Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. People with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation.

Signs & Symptoms:

  • Intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last only hours or, at most, a day. May be associated with episodes of impulsive aggression, self-injury, and drug/alcohol abuse.
  • Distortions in cognition and sense of self can lead to frequent changes in long-term goals, career plans, jobs, friendships, gender identify, and values
  • Views oneself as fundamentally bad, or unworthy or feel unfairly misunderstood or mistreated, bored, empty, and have little idea who one is
  • Feels isolated and lacking in social support/frantic efforts to avoid being alone
  • Excessive spending
  • Binge eating
  • Risky sex

Other illnesses:

Psychiatric problems, particularly bipolar disorder; depression; anxiety disorders; substance abuse; and other personality disorders.