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What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a mental illness that impacts a person’s ability to regulate their emotions. Emotional dysregulation causes significant consequences, including low self-esteem, increased impulsivity, unclear identity, black-and-white thinking, and relationship issues. Because personality disorders impact a person’s experience of the world—the ways they think, feel, and behave—many people with BPD don’t realize they have a problem.
How Common is Borderline Personality Disorder?
Researchers estimate that BPD affects 1.4% of the general population and 20% of the inpatient psychiatric population. In total, they believe that more than 14 million Americans have a diagnosable case of borderline personality disorder. Nearly 75% of those diagnosed with BPD are women. However, research indicates that men may experience the disorder at similar rates, but are misdiagnosed with depression or PTSD.
Traits of Borderline Personality Disorder
For a person to be diagnosed with BPD, a certain set of symptoms must be present. They should be observed in multiple contexts (with friends, in school, and at home) and must significantly impair the person’s functioning.
DSM-5 criteria for borderline personality disorder include:
- Instability and intense difficulties in relationships (idealizing and devaluing the other party)
- Instability in self-image, self-concept, and emotions
- Difficulty managing painful emotions
- Out-of-body, dissociative experiences
- Intense fear of abandonment
- Chronic boredom and emptiness
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Marked impulsivity, disinhibition, and risk-taking behaviors
The dangerous, risky behavior associated with BPD is the primary reason experts recommend professional treatment without delay. Sexual promiscuity and unsafe sex, substance abuse, binge eating, reckless driving, spending sprees, gambling, and self-harm pose significant risks to the health and well-being of a person with BPD. That same impulsivity can lead to suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Break the borderline cycle.
Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment
Serene Behavioral Health is a haven for men and women struggling with borderline personality disorder. Our clinicians work one-on-one with each client to craft personalized treatment plans unique to their situation. We believe a holistic approach is required to overcome a personality disorder. Serene Behavioral Health combines medication with intensive therapy for optimal outcomes.
Our modalities include dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and trauma-informed treatment. We have found these methods extremely effective for addressing the underlying symptoms associated with BPD.
Find Peace at Serene Behavioral Health
If you’re struggling with abandonment, emotional reactivity, and rocky relationships, a personality disorder may be to blame. Serene Behavioral Health provides a roadmap for those seeking to overcome BPD. Contact our admissions team to learn more about our comprehensive approach to borderline personality disorder.
