WARNING: This story contains references to suicide and self-harm and may be disturbing to some readers.
There are four key signs that you may be suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the most commonly diagnosed personality disorder.
BPD is a mood disorder that causes problems in relating to others.
A US counsellor has previously explained the signs to look out for when diagnosing BPD in men, which he believes many people mistake as “normal” behaviour.
Generally, the NHS explains that people with personality disorders are quite different to people without a personality disorder in the way they think, perceive, feel and interact with others.
They categorize symptoms seen in people suffering from BPD into four areas:
People with BPD think differently. (Getty Stock)
Emotional instability
There is also a psychological term for this called “emotion dysregulation.”
The NHS explains that people with BHD can experience negative emotions, sometimes intense, including anger, sadness, shame, panic, fear and prolonged feelings of emptiness and loneliness.
Patients may also experience severe mood swings for short periods of time.
It is also common for people with BPD to have suicidal thoughts but then feel quite positive a few hours later.
Disturbances in patterns of thinking and perception
These can also be categorised as “cognitive distortions” or “perceptual distortions”, and the NHS explains that people with BPD can be affected by many different types of thinking.
These include upsetting thoughts such as thinking you are a bad person or feeling like you don’t exist.
It may also include brief episodes of strange experiences, such as voices, or prolonged episodes of unusual experiences.
It can lead to a “love-hate” relationship. (Getty Stock)
Impulsive behavior
There are two main types of urges that are very difficult for people with BPD to control.
The first is urges to harm oneself, which can lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.
The second is a strong urge to do reckless and irresponsible things, such as binge drinking, drug abuse, or gambling.
Unsettled Relationship
People with BPD may feel like people abandon them or get too close when they need them.
Feeling abandoned can lead to strong feelings of anxiety and anger, which can lead people to make “desperate efforts” to avoid feeling alone.
And these two patterns often result in a “love-hate” relationship between people.
If you are struggling with distressing thoughts or feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) can support you. CALM is open 365 days a year, from 5pm until midnight. The local phone number is 0800 58 58 58. Live chat Services for people who don’t like talking on the phone.
