
However, there are effective treatments when you need intensive or more structured support. Inpatient psychiatric and partial hospitalization (PHP) psychiatric care provides the care that is necessary to stabilize the symptoms of bipolar disorder and BPD.
Ocean View’s inpatient psychiatric care unit and PHP include medical monitoring and psychoeducational groups.
FAQs About BPD vs Bipolar Disorder
Can people with BPD live alone?
People with BPD often struggle with their symptoms
Their mood swings from one extreme to another, which affects their relationships. Additionally, the fear of abandonment can make you feel isolated and disconnected from others.
If you have BPD, the thought of living alone can symbolize independence and control over your life. You can live alone, but you should develop healthy coping skills, medication management, and access to a mental health professional.
Their mood swings from one extreme to another, which affects their relationships. Additionally, the fear of abandonment can make you feel isolated and disconnected from others.
If you have BPD, the thought of living alone can symbolize independence and control over your life. You can live alone, but you should develop healthy coping skills, medication management, and access to a mental health professional.
How can I support a loved one with bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder?
A loved one with BPD or bipolar disorder can be challenging to be with because of their symptoms.
However, supporting them can be satisfying. A few ways you can offer support include:
However, supporting them can be satisfying. A few ways you can offer support include:
- Validate their emotions: You can use active listening skills by listening with empathy, letting them know you understand them, and reflecting on what your loved one is saying.
- Learn about BPD: Understanding BPD or bipolar disorder can increase your empathy, understanding of their symptoms, and identification of potential triggers or causes.
- Support their treatment plan: You can suggest coping skills they learned in therapy and encourage them to remain engaged in therapy.
- Learn skills that are introduced in DBT: Skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation can help your loved one and you.
- Talk about other things: Don’t let conversations always be about their BPD or bipolar disorder.
Is there a stronger link between bipolar II disorder and BPD?
People diagnosed with BPD often also have a mood disorder.
Research by Dr. John Gunderson found that people diagnosed with BPD can also have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Research by Dr. John Gunderson found that people diagnosed with BPD can also have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Can someone have both BPD and bipolar disorder simultaneously?
It is possible to have bipolar disorder and BPD at the same time.
Often, bipolar II disorder and BPD are co-occurring. Dr. John Gunderson, a leading expert in BPD, conducted a study that found approximately one in five people diagnosed with BPD either had bipolar disorder when they started the research study or developed it during the study.
Often, bipolar II disorder and BPD are co-occurring. Dr. John Gunderson, a leading expert in BPD, conducted a study that found approximately one in five people diagnosed with BPD either had bipolar disorder when they started the research study or developed it during the study.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar disorder are mental health conditions that have overlapping symptoms. Both mental health disorders have mood shifts that include emotions like depression and elevated moods. However, BPD mood swings are intense, quick, and triggered by internal issues like fear of abandonment. Bipolar disorder mood swings are cyclical, last longer, and aren’t as intense. Treatment for BPD is talk therapy and, if necessary, medication. Effective treatment for bipolar disorder includes talk therapy and medication. When mood swings lead to risky behaviors like self-harm or suicidal thoughts, acute psychiatric stabilization is vital. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility provides comprehensive symptom and medication management. Contact us at (844) 562-1212 or outreach@ovphf.com.