What is borderline personality disorder most commonly 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.


How common is misdiagnosis of BPD?

One study cited that almost 40% of people who were diagnosed with BPD were provided with a misdiagnosis of BD at some point in their lifetime in comparison to only 10% of people in the general population receiving a misdiagnosis of BD. The exact reasoning for this high rate of misdiagnosis is debated among researchers.

What is the most commonly misdiagnosed mental disorder?

“BPD is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed mental health conditions,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.


What other disorders overlap with BPD?

BPD typically coexists with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Symptoms of these conditions may lead the clinician to miss the diagnosis of personality disorder entirely.

Is ADHD commonly misdiagnosed as BPD?

ADHD and BPD share many symptoms, which demand a challenging differential diagnosis. Because ADHD was rarely diagnosed in inattentive women until relatively recently, many lived with a misdiagnosis of BPD.


What It's Like When BPD Is Misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder



Does Adderall help with BPD?

Among all personality disorders, BPD may be the most strongly linked to trauma. While misusing Adderall can't cause BPD, it can make the symptoms of the condition more severe. Taking Adderall with borderline personality disorder can intensify irritability and agitation, even to the point of triggering episodes of rage.

What age does borderline personality disorder develop?

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.

What can mimic borderline personality disorder?

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)


What does borderline personality disorder get mistaken for?

BPD Looks Like So Many Other Mental Health Conditions

People with BPD typically also meet the criteria for multiple other diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and so on.

What mental illness goes with BPD?

For example, a person with borderline personality disorder also may be more likely to experience symptoms of major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, or eating disorders.

What is the second most diagnosed mental disorder?

The most common are anxiety disorders major depression and bipolar disorder.


What happens if a psychiatrist misdiagnosed you?

The most common type of mental health misdiagnosis lawsuit is based on a misdiagnosis in psychiatry. If your doctor, psychotherapist, or other health care provider failed to diagnose you properly and you develop a physical illness as a result, then you may be eligible for compensation.

What is the most common and most frequently underdiagnosed mental health disorder of late adulthood?

The Significance of Depression Depression, a type of mood disorder, is the most prevalent mental health problem among older adults. It is associated with distress and suffering (4). It also can lead to impairments in physical, mental, and social functioning (4).

Why is borderline so hard to diagnose?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms of this disorder overlap with many other conditions, such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and even eating disorders.


Is it hard to get BPD diagnosis?

BPD can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other mental illnesses, such as depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder. Depending on your situation, one session may not be long enough to decide which diagnosis best fits your symptoms. You may be also be offered different treatments.

Can BPD be misdiagnosed as narcissism?

Based on overlapping symptoms, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) are often mistaken for one another. The two personality disorders even have a rate of co-occurrence of about 25 percent, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

What does untreated borderline personality disorder 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 is borderline personality disorder 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.

How do I prove I have BPD?

To be diagnosed with BPD, you must display at least five of the following symptoms:
  1. viewing relationships in extremes (e.g., everything is either all good or all bad)
  2. challenges controlling anger.
  3. frequent mood changes (i.e., periods of intense anger, depression, or anxiety)
  4. recurrent suicidal ideation.


What kind of parents causes borderline personality disorder?

Maladaptive Parenting. Maladaptive parenting including childhood maltreatment, abuse and neglect, exposure to domestic violence and parental conflict are found to be prevalent psychosocial risk factors for development of BPD in children and adolescents [10, 11].


Can you outgrow borderline personality disorder?

BPD in adulthood

Studies found that most patients with BPD improve with time. After 2 years, 1/4 of patients experience a remission (less than 2 symptoms for a period of 2 months or longer) of BPD diagnosis. After 10 years, 91% achieved remission of at least 2 months and 85% achieving remission for 12 months or longer.

Do you develop BPD or are you born with it?

But borderline personality disorder does not develop as a result of those traumas. Instead, it is a combination of genetic factors and childhood experiences (early environmental influences) that cause a person to develop borderline personality disorder.

What medication is usually prescribed for borderline personality disorder?

Antipsychotics are widely used in BPD, as they are believed to be effective in improving impulsivity, aggression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms [Nose et al. 2006; American Psychiatric Association, 2001].


What medications do they prescribe for BPD?

The type and amount of medication prescribed will depend on the individual's symptoms The following medications are commonly used to treat distressing symptoms of BPD:
  • Abilify (aripiprazole)
  • Carbatrol (carbamazepine ER)
  • Fluvoxamine maleate.
  • Haloperidol.
  • Lamictal (lamotrigine)
  • Zyprexa (olanzapine)
  • Topamax (topiramate)


Does Xanax treat BPD?

Research has been mixed on these medications' overall effects. On an individual basis, some have reported significant improvement in their BPD symptoms. Others reported worsened symptoms when taking certain drugs like Xanax because it heightened their urges for impulsive behaviors.