Borderline Personality Disorder
Many people have heard the term, ?Borderline Personality Disorder’ used incorrectly to reference a person who is difficult to get along with and potentially self-destructive. This is not the actual correct usage of the words though. A person with an actual disorder is affected in a life-long sort of way as they deal with rapidly fluctuating emotions and an unclear self-image. It is common for normal people to go through stages of uncertainty, but unless the condition persists over a long period of time, the individual probably does not have a disorder. The person who does have the disorder will want to seek treatment because life can get very rough for her.
The Ups and Downs of Borderline Personality Disorder
Up and down is the best way to describe a life lived with Borderline Personality Disorder. Emotions tend to follow a general up and down trend. Unfortunately, the emotions of this person are down for a considerably longer time than they are up. Because life is not perfect and because a person with Borderline Personality Disorder is very sensitive, the vast majority of life seems hopeless and sad. While emotions are not rational in most cases, this person is convinced that there are explanations for all of the down days in her life. She blames all kinds of situations and people, including herself, for all of the negative feelings in her world.
Relationships
Relationships do not typically go well for a person with Borderline Personality Disorder. She attempts intimacy very quickly and may scare off a potential mate. When the other person does not respond in kind, she is devastated. Even when a lover sticks around, the smallest infraction on his part sends her into a time of anger and resentment. Most relationships seem chaotic and extremely unstable. Because this person is very sensitive to rejection and because she wants desperately to avoid abandonment, she may seem overly controlling in the relationships. When the rejection occurs, she becomes impulsive.
Self Destruction
The person with Borderline Personality Disorder does tend to be self-destructive. From acting impulsively to actual physical endangerment, she acts out when provoked. She may be prone to use drugs, have inappropriate sex, drive dangerously, gamble and spend more than she can afford. While all of the aforementioned actions do become self-destructive, she may also more directly hurt herself by cutting or burning her skin. Suicide attempts are not unheard of. Many of these activities make the person feel guilty later, but they recur anyway.
Treatment
People with Borderline Personality Disorder need to broaden their view of life. They do experience very high and very low emotional states. To avoid such severe disappointments and therefore destructive reactions, they should try to see the bigger picture. If they realize that time changes everything and that more happy times will come, they will be less affected by the negative moments in life. The disorder will also improve with age and learning. Building quality relationships with several people will make it easier to take disappointment from one relationship.
Frances, Allen MD and First, Michael B. MD. Your Mental Health: A Layman’s Guide to
the Psychiatrist’s Bible. New York: Scribner, 1998.
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