"You have a personality disorder" really sounds like a curse. So, from the perspective of clinical psychology, what does the word personality disorder mean? What is borderline personality disorder? The following is the information I collected and compiled, let’s take a look!

What is a personality disorder?

In fact, personality disorder refers to a person's subjective, internal, "self-identity" problems, as well as long-term difficulties in interpersonal relationships. These problems and difficulties are continuous and consistent; they are not periodic. This behavior is part of their personality "style". They are unable to flexibly adjust their personality "style", and this rigid style brings trouble to themselves.

What is borderline personality disorder?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is mainly characterized by emotions, interpersonal relationships, self-image, Behavioral instability, characterized by a variety of impulsive behaviors, is a complex and serious mental disorder. BPD is a fixed personality structure formed in children and adolescents, a short-term morbid phenomenon that occurs in emergency situations.

People with borderline personality disorder have a series of contradictory views of themselves in their minds. However, each view represents a true experience of themselves. And this series of contradictory self-experiences will make them feel confused, anxious, depressed, and empty? Because they lack a core, stable feeling about "who am I".

Before talking about it scientifically, you can first think about yourself or whether the people around you have behaviors similar to the following:

Always worry about being abandoned, and often do so Do you engage in many impulsive and extreme behaviors? Sometimes you over-idealize a person or your relationship with them, and sometimes you suddenly disagree, belittle, or even dislike the other person or their relationship? You are irritable and sometimes you can't control yourself. Angry and aggressive?

In addition to these very obvious behaviors, do you have feelings similar to the following:

Not quite sure who you are and what kind of person you are. , the understanding of this point often wavers; there is always a persistent and inescapable feeling of emptiness

Can you regard these as a very perceptual understanding of borderline personality disorder? Of course, it is not Everyone who experiences the behaviors and feelings described above truly has BPD.

There are many different types of patients with borderline personality disorder. Some people are more prominent in anger, some are more serious in terms of emptiness and suicidal thoughts, and some are "sometimes idealistic" The aspect of "belittling others at times" is even more serious.

According to the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) published by the American Psychiatric Association, the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder requires the following nine conditions: Five (or more) of the diagnostic criteria:

1. Making frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment

People with BPD have a poor understanding of environmental conditions and Relationships are very sensitive. Even when faced with short-term separation or rational criticism, they will still experience strong fears of abandonment and inappropriate anger. To avoid being abandoned, they may act impulsively, such as engaging in self-harm or suicide.

2. Unstable and tense interpersonal relationships, characterized by alternating between extreme idealization and extreme devaluation of the relationship

For significant others, such as relatives, Lovers, friends, therapists, etc.), people with BPD may idealize them at the beginning of the relationship, requiring a lot of time together and sharing the most intimate details. However, they may soon feel that their significant others do not care about them enough and do not pay enough, and they may quickly turn to a state of belittling their significant others. This phenomenon is often called "black and white thinking." In psychological jargon, it's called "splitting."

3. Identity disorder: significant and persistent unstable self-image or sense of self

People with BPD may experience sudden and dramatic changes in their self-image. They may also suddenly change their career plans and ideas, sexual orientation, values, and types of friendships. They often believe that they are bad or evil at heart, and they may feel at times that they do not exist at all, especially when they feel a lack of meaningful relationships, love, or support.

4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that lead to potential self-harm (e.g. consumption, sex, substance abuse, dangerous driving, overeating)

5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-injurious behavior

Among people with BPD, the incidence rate of completed suicide is about 8-10, and self-injurious behaviors (such as scratching oneself, burning oneself ), suicide threats and suicide attempts are very common and can appear as early as adolescence. Self-destructive behaviors may also be exacerbated when there is a threat of separation or rejection, or when the person with BPD is expected to take on responsibilities that they are unwilling to bear. Usually such behavior will allow the patient to re-establish his or her ability to feel, or to wash away his or her sense of evil, thus bringing about relief.

6. Emotional instability due to obvious emotional reactions (for example: intense periodic restlessness, irritability, or anxiety, which usually lasts for a few hours, and only in rare cases lasts for more than Several days)

7. Long-term emptiness (emptiness)

Long-term emptiness plagues people with BPD. This emptiness can be described as a feeling inside the body, usually in the abdomen or chest. This emptiness is not boredom or existential anguish, but is associated with feelings of loneliness and need.

8. Untimely, intense anger or difficulty in controlling anger (for example: losing temper frequently, being angry all the time, fighting repeatedly).

People with BPD may exhibit extreme sarcasm, persistent acrimony, or verbal outbursts. This kind of anger is often triggered when they think that the people around them are neglecting them, keeping a distance from them, being indifferent to them, or abandoning them. After expressing their anger so violently, people with BPD often feel ashamed or guilty, which makes them feel even more evil.

9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

These symptoms occur when people with BPD respond to real or imagined abandonment. The most frequent attacks. Symptoms tend to be short-lived, lasting a few minutes or hours. Symptoms may lessen when they regain care or when they perceive a return of care from their caregivers.

Common misunderstandings about borderline personality disorder

Are they good at manipulating others?

People with BPD will make people feel like they are Always trying to manipulate others. In fact, they are not very good at manipulating others.

People who are truly skillful and good at manipulating others will get what they want from others without others noticing that they are being manipulated. When people with BPD do this, others will notice it.

Did they actually not want to die when they attempted suicide?

Based on current research and the severity of BPD itself, 8-11% of BPD patients die by suicide. They live a life worse than death and often want to escape the pain in life. Sometimes they attempt to end this pain by committing suicide, while in other cases they find temporary relief in other ways, such as: cutting themselves, burning themselves, substance abuse, binging/purging, shoplifting.

They just don’t want to change themselves (otherwise they would have changed a long time ago)?

No BPD patient wants to lose control of their emotions and behavior. Think of all the times you failed. Did you fail because you didn’t want to change? Or because you couldn’t change?

They don’t care about others and only think about themselves?

In fact, BPD people care about others extremely. But when they feel very troubled and painful, they will be unable to control themselves and do things that are harmful to their relationships with others (for example, bombarding them with phone calls, text messages, and uninvited visits). As a result, people will think that they only care about themselves and are selfish. At the height of a relationship crisis, people with BPD often become so physically/emotionally agitated that they become unable to care about others. However, they may feel extremely guilty and guilty about the impact of their actions on others.

Is BPD developed from childhood sexual abuse?

Not all people who have been sexually abused in childhood will develop BPD, and not all people with BPD will develop BPD. The patients had all been sexually assaulted in childhood. According to research, people with BPD aged 28-40 were sexually assaulted in childhood.

Is BPD developed from failed parenting?

Some BPD patients do have family problems. However, some people with BPD come from completely "normal" families. People with BPD are born with an innate, biologically based emotional sensitivity. For example, they have violent, intense, and reactive emotions. These children require special upbringing. Sometimes, the parents of people who develop BPD are not as emotional as they are, so these parents are unable to teach their children how to regulate intense emotions.

Can borderline personality disorder be controlled?

Research shows that people with BPD can have a pretty good way out, especially after they receive treatment. With specialized treatment, most people with BPD find that their symptoms decrease and their quality of life improves. Although not all symptoms may be relieved, problem behaviors and distress can be significantly reduced. When under stress, some symptoms may return. When this happens, people with BPD should return to therapy and other forms of support.

If after reading today’s article, you feel that you may have BPD, don’t feel too stressed. Otherwise, you will only sink deeper and deeper into marginal thinking? In your self-perception, you will have another negative label of patient. In fact, many people with borderline personality disorder have extremely high IQs and are very intelligent. All types of mental illness are related to an inability to accept oneself and self-conflict. It is recommended that you seek help from a professional psychological counselor and psychiatrist. If you feel that you have a tendency in this regard, you can start with self-regulation and be alert to observe whether you have a "black or white" way of thinking. However, true patients with borderline personality disorder cannot recover by themselves through self-regulation.