Emotionally unstable personality disorder
| Borderline personality disorder | |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Emotionally unstable personality disorder – impulsive or borderline type, emotional intensity disorder, neurotic psychopathy |
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| Idealization in Edvard Munch’s The Brooch. Eva Mudocci (1903) | |
| Specialty | Psychiatry |
| Symptoms | Unstable relationships, sense of self, and emotions, self harm |
| Complications | Suicide |
| Usual onset | Early adulthood |
| Duration | Long term |
| Causes | Unclear |
| Diagnostic method | Based on the symptoms |
| Similar conditions | identity problem, substance use disorders |
| Treatment | Therapy |
| Prognosis | Improves over time |
| Frequency | 1.6% |
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| External resources |
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder, is a long-term pattern of abnormal behavior characterized by unstable relationships with other people, unstable sense of self, and unstable emotions. There is often an extreme fear of abandonment, frequent dangerous behavior, a feeling of emptiness, and self-harm. Symptoms may be brought on by seemingly normal events. The behavior typically begins by early adulthood, and occurs across a variety of situations.Substance abuse, depression, and eating disorders are commonly associated with BPD. BPD increases the risk of self-harm and 10% of people affected die by suicide.
BPD's causes are unclear, but seem to involve genetic, brain, environment, and social factors. It occurs about five times more often in a person who has an affected close relative. Adverse life events also appear to play a role. The underlying mechanism appears to involve the frontolimbic network of neurons. BPD is recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a personality disorder, along with nine other such disorders. Diagnosis is based on the symptoms while a medical exam may be done to rule out other problems. The condition must be differentiated from an identity problem or substance use disorders, among other possibilities.
Borderline personality disorder is typically treated with therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Another type, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may reduce the risk of suicide. Therapy may occur one-on-one, or in a group. While medications do not cure BPD, they may be used to help with the associated symptoms. Some people require care in hospital.
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