3 mins

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Misunderstood Phenomenon

Many people are familiar with mental health problems such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression. Fewer people, though, have heard of borderline personality disorder. But even among those people who do have a basic understanding of BPD, there is still a lot of doubt and misunderstanding.

So what is borderline personality disorder?

The term “borderline” is meant to describe people who are on the borderline of neurosis and psychosis. It was coined in the late 1930s when very little was known about this disorder. Today, though, some doctors have taken to using the terms “emotionally unstable personality disorder” or “emotional regulation disorder”. These more accurately describe individuals with BPD, since fast-fluctuating moods are a principle characteristic of the disorder.

Approximately 7 out of every 1000 people in the UK suffer from BPD, most of whom are women. BPD is normally diagnosed in young adulthood, but in rare cases it is diagnosed in individuals under the age of 18. The reason for this delayed diagnosis is that many symptoms indicative of BPD (see below) are inherently present in many adolescents.

Symptoms of BPD are varied among sufferers, so doctors must take care to monitor them and ensure that they are consistent and ongoing before making a diagnosis. BPD has nine main symptoms, and sufferers must consistently express at least five of these symptoms before a diagnosis can be made.

Symptoms of BPD include:

  • Intense, irrational fear of abandonment by family or friends. Even a missed phone call can send a BPD sufferer into a panic.
  • Impulsive, reckless behaviour, such as unsafe sex, substance abuse, or binge-eating.
  • Unstable, stormy relationships that quickly transition between idealisation (“I love everything about this person and can’t live without them”) to devaluation (“This person is the worst person in the world”).
  • Extreme angry outbursts not related to any other mental or mood disorder.
  • Chronic feelings of emptiness or loneliness.
  • Self-harming behaviour or suicidal thoughts/attempts.
  • Extreme mood swings not associated with bipolar disorder or another disorder.
  • Dissociative symptoms, such as feeling disconnected from thoughts, body or other people.
  • Poor self-image or sense of self-worth.

These symptoms can place a huge strain on interpersonal relationships, yet family and friends of people with BPD often don’t understand the severity of symptoms and may sometimes feel that sufferers are trying to manipulate them or “play games”. As a result, having a relationship with someone with BPD can be very emotionally and mentally intense, but remembering a few key points can make a world of difference for sufferers and the people who love them.

If you or someone you know suffers from borderline personality disorder, you can receive sensitive, professional help from experts at The Chelsea Psychology Clinic. For information about private therapy in London, you can make a booking or enquiry today.

Dr Elena Touroni

Dr Elena Touroni

7 April 2017

"Dr. Elena Touroni is a skilled and experienced Consultant Psychologist with a track record of delivering high-quality services for individuals with all common emotional difficulties and those with a diagnosis of personality disorder. She is experienced in service design and delivery, the management of multi-disciplinary teams, organisational consultancy, and development and delivery of both national and bespoke training to providers in the statutory and non-statutory sector."

You may like these...

1 min

Dr Anna Saunders Introduction

2 mins

An example of how CBT in action

2 mins

What is the parents role in the children’s therapy?

1 min

What can be done to improve the outcome of treatment?

Start your journey

Today

Athena Lazaridou

Athena is a Pilates instructor with 8 years’ experience in the field. After completing a Power Pilates Mat Certification in Athens, she went on to complete the Full Comprehensive Classical Pilates Certification with Equinox in Kensington.  She has been teaching Pilates at Equinox for the past 6 years in addition to her own private clients who she trains both face to face and virtually.

Athena has a passion for helping people get stronger and fitter as well as helping those recovering from injury regain their strength and mobility.  Over the years, she has worked with athletes to incorporate Pilates into their training and improve performance. Athena has also worked with prenatal and postnatal women who may be experiencing depression or other mental health difficulties and used Pilates to facilitate a positive impact on their mental health.

Athena is very passionate about improving physical and mental well-being and has recently incorporated Sound Healing into her work, as she believes it to be one of the best ways of ‘letting go’ and releasing stale energy whilst increasing greater self-awareness.