What are the 8 symptoms of BPD?

Signs and symptoms
  • Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone. ...
  • Unstable relationships. ...
  • Unclear or shifting self-image. ...
  • Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. ...
  • Self-harm. ...
  • Extreme emotional swings. ...
  • Chronic feelings of emptiness. ...
  • Explosive anger.


What is the biggest symptom of BPD?

With borderline personality disorder, you have an intense fear of abandonment or instability, and you may have difficulty tolerating being alone. Yet inappropriate anger, impulsiveness and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you want to have loving and lasting relationships.

What are the 9 traits of BPD?

9 Traits of Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Fear of Abandonment. You're going to leave me. ...
  • Intense Interpersonal Relationships. ...
  • Identity Disturbance. ...
  • Impulsivity. ...
  • Recurrent Self-Harm/Suicidal Behavior. ...
  • Affective Instability. ...
  • Chronic Emptiness. ...
  • Inappropriate Anger.


How does a person with BPD act?

People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain.

What are some rarely known signs for BPD?

Uncommon BPD Symptoms
  • Have food habits that strongly resemble those found in a person with bulimia or anorexia.
  • Experience mood alterations that closely mimic major depression or less severe forms of depression.
  • Experience the potentially extreme manic episodes found in people with bipolar disorder.


9 Criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder



What is BPD usually misdiagnosed as?

In particular, there is evidence that BPD is commonly misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder, Type 2. One study showed that 40% of people who met criteria for BPD but not for bipolar disorder were nevertheless misdiagnosed with Bipolar Type 2.

What mimics borderline?

The symptoms of BPD are very broad, and some can be similar to or overlap with other mental health problems, such as:
  • Bipolar disorder.
  • Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD)
  • Depression.
  • Anxiety.
  • Psychosis.
  • Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)


How to tell if someone is borderline?

Signs and symptoms
  1. Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone. ...
  2. Unstable relationships. ...
  3. Unclear or shifting self-image. ...
  4. Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. ...
  5. Self-harm. ...
  6. Extreme emotional swings. ...
  7. Chronic feelings of emptiness. ...
  8. Explosive anger.


What is borderline rage?

Intense and sometimes inappropriate rage is a characteristic of borderline personality disorder (BPD). A person with this condition has difficulty regulating their emotions or returning to their baseline. Extremes of rage and other intense emotions may last longer than might be expected, from a few hours to a few days.

How can you tell if a woman is borderline?

Common Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder

Rushes into friendships and significant relationships. Unstable relationships with friends and family. Cuts off relationships very suddenly. Often drives recklessly.

What are psychopathic traits in BPD?

Psychopathy is characterized by two primary sets of traits, the first marked by deficits in interpersonal-affective traits (referred to here as “Factor 1” or F1; grandiosity, shallow affect, callousness, deceitfulness) and the second marked by impulsive-antisocial traits (referred to here as “Factor 2” or F2; ...


Is BPD a serious mental illness?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious, long-lasting and complex mental health problem. People with BPD have difficulty regulating or handling their emotions or controlling their impulses.

What does an episode look like for someone with BPD?

Intense outbursts of anger are indicative of an episode of BPD as are bouts of depression and anxiety. Eighty percent of those suffering from BPD experience suicidal thoughts and behavior while in the throes of an episode as well.

What are triggers for BPD?

Separations, disagreements, and rejections—real or perceived—are the most common triggers for symptoms. A person with BPD is highly sensitive to abandonment and being alone, which brings about intense feelings of anger, fear, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and very impulsive decisions.


What does untreated BPD look like?

If left untreated, the person suffering from BPD may find themselves involved with extravagant spending, substance abuse, binge eating, reckless driving, and indiscriminate sex, Hooper says. The reckless behavior is usually linked to the poor self-image many BPD patients struggle with.

What can undiagnosed BPD lead to?

Some of the most common effects of untreated BPD can include the following: Dysfunctional social relationships. Repeated job losses. Broken marriages.

What is borderline personality called now?

Borderline personality disorder is also called emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) and emotional intensity disorder (EID). In this factsheet, we call it BPD as this is still the most common term for the condition.


Are borderline personality toxic?

Many people still believe that those living with it can be manipulative or dangerous due to their symptoms. While this can be the case in a very small minority of people, most people with BPD are just struggling with their sense of self and their relationships. It's important to note that we're not dangerous people.

Are borderline personalities abusive?

Those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) or those with BPD who may not even know they have it, are more likely than the general population to be verbally, emotionally/psychologically, physically abusive.

At what age does borderline personality show up?

According to the DSM-5, BPD can be diagnosed as early as at 12 years old if symptoms persist for at least one year. However, most diagnoses are made during late adolescence or early adulthood.


What does severe borderline personality look like?

A pattern of intense and unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. A distorted and unstable self-image or sense of self. Impulsive and often dangerous behaviors, such as spending sprees, unsafe sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, and binge eating.

What age does borderline personality start?

Most personality disorders begin in the teen years when your personality further develops and matures. As a result, almost all people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are above the age of 18. Although anyone can develop BPD, it's more common if you have a family history of BPD.

How do you get tested for BPD?

Personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder, are diagnosed based on a:
  1. Detailed interview with your doctor or mental health provider.
  2. Psychological evaluation that may include completing questionnaires.
  3. Medical history and exam.
  4. Discussion of your signs and symptoms.


Do BPD have empathy?

People with BPD score low on cognitive empathy but high on emotional empathy. This suggests that they do not easily understand other peoples' perspectives, but their own emotions are very sensitive. This is important because it could align BPD with other neurodiverse conditions.

Are borderlines dramatic?

The Drama Triangle is commonly exhibited by sufferers of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD is typically characterized by the intense emotional turmoil experienced by the individual and those around them.