Borderline Personality Disorder - Symptoms

What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?

Long-term mood instability, which can disrupt relationships and lead to frequent changes in goals, values, relationships and self-identity, is a common symptom of borderline personality disorder.

Common symptoms of borderline personality disorder

Common symptoms of borderline personality disorder include:

Boredom
Fear of abandonment
Feelings of being mistreated or misunderstood
Feelings of emptiness or worthlessness
Fluctuations in self-identity, goals and values
Frequent mood changes
Impulsivity in spending money, sexual activity, and eating
Inability to bear being alone
Inappropriate or excessive anger
Sexual orientation instability
Suicidal behavior, threats and actions
Tumultuous relationships

Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition

In some cases, borderline personality disorder can be life threatening. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have life-threatening symptoms including:

Being a danger to oneself or others, including threatening, irrational or suicidal behavior
Trauma, such as bone deformity, burns, eye injuries, and other injuries

INTRODUCTION

What is borderline personality disorder?

Borderline personality disorder is a condition characterized by long-term mood instability that can disrupt relationships and lead to frequent changes in goals, values and self-identity. People who have borderline personality disorder have a tendency to see things as all bad or all good, and their views about specific people and conditions can fluctuate from one extreme to the other. Suici... Read more about borderline personality disorder introduction

CAUSES

What causes borderline personality disorder?

The cause of borderline personality disorder is not known. It is more common in people whose childhood or adolescence involved abandonment, neglect, separation, disruption, physical or sexual abuse, or poor communications within their families.... Read more about borderline personality disorder causes

TREATMENTS

How is borderline personality disorder treated?

Psychotherapy forms the foundation of treatment of borderline personality disorder. Medications may be used to treat mood instability, depression, or disordered thinking. Although borderline personality disorder can be difficult to treat, many people improve with therapy. A type of psychotherapy designed specifically for the treatment of borderline personality disorder, called dialectical behavior therapy, has shown promise in clinical trials.... Read more about borderline personality disorder treatments